MAEOE | The Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

The individuals serving on MAEOE's Board of Directors represent a wide range of personal and professional interests in environmental, outdoor education, and natural resource issues, and further represent organizations and institutions from across the state. The following list of the MAEOE Board includes links to most of those organizations and agencies. We welcome you to learn more about each of them.

Name, Affiliation	Term Expires in February / Year
Jeanne Armacost Baltimore County DEPRM	2009
Karen Cifranick Harford County Public Schools	2008
Jill Coutts Montgomery County Public Schools	2010
Julie Diegez	2011
Pat Ghingher Baltimore County Public Schools	2009
Sarah Haines Towson University	2008
Karen Harris Baltimore County Public Schools	2010
Steve Heacock Carroll County Public Schools	2009
Rick Hobbs Irvine Nature Center	2009
Dave Honchalk Montgomery County Public Schools	2008
Lisa Jones Living Classrooms Foundation	2010
Joe Keyser GreenMan Communications	2011
Frank Marsden Eden Mill Nature Center	2010
Bronywn Mitchell Environmental Concern Inc.	2009
Melanie Parker Anne Arundel County Public Schools	2009
John Sandkuhler Sheppard Pratt	2011
Pam Sherfey Carroll County Public Schools	2010
Elena Takaki MD Dept of Natural Resources	2009
Coreen Weilminster Adkins Aboretum	2010
Keith Williams NorthBay	2011

Jeanne Armacost

Natural Resource Specialist
Baltimore County Department of Environmental
Protection and Resource Management (DEPRM)
410 Bosley Avenue Suite 416
Towson, MD 21204
Tel. 410.887.4488 x251
Email: jarmacost@baltimorecountymd.gov

Background: Since 1987, Jeanne has worked as a Natural Resource Specialist in environmental education for the Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management (DEPRM) in Towson, Maryland. She holds a Bachelor's degree in geography and secondary education and a Master's degree in geography and environmental planning. She lectured on topics in physical geography at Towson University from 1987-2003 and has additional classroom experience in both public and private schools K-12 in Pennsylvania and Baltimore County public and private schools. Serving a second term on the MAEOE Board of Directors, she chairs the statewide MD Green Schools Committee and serves on the conference committee. For Baltimore County DEPRM, she promotes the Green School Program in public and private schools, acts as environmental education consultant for Girl Scouts of Central MD, the Towson Gardens Day committee, the Herring Run Watershed Association, and is currently working with the Baltimore Jewish Environmental Network and Chesapeake Covenant Congregations, two faith coalitions working to enhance stewardship in the Bay watershed.

Karen Cifranick

Harford Glen Environmental Education Center
502 West Wheel Rd
Bel Air MD 21015
Tel. 410-638-3903/3971
Fax: 410-638-3907
Email: Karen.Cifranick@hcps.org

Background: I'm a Pittsburgh native. Did my undergraduate studies at Clarion University earning a B.S.Ed (Biology and Earth Science). Earned a Masters of Liberal Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University. Currently I am an Environmental Specialist at the Harford Glen Environmental Education Center...we work with students in grades 1,3,5,7,9,11-12 as part of the Harford County Public School System. I previously taught Earth/Space Science and Environmental Science at Joppatowne High School. I am a nationally certified trainer for Hungerford and Volk's Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions program.

Background: A graduate of St. Mary's College of Maryland, Julie has spent several years teaching Staff photo

kids the joys of dirt. After working as a Maryland state park naturalist, Julie joined Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center working on the Chesapeake Connections Schoolyard Habitat program. Julie continued her schoolyard habitat work with The Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Education Program. In 2006, Julie joined MAEOE as the Schoolyard Habitat Specialist for the Schoolyard Habitat Partnership. Although she still enjoyed getting her hands dirty, Julie spent most of her time with MAEOE redesigning the MAEOE web site with Carnival PR web designer Ted Knight. The goal of the site redesign was to provide a "one-stop-shop" of information for anyone interested in getting involved with environmental education. When her work at MAEOE comes to a close, Julie hopes to enjoy long walks on the beach and pina coladas... but since she can afford neither, she will more likely be spending her time attempting to convince her toddler not to feed earthworms to the dog.

Background: Pat Ghingher is currently the Team Leader and Senior Teacher Naturalist for the Baltimore County Public Schoolís Outdoor Science Department. Previous to this position she was a classroom science teacher for Baltimore County in both middle and high schools. She has also worked for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Duval County Public School System in Jacksonville, Florida. Pat received her BS in Biology with a minor in Chemistry and Education from Hood College and her MS in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. In addition to the MAEOE Board, Pat also serves on the boards of the Baltimore County Soil Conservation Board, Marshy Point Nature Center and Camp Puhítok.

Sarah Haines
Department of Biological Sciences
Towson University
8000 York Road
Towson MD 21252

Tel. 410.704.2926
Fax: 410.704.2405
Email: shaines@towson.edu

B.A. Biology, Bucknell University
M.S. Zoology, Univ. of Georgia
Ph.D. Zoology, Univ. of Georgia
M.A. Education, Salisbury State University

Background: Taught seventh grade science in Worcester County for 3 years
Have served as adjunct faculty at several colleges: Univ. of Georgia, Delaware State University, Essex Community College, Eastern Shore Community College, Wesley College, & Salisbury State University. Three years experience as a veterinary assistant Currently an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University. Teach science education courses for elementary education and secondary education majors, and an environmental education course for biology majors. Research interests focus on using the environment as an integrating context for learning in K-12 education. Certified facilitator for Project Wet, Project Wild, and Project Learning Tree Volunteer for the DNR program TEAM (Teaching Environmental Awareness in Maryland).

Background: 26 years with Carroll Co. Outdoor School (22 as a very happy teacher 4 as administrator. BS Towson State College; MS Northern Ill. - Outdoor Ed/Environmental studies; MS Western Maryland College - Ed. Administration. Certified wilderness education. Associate Director Maryland summer centers for gifted students. Environmental Studies. Federal and state licensed raptor rehabilitator. Married Patti, 2 sons, Forrest 15 Taylor 18. Hobbies hunting reading, Passion fly fishing. Educational Philosophy: "Education is not about life, Education is living"...John Dewey.

Rick Hobbs
Irvine Nature Center
Schoolyard Discovery 's Schoolyard Habitat Coordinator, Rick Hobbs, received a B.A. in History from St. Lawrence University, after which he spent 5 years as a classroom teacher, teaching abroad and in Maryland English and Spanish respectively. From 1999 through 2001, Mr. Hobbs served a two and a half year tour of service with the United States Peace Corps in Paraguay S.A. During that time, he earned certifications in: soil conservation management; natural resource management; and beekeeping technology and management. During his tenure with the Peace Corps, Mr. Hobbs served as an Agriculture/Community Development Specialist with the Paraguayan Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resource Management. He came to Irvine after working as the Program Director for Community Harvest in Washington D.C., where he linked farmers to underserved, urban communities. Fluent in Spanish, Mr. Hobbs brings a dedication to environmental education and conservation, and a wealth of experience in community building and project management to his role as Irvine's Schoolyard Habitat Coordinator.

As Schoolyard Habitat Coordinator Mr. Hobbs heads up the schoolyard habitat revitalization and restoration component of the Schoolyard Discovery Program. This role includes consulting with, facilitating and advising a planning committee at each of the 7 elementary schools participating in Schoolyard Discovery. Mr. Hobbs provides technical capacity in the planning, design, implementation and maintenance of the schoolyard habitat revitalization projects. Mr. Hobbs advises and conducts workshops with the planning teams on fundraising for these projects. He also serves as a community partnership liaison, connecting the schools with neighborhood groups, non-profit organizations and local government agencies that can provide resources and participate as stakeholders. Mr. Hobbs integrates the participation of the students involved in the Schoolyard Discovery Program with every step of the habitat revitalization project planning process by going in to the classroom and teaching 1 hour long habitat-focused lessons 7 times a year at each participating school in order to demonstrate the importance and purpose of the habitat projects and to prepare the students for the implementation and care of the gardens. In addition to his role as Schoolyard Habitat Coordinator, Mr. Hobbs coordinates the Summer Fellowship Program, which is the summer component of Schoolyard Discovery. He also serves on the board of trustees for the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education.

Dave has been involved with outdoor and environmental education for over 30 years. He holds a BS in elementary science from California University (PA), a master’s in outdoor education from Northern Illinois University, and certification in Administration and Supervision. While a graduate assistant at Northern, Dave had a unique opportunity to interact with many of the pioneers in the field of outdoor education. Retired in 2007 after 35 years in education, one-half of Dave’s professional career was spent as an outdoor education teacher at the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center in Montgomery County, MD. For the past 8 years, Dave served as the supervisor of the outdoor education program, one of the largest in the state. Currently on the Board of MAEOE, Dave has also served as president, executive Board member, and conference chair in the past. He firmly believes that creating environmentally literate students will be one of the biggest challenges facing educators in the next decade.

Lisa Jones
Living Classrooms Foundation
Lisa Jones is from Owings Mills, Maryland. She received a B.S. in Human Development from St. Mary's College of Southern Maryland. Lisa has been working for Living Classrooms Foundation since 2000 when she was the Program Director on Mildred Belle, and later became Director of Shipboard Education in 2001. Lisa is currently in grad school pursuing a Master's of Education degree. When she is not working, she spends a lot of time rock climbing indoors and out, playing with her dog Tucker, and just generally enjoying the outdoors.

Joe Keyser is the President of GreenMan Communications, an environmental and media communications firm based in Arlington, Virginia. Joe has been known by many monikers over the years, once as “America’s Compost King,” while at the American Horticultural Society, and later as the “GreenMan” owing to his eponymous newspaper column, radio “EcoMinutes,” and his award-winning “GreenMan Show” on cable television. Until 2006, Joe was the environmental education specialist for the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, where he developed a series of public outreach programs that won more than 40 international, national, and regional awards.

Joe holds graduate and undergraduate degrees from Georgetown University, serves on the board of OurEarth.org, as well as the MAEOE Board of Trustees, and teaches classes for the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, among other venues. He and his wife, Dr. Linda Migl Keyser, an Assistant Professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, have tended an edible landscape and habitat garden on their rooftop in Arlington for more than 20 years.

Louisianaís rich marshes, swamps and bayous fueled Bronwynís love for wetlands. For over 12 years, Bronwyn has spent her professional life trying to work herself out of a job by securing a healthy future for wetlands. After graduating with a B.S. in Environmental Management Systems, Bronwyn joined the Peace Corps and headed to Botswana to work as an environmental education specialist attached to Conservation Internationalís Okavango Delta Office. The Okavango Delta just happens to be the worldís largest inland delta and is designated as a Wetland of International Importance. While dodging hippos, Bronwyn managed to help create an interpretive trail system and nature center in a small education game park. When electricity and running water finally returned to Bronwynís life 2.5 years later, d Dallas for the South Pacific when she took the position of Territorial Wetland Specialist for American Samoa (2500 miles south southwest of HI). Bronwyn was instrumental in developing a wetland education program which included month long activities for Wetlands Month, teacher trainings, and community outreach. After achieving the perfect tan, the Pacific Ocean was traded for the Chesapeake Bay when Bronwyn took over as Director of Education for Environmental Concern Inc. Today, Bronwyn is busy making sure her staff is out there ìTeaching Dem Wetlandsî ñ helping teachers bring wetlands alive and into their classrooms, transforming schoolyards into living and breathing wetlands and connecting youth to the wonders of wetlands

Melanie Parker

Outdoor Educator
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
975 Indian Landing Road
Millersville MD 21108
Tel. 410-222-3822
Email: mdparker@aacps.org

A native of St. Mary's County, Melanie spent most of her childhood exploring the creeks, farmfields and woods of the western shore of the Bay. She currently is a Teacher Specialist at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Melanie coordinates the Chesapeake Connections Program, a year-long environmental education program where students are involved in formal classroom instruction, outreach activities, and hands on projects such as schoolyard or community restoration, terrapin, SAV grasses, or the American Eel program. . She has been with Anne Arundel County for the past 12 years where she works with students K-12, instructs adults and teachers. Prior to Arlington Echo she worked with Izaak Walton League of America as their Outdoor Ethics Program Coordinator. Schooling includes PhD work in Education at Maryland (Teacher Certified in Geography), MS in Outdoor Recreation from NCSU, BAs in Geography (Cert in Cartography) and Art-Graphic Design (minor in Computor Art) at UMBC.

Pam Sherfey
Linton Springs Elementary School
Carroll County Public Schools
3620 Marianna Avenue
Westminster MD 21157
Tel. 410-751-3280
Email: pssherf@k12.carr.org

Pam has been in the education field for 22 years. She currently teaches fourth grade at Linton Springs Elementary. Pam has led her classes in creating a schoolyard habitat. They have restored a wetlands, created a Winter Garden to provide food and habitat for the animals, and constructed a Rain Garden to help control a run-off problem on the school grounds. The school is currently working on researching about a Meadow to help increase the diversity of bird population in the area. Pam was a finalist for the Environmental Teacher of the Year, sponsored by the Chesapeake Bay Trust. She is the mother of 5 children. When not busy with school and family, you can find her caring for the animals on their farm.

Elena S. Takaki
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, E2
580 Taylor Ave.
Annapolis, MD 21401
Tel. 410-260-8715
Email: etakaki@dnr.state.md.us

Elena is currently a Program Manager for education at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. She considers being able to work with students in the outdoors one of the best parts of her job. With a B.S. in Natural Resource Management from the University of Michigan, Elena has had the privilege of working with Dr. Bill Stapp, who has profoundly influenced her life and career. Additionally, she has a M.A. in Science Education from the University of Michigan and a M.S. in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University. Elena has experience teaching high school and middle school science as well as working for non-profit environmental organizations. New to the MAEOE Board, she is looking forward to continue to work on environmental education issues for the state of Maryland. In her spare time, Elena enjoys outdoor activities such as fly fishing, kayaking, and hiking with her dog, Pancho.

Background: Born and raised for most of her life in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, Coreen Weilminster spent her days exploring the woods and lake near her home. She has a BS from Penn State University ('92) in Political Science and with aspirations of working in environmental policy, began to volunteer at a local environmental center only to find a calling in environmental education. In 1995 she finished a Graduate Teaching Fellowship at the Montclair State University, New Jersey School of Conservation with a 4.0 GPA, honors, and a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Education. Coreen has served as Chief Naturalist at the Riverfront Parks in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and received an Environmental Management Fellowship with the Chesapeake Research Consortium where she worked for one year as Riparian Forest Buffer Initiative Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay Program Office's Forestry Workgroup. She was Education Director for the Wildfowl Trust of North America at Horsehead Wetlands Center in Grasonville, MD (now called the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center), and has served on the Board of Director at MAEOE since 2001. In 2005 Coreen began working on a consulting basis in order to take time to raise her family. Her clients have included the Chesapeake Bay Trust, A Rocha USA, and Adkins Arboretum for whom she is currently acting as Children's Education Coordinator. Coreen lives in Arnold, MD with her husband and two daughters.

Keith has a degree in environmental biology from Kutztown University and worked as a senior environmental biologist for ten years before starting his education career. He taught middle school science and has been an outdoor educator for 15 years. He is the Director of Education at NorthBay. He is a volunteer firefighter and is a member of the Maryland Wildlands Fire Team. In his spare time he likes to fish, hike, and backpack with his wife, two sons and daughter.

The MAEOE Board of Directors Emeritus position is a designation of honor that represents the lifetime achievement and dedicated service provided to the organization. An individual should meet at least two of the following qualifications: 1. Served three terms on the MAEOE Board of Directors 2. Served two terms on the MAEOE Executive Staff 3. Served as a MAEOE Officer.

Former MAEOE Executive Director. Carol received a BS in biology from Tulane University and a Master's of Arts in Teaching (Biology) from Tulane. She taught biology and general science in the New Orleans city schools. Later, Carol volunteered for the Marine Docent program at the University of New Hampshire where she fell in love with marshes, bays and anything estuarine. While developing the Java History Trail at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, she learned about the impacts of land use on water quality. Carol has worked for the Department of Natural Resources since 1994. She served as the Director of Conservation Education and is currently the manager of the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Maryland where she gets to combine her love of science with her interest in education.

A Harford County native, employed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources since 1987, Cindy is the Aquatic Resources Education Coordinator and the Project WET Maryland Coordinator for the state. Spending the summers of her youth in Avalon, New Jersey her passion quickly became water and sand which led to a passion for travel and collecting sand from all over the world. Her passion for all things water led her to her role in helping to create Green Eggs and Sand, establishing the “Hooked On Fishing, Not On Drugs” fishing clinic program in Maryland, as well as work in Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). She has a B.S. from Juniata College, Huntingdon, PA and a Master's degree from the University of Maryland. Cindy joined the MAEOE Board in 1995 and has served on the MAEOE Executive Board as President (1999), Treasurer, and Member at Large, and has also served as the MAEOE conference chair or co-chair for many years. She has served as Council Member and Board Member for several national organizations. Cindy lives in Jarrettsville with her husband Lou (a former member of the MAEOE Board of Directors) and is trying to redefine her life as she becomes an empty-nester as her children Garth (at MIT) and Kalie (soon to be in college) move on to an exciting new chapter in their lives.

Bernie Samm
Montgomery County Public Schools
Move Coordinator
Dept. Materials Management
580 North Stonestreet Ave
Rockville , MD 20850
Work Phone: 301-370-2521
Fax: 301-279-4998
Email: bernie_samm@mcpsmd.org

Bernie Samm hails from Baltimore and has lived in the Washington suburbs since graduating from the University of Maryland with a BS in Science Education in 1967. He holds a BS in Science Education for the U of M and an MA in Special Education from Trinity College. In 2000 he retired from his job as Supervisor of Outdoor Education for Montgomery County Public Schools. He continues to work part time for the school system. Maryland is his home and its environment is his passion. He helped found both the Montgomery County Outdoor Education Association in 1974 and MAEOE in 1985. He was MAEOE's first president and has served on its Board ever since. Bernie spends most of his free time at a little waterfront shack on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.

A Baltimore native, Kerri's interest in environmental education and protection grew from summers on the South River and surviving crabbing trips with her father on the Chesapeake Bay. After receiving a B.S. in Biology from Salisbury University and a B.S. in Environmental Science from University of Maryland Eastern Shore, she staffed the leading Education Board (SREB) staff development conference.

Mal Fordham
Special Events Specialist
Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI)
9801 Rhode Island Avenue
College Park MD 20740-1400
Work Phone: 301.982.9681
Fax: 310.982.0335
Email: mfordha@rei.com

Matt Gay
Background: Matt serves as a training specialist for the Division of Education Outreach at the National Conservation Training Center. He is responsible for a number of courses including, Introduction To Visitor Services, Interpretive Writing; Interpretive Talk, Interpretive Panels and Wayside Exhibits, Introduction to Interpretation, Trail Management, The Role of Hunting in Wildlife Conservation and Management, and Accessible Hunting and Fishing Opportunities. Matt transferred to NCTC from the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Fremont, California where he served as the Chief of Visitor Services. Before moving to Colorado, he served as the Education and Outreach Specialist for the Division of Federal Aid and as a Regional Outdoor Recreation Planner for the Division of Refuges; both positions were in Denver, Colorado. Matt joined the Service in 1990 as an Education Specialist for the Chesapeake Bay Estuary Program after spending a year as a Program Assistant at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center in Anne Arundel County, MD.

He holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Northern Illinois University with an emphasis in Outdoor Teacher Education and a Bachelors from Appalachian State University in Outdoor Recreation Management.

Mark has been in Maryland since 1965. He graduated from Bowie High School and presently lives with his family in Lothian. He has been involved in research and education with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) since 1983. As the head technician in the Crab Lab, he spent 6 years researching blue crabs in the Rhode River and Chesapeake Bay. He has also done extensive monitoring of fish populations within tidal creeks along the Bay and, in particular, concentrated on the Atlantic Menhaden and its parasite, Lorenica preagustator. For the last 13 years, Mark has been Director of Education at SERC and focuses his attention on creating school programs that link students with aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric research experiences in the field. Under his leadership, the Education Dept has distance learning programs that connect students to educators and scientists at SERC and watershed radio websites that feature daily programs focused on relevant issues within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. He has also developed a traveling school exhibit titled Tales of the Blue Crab which has visited a number of elementary schools in the Maryland area. An alumni of Towson University, Mark holds a bachelors degree in biology and science education and a masters degree in secondary education. Learn more at: www.serc.si.edu/education, http://www.watershedradio.org/.

Ellisa Hidalgo
10305 Proctor St.
Silver Spring MD 20901
Tel. 301 593-4934
Email: momellisa@earthlink.net

Background: Ellisa been in the education field for 15 years. For last four, she has been a High School science teacher in Bethesda, Maryland, and Miami, Florida. Prior to being in the classroom, Ellisa was the Director of Education for an aviary and tropical gardens in Florida, and the director of experiential education in a home for adolescent girls in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Ellisa has always stayed actively involved in community-based environmental education efforts, including organizing Earth Day celebrations, stream and bay clean-ups, and outdoor experiences for at-risk children. She has led over 300 two-ten day outings with teenagers which focused on outdoor/environmental education. While getting her Masters of Arts in Teaching, she realized that "the more I learn, the less I feel I know." Ellisa is also a mother of three young children (currently: 4 yrs, 2 yrs & 7 months) and lives in Montgomery County.

Rick Leader
Director
National Audubon Society: MD - DC
11450 Audubon Lane
Easton MD 21601
Tel. 410-822-4903
Fax: 410-822-5041
Email: rleader@pickeringcreek.org

Background: Mr. Leader directs activities of the National Audubon Society in Maryland and the District of Columbia serving the Society's 15,000 members and five chapters. Primary duties include management of the Pickering Creek Audubon Center and the Jean duPont Shehan Audubon Sanctuary. Mr. Leader is the former Assistant Director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust where he was active in the management of Maryland's commemorative Chesapeake Bay license plate program and the Bay and wildlife tax check-off. While at the Trust, Mr. Leader reviewed and made recommendations on over 3,000 grant requests for Bay restoration. He holds a Masters degree in public administration and a Bachelors in political science from the University of Maryland.

Background: Rob Mardiney is the Education Director at the Irvine Nature Center in Baltimore County. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Vassar College and a Master's in Environmental Education from Cornell University. He has more than 20 years experience in environmental education including work as an Interpretive Ranger with the National Park Service and as a naturalist at an Outdoor Education Center. Rob is also a past-president of MAEOE (2000).

Martha Shaum

222 Warwick Road
Chestertown MD 21620
Tel. 410.827.6694
Email: jmshaum@atlanticbb.net

Background: Martha has a BA degree in biology and in a previous life was a food microbiologist. She began her current life as an environmental educator doing outreach programs for the National Aquarium in Baltimore and knows every coffee stop within a three hour radius of NAIB. She then became the School Programs Coordinator at NAIB and traded the van for a cubicle. After moving to Godís Country (a.k.a. the Eastern Shore), she worked at Washington College, where among ìother duties as assignedî, she co-taught an undergraduate course on environmental education. She is currently employed at the Department of Natural Resources as the Angler Education Coordinator and spends her summer putting worms on hooks. She continues to volunteer at NAIB, teaching biology and interpretation to volunteers.

Background: Donna has been an educator and naturalist at Horn Point Laboratory for over ten years. She graduated from Millersville University of Pennsylvania with a degree in biology, and has experience as both a field and laboratory biologist. Childhood experiences with a father, who is now a retired biologist, laid the foundation for her work today. A career working for the environment and with children is something she finds both personally and professionally gratifying.