Our Staff

Carrie Shershanovich joins MAEOE as the Grants Administrator with over 20+ years of experience as a wildlife biologist, and a formal and informal educator. She has served as the president of a non-profit in Montgomery County and as an executive board member of local PTAs. While starting out her career in wildlife biology, Carrie quickly realized she had a passion for teaching about the environment.

Carrie is excited to share her wealth of experiences with the environmental and outdoor education community in Maryland from outdoor field research and data collection to environmental education curriculum and program development. Carrie has served as a Green Leader for MAEOE and looks forward to continue her involvement in the Green Schools program.

Carrie holds a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology (Wildlife concentration) from North Carolina State University, and a MS in Biology and a second BS in Secondary Education (Biology and General Science) from Mississippi State University. Carrie is a Maryland Certified Educator, a Maryland Master Naturalist, and a NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence facilitator. She trained in Project WILD, Project WILD Aquatic, Growing Up Wild, Getting Little Feet Wet, Project Learning Tree, GLOBE, MWEE, and Youth Voices, Youth Action and Local Impact with Earth Force.

Carrie enjoys being outdoors hiking, kayaking and canoeing; traveling to new destinations; attending musicals and concerts; and spending time with her family.

Jemima, with experience in formal and non-formal teaching since 1998, serves as the Maryland Environmental Literacy Advisory Network (MELAN) Coordinator. With a degree in Biology and a Master’s in Education, she collaborates with K-12 educators, delivering engaging programs, facilitating teacher Professional Development experiences, and coordinating Environmental Literacy Plan development.

Mary, with over 20 years of experience in education, serves as the Program Director at MAEOE. She has a background in interior design and transitioned to elementary education, focusing on increasing student engagement and integrating multiple subject areas. As a passionate environmental educator, Mary brings her expertise to connect people and organizations to environmentally focused resources and opportunities.

With over 15 years of experience in non-profit and for-profit management in the UK and USA, Laura has played a crucial role in developing successful strategies for strengthening and diversifying funding bases. Her skills include change management, strategic planning, start-up planning and implementation. Laura holds an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and is fluent in Spanish. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.

Vanessa, Chief Planner and founder of Little Black Book in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to creating unforgettable events. With an Event Management Certification from George Washington University and over 7 years of industry experience, she ensures that every detail matters. Vanessa’s passion lies in bringing clients’ visions to life, creating the best-shared experiences.