Audubon Vermont 

emily.kaplita(at)audubon.org

Emily a Teacher/Naturalist and Administrator with Audubon Vermont in Huntington VT. Emily spends most of her days rain or shine, running around the woods of the Green Mountain Audubon Center with adults and children connecting them to their natural world. Prior to her current position Emily was Audubon Vermont’s AmeriCorps Environmental and Outreach Educator through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.  Emily is originally from Connecticut, but Vermont has always held a special place in her heart since she was young, and she is happy to now call Vermont home.  She has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology from Dickinson College and a Master in early Childhood Education from Champlain College. Emily has multiple years of experience in environmental education and research experience with amphibians, mostly the American Toad, and will enhance our education programs more with this knowledge. She enjoys hiking, biking, swimming in fresh water, skiing (both Nordic and downhill), and spending time with family and friends. 

Core Knowledge Areas: birding, phenology, Environmental Education, Early Childhood Education, Place-based Education, Event planning, Teacher trainings, Outdoor learning/education

Northfield Middle High School

Meg Lyons is a high school science teacher at Northfield Middle High School, in Northfield, Vermont. Meg earned a BS in Environmental Science and Policy at Clarkson University. Prior to entering the classroom, she served as Outreach Intern at a Nature Conservancy ranch in northwest Colorado, taught elementary students about the ecology of Lake Champlain through the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and spent 2 years in southwest Colorado interning with the Four Corners School of Outdoor Education (Bioregional Outdoor Education Project) and working as a naturalist with Durango Nature Studies. Meg began her formal teaching career in high school science in a small k-12 public school for 5 years on an island in Maine. Then she returned to Vermont and taught 5 more years at a ski academy, and now has been 6 years back in public school. She completed graduate studies through Lesley University, earning a Masters in Ecological Teaching and Learning. Meg's teaching practice has been informed by her love of the environment, and countless experiences supporting environmental education, project based learning, and experiential learning opportunities. Born and raised in Vermont, Meg currently lives in the Mad River Valley with her partner and their toddler son, where they spend every moment they can exploring the outdoors - hiking, biking, skiing, gardening, jumping in puddles, and romping in mud. 

Core Knowledge Areas: high school science teaching, environmental education, project-based & experiential learning

VT Fish and Wildlife 

Alison.thomas(at)vermont.gov

Alison has been with the Fish & Wildlife Department since 2011. She holds a master's degree in natural resource management, with a concentration in environmental education, from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. As education programs coordinator, Alison is responsible for supervising the department's two Green Mountain Conservation Camps (Buck Lake and Kehoe). She is also responsible for managing the let's go fishing program and hunter education program, serving as the statewide coordinator for the Project WILD program, leading the wildlife management for educators course, providing assistance at department outreach events, and helping to develop and support environmental education initiatives within the Agency.

Core Knowledge Areas: Environmental education, professional development, nature interpretation, wildlife education 

RANDOLPH ELEMENTARy School

Nicole Conte, AB psychology with learning concentration (Dartmouth College), MS environmental studies/education (Antioch New England), has been part of New England's environmental education community since 1991. Nicole served on the SWEEP board as secretary while working for the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and has appreciated the opportunity to be on the board again during the transition to the Network name and our Commitment to Change. Nicole previously served as a farm-to-school and parent leader at Barnard Academy. She now enjoys working as a math & literacy tutor at Randolph Elementary and creating interdisciplinary, outdoor learning experiences for all ages. She volunteers on the Pollinator Working Group of the UVM Extension Master Gardener Program. Nicole performs with Upper Valley dance groups and appreciates making environmental, cultural and social connections through dance.

Core Knowledge Areas: environmental education, farm to school

Four Winds Nature Institute Naturalist/Educator

After earning her degree in Environmental Studies, Keri taught environmental education at Cal-Wood Education Center, outside Boulder Colorado. Eventually landing in Vermont, Keri earned her Master’s degree in Natural Resources Planning at UVM. A large portion of her career was spent at Rainforest Alliance, where she worked with corporations on sustainable sourcing policies to eliminate materials tied to deforestation. In this role, she facilitated trips to forest locations around the world for buyers to see where they source raw materials. She strongly believes that getting people out in nature, to connect to it and be humbled by it, is the best way to foster conservation, no matter the age. Keri completed the Vermont Master Naturalist Program in 2019 and has worked as a naturalist/educator at Four Winds Nature Institute since 2022.

Core Knowledge Areas: Place-based nature education, outdoor learning

Education for Climate Resilience and the Institute for Sustainable Schools at Shelburne Farms

joan@ed4climateresilience.org

Joan Haley’s passion for environmental education began during her service with the U.S. Peace Corps in Honduras, where she fell in love with connecting learning to the natural world. Her career has spanned local, national, and international work, including roles at the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) and the Smithsonian Institution, where she ultimately served as NAAEE Interim Executive Director. After moving to Vermont, Joan focused on place-based learning, co-founding the Upper Valley Teaching Place Collaborative, serving as Director of Park for Every Classroom for Shelburne Farms in collaboration with the National Park Service, and co-facilitating the Northeast Climate Change Education Collaborative. Joan is also the Co-founder and Principal of Education for Climate Resilience, where she develops educational resources, builds educator networks, and facilitates impactful partnerships between schools and communities to promote equitable climate action. She has co-created numerous initiatives, including the Equitable Climate Action Partnership, the Wellborn Place-based Ecology Education Institute, the Climate Resiliency Fellowship, and the Super Junior Rangers program. With a doctorate in Education from Northeastern University, master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Public Administration, and years of experience working with diverse communities, Joan embraces a holistic and integrated approach to education to address the climate crisis. Her ultimate goal? To support educators, students, and community members in their efforts to care for each other and our shared planet. When not working, Joan enjoys exploring Vermont’s beautiful outdoors through trail running, biking, and skiing.

Core Knowledge Areas: Education for Climate Resilience and Climate Action, partnership building, place-based education, service-learning