People

Emily Schaller's appreciation of the natural world started during her childhood in Connecticut playing in the mud with her brother, hiking in the woods with her dad, and picking flowers and berries with her mom. She was a dedicated Girl Scout for 10 years, which helped instill in her a love of exploration and a sense of civic responsibility. 

She pursued her interest in connecting people to the natural world and inspiring action to sustain it by earning her MS in Ecological Leadership and Education from the Audubon Expedition Institute of Lesley University. This unique program included 3 semesters of living and learning outdoors while traveling across different bioregions of North America in a retrofitted school bus. This transformational experience provided her with a deeper knowledge of herself as well as the role she could play in building connections between people, their communities, and their place. 

She has since developed and delivered a variety of environmental education experiences for all ages at Naturebridge Yosemite, Teton Science Schools, and the University of Michigan's Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER). Emily currently supports professional learning programs offered through Shelburne Farms' Institute for Sustainable Schools, focusing on education for sustainability, climate education, and food systems education.

I am the Executive Assistant for a maine-based nonprofit organization, Center for Wildlife Studies. Our global mission to provide accessible environmental education and promote wildlife conservation through science. We offer online and field trainings all around the world to students, professionals, and anyone in between. Learn more about us!

As a passionate conservationist and educator with years of experience, I have worked in varying aspects of conservation ranging from Environmental Permitting for the private sector to Conservation Research on South Africa's fauna.

Brock Adler is an environmental education consultant and lobbyist, green investor, and Chair of the NAAEE Advocacy Committee. He has worked and volunteered in the field for many years, and helped lead the effort to include environmental education in the 2015 federal education bill.

I am a 5th grade Science, Health, and Social Studies teacher for Baltimore County Public Schools. I also work with students K-5th through environmental education. 

Danielle Lucas serves on NRPA's Professional Development team as the Learning Coordinator. Her career has focused on creating, implementing, and sustaining positive experiences that participants can take to share with someone else. She’s been a part of the education and recreation teams at a number of organizations, including but not limited to Kentucky State Parks, Wilson's Nurseries Butterfly Greenhouse, Georgetown-Scott County Parks and Recreation, and the University of Kentucky. 

Danielle earned a Bachelor’s in Recreation and Park Administration, triple concentrating in Natural Resource Recreation Management, Tourism/Resort Recreation Management, and Event Planning Recreation Management from Eastern Kentucky University.

Vince Meldrum is President and CEO of Earth Force. Vince is an experienced nonprofit leader who has worked in environmental and civic education for 20 years. Vince leads Earth Force, a national organization with a unique focus on combining active civic education with environmental education to prepare young people with the civic skills, scientific knowledge, and motivation to improve our local environment.

I am an Environmental Educator stationed at Crowder County Park and Historic Yates Mill, my deep dedication to conservation drives my work. Operating at the forefront of education, I strive to inspire the public and youth alike to join us on a collective journey. Together, we aim to secure a lasting ecosystem that all animals and plants alike can share, ensuring they have a home long into the future, even after we have moved on.