People

Joe is a Welsh ecologist and Rights of Nature campaigner with a background in ecology and environmental biology and a passion for greater inclusion, transparency, and fairness in conservation and environmental governance. He recently won a Green Heart Hero Award, the UK’s leading climate and sustainability awards, for his work engaging stakeholders in Wales in discussions on nature recovery. A first-language Welsh speaker and a proud Cardi, he enjoys exploring the links between local culture and nature and will always say yes to a story over a paned. When not having a paned or at his desk, you will find him near, on, or in the water, the place he says he feels most at home. ​ Joe works as a freelance consultant on several nature projects in his native Wales and internationally. In addition to his work, Joe serves as Vice President of the Board for Reserva: The Youth Land Trust, Chair of the Advisory Council for National Trust Cymru, a member of the Wales Council for Outdoor Learning and Board of Trustees for Small World Theatre.

The Okayama ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) Promotion Commission is the network of various stakeholders, including universities, civic organizations, businesses and local governments in Okayama area in Japan. Since its establishment in 2005, it has been collaborating to make ESD a community-driven initiative in the area with the aim of establishing a community in which people learn, think and act together toward the realization of a sustainable society.

Lori Mann has more than 40 years of experience in environmental education at the local, state, and national levels. Lori joined the NAAEE staff in 2012 as Program and Conference Manager and now serves as Director of Conferences and Programs. In this capacity, she manages all aspects of the NAAEE annual conference and coordinates several national projects related to building capacity to deliver high-quality environmental education. 

Hi! I’m Jimena, raised in Southern California with a love for nature and shaped by my family. I now call Alaska home. Previously, I’ve worked in fieldwork helping on avian research projects with the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before working with the National Parks Service as a park ranger. At present, I’m a Digital Community Coordinator at NAAEE. When I’m not supporting our amazing eePRO community, you can find me reading, writing, doodling, or bicycling to the nearest coffee and tea place.

I am a PhD student at Antioch University-Graduate School of Leadership & Change. My research work is focused on Dance as a relational dialogue with which we can re-create a positive relationship with Nature, building regenerative futures. 

It's all about connection, colaboration and celebrating new intersections, leading to stronger global community networks.

Tina Harte Ballinger is a Project Support Specialist for the NASA Langley Science Directorate's Education Team. She is also the founder and Project Manager for the NASA GLOBE Goes to Camp Project providing informal outdoor education opportunities to communities across the United States. She has over 30 years of experience in STEAM based instruction and curriculum development with a M.S. in Secondary Science Education from the Univeristy of Tennessee at Martin.