Ajay is an award-winning ocean-climate communicator with a resolute interest in the intersection of marine conservation and climate change. He is passionate about translating ocean science into solutions-driven models to make accurate information more accessible.

Ajay's dedication to this cause is exemplified through his work with organisations such as World Ocean Day, The Ocean Foundation, The Ocean Project, the National Geographic Society, and The Nature Conservancy. Besides this, Ajay is also an awardee of the Make an Impact Fellowship, the 2023 GEEP Youth Innovation Prize for Marine Debris and Conservation, and a National Geographic grant.

In 2007, the Puget Sound Estuarium was founded by the South Sound Estuary Association (SSEA) as a result of community interest in creating opportunities for the public to learn about estuaries, geology, natural and cultural history, marine life, and human impact on the Puget Sound. 

The Estuarium’s mission is to foster learning opportunities that inspire people of all ages to connect with, protect, and enjoy the unique estuary environment of Puget Sound. Our motto is to: “Explore • Connect • Inspire!” Our vision is to create an educated community that is engaged and inspired to promote the health, conservation, and restoration of Puget Sound. We rely on more than 120 community volunteers and over 30 partner organizations, and the Estuarium primarily serves all of Thurston County (pop. 280,289 -US Census), as well as Pierce and Mason Counties (pop. 956,806 - US Census).

We encourage community members to EXPLORE animals and plants in their local estuaries, where freshwater and saltwater meet. We CONNECT people of all ages to what is unique about this delicate, vibrant ecosystem. Our educational opportunities INSPIRE individuals to take better care of our shared natural resources.  

Programs

• Puget Sound Estuarium – a marine life discovery center, with salt and fresh water aquariums, interactive learning, permanent and rotating exhibits

• Meet the Beach – on the beach interpretation by community volunteers showcasing intertidal life, offered at local beaches during summer low tides

• Pier Peer – an exciting event at Boston Harbor Marina and multiple locations in Mason County, featuring night time underwater viewing of marine life and critter identification 

• K-12 Education Programs – incorporates Estuarium, Meet the Beach, and On the Water components and field trips to connect our youth with Puget Sound, marine environments, and estuaries

• Online Education – uses social media, our website to provide online estuary education videos and live feedings of our animals to South Sound community members

• Tiny Tides Story Time – this program began in 2020, as an online video series features Estuarium volunteers reading environmental children’s books for pre K-2nd graders. Currently, we perform this program in person at the Estuarium facility, where we include an educational session with the animals in our mobile touch tank

• Virtual Discovery Speaker Series – using Zoom Webinars and live streamed on our website and social media, experts present a variety of estuary and marine topics during autumn and winter

• Connecting the Community – includes educational booths and presentations at local events, festivals/fairs, and service groups/clubs

• Sea Stroll – Estuarium educators lead tours of the historical Olympia shoreline, illustrating the landform changes over time from both geologic processes and human impacts (spring-fall)

• Bird Walk – Estuarium educators lead birding tours to teach participants about local bird populations, identification skills, bird ecology and human impacts including the effects of climate change, on local bird species (spring-fall)

Ada Takacs retired after 35 years in conseration with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. She was the Michigan Project Learning Tree Coordinator for nearly two decades and served on Incident Management Teams across the United States. She continues to serve her community in retirement through volunteerism.

Heidi McAllister currently serves as the Assistant Director of Conservation Education at the U.S. Forest Service. Her background includes a wide variety of national and international experience in environmental education. She is the recipient of the 2006 Renewable Natural Resources Foundation’s Sustained Achievement Award, which recognizes Heidi’s contribution of more than 25 years to the teaching of environmental education and the sustainable management of natural resources. Heidi holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management from Yale University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Education and Outdoor Leadership from Hampshire College. Heidi is a published author in two languages and three countries. One of her books is used by the Ministry of Education in Mexico as a text for 35,000 students per year.

Heidi began her career working for the United States Peace Corps and the Paraguayan Ministry of Education where she co-developed a national environmental education program for elementary schools, implemented in-service training and university classes, and served as a consultant to train Peace Corps volunteers and teachers. Heidi also lived in Mexico for over a decade, where she developed educational activities and materials on the monarch butterfly, education and recreation plans for a forest experimental station, and designed in-service training courses and curricula for the Secretariat of Education. Heidi also served as the environment specialist for the Europe, Mediterranean, and Asia Region of the Peace Corps where she managed an international portfolio and provided technical oversight to about 100 programming and management staff in more than 20 countries with the main mission of strengthening environmental education programming in these countries. Her leadership strengthened programming and training in countries such as Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Philippines, Romania, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Heidi also trained host country professionals in the environment and education fields. As the sole environmental education specialist at Peace Corps headquarters, she served as a specialized resource in this field to countries around the globe. 

RevPla Academy is a leading provider of green building consulting, training, and services. We are dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and helping organizations achieve their environmental goals.

I am a simple Boy.

Judy Braus brings to her role as NAAEE Executive Director a wealth of experience in the environmental education profession, with a focus on conservation education, diversity and inclusion, and using the power of education to help create healthier communities that empower local communities, stakeholders, and individuals to help restore and protect the environment. She comes to NAAEE from the National Audubon Society, where she was the Senior Vice President of Education and Centers, overseeing an extensive nationwide network of nature centers and educators. Prior to that, she led the education programs at World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the U.S. Peace Corps, and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

Janit Llewellyn

Park Planning & Sustainability, LLC

804-754-5972

Janit@parkplanningsustainability.com

Janit is a landscape architect – planner who has dabbled in Environmental Education (EE), especially when she was director of a small non-profit. She is interested in integrating principles of EE in park planning, sustainability and health related initiatives ties to outdoor recreation. She has experience with developing signage plans for parks. Janit has experiences in the private, public and non-profits sectors as well as serves as adjunct faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Janit is a swimmer and also enjoys canoeing, kayaking, hiking, camping and walking her greyhound and chihuahua.

Education

BA, Biology – Converse University

MLA, Landscape Architecture – University of Georgia

Virginia Natural Resource Leadership Institute

Liz Train is a co-coordinator of the Audubon at Home Program for Fairfax County and is also an Audubon at Home Ambassador. Liz is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist (Fairfax Chapter) and a certified Virginia Extension Master Gardener (Fairfax- Green Spring Gardens Unit).  She is an active volunteer in northern Virginia, supporting numerous educational and stewardship programs for Fairfax County Park Authority, Fairfax County Public Schools, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and the annual USGS Breeding Bird Survey.  Liz leads two Virginia Master Naturalist training cohorts annually as co-chair of the training committee for the Fairfax Master Naturalists and additionally actively participates in the annual training of Extension Master Gardeners.

Liz’s motivation to be involved in environmental work is grounded in her belief that we all play a critical role in mitigating the effects of climate change, that no measure is too small, and understanding the basic principles of what it takes to create a healthy habitat for wildlife is an important tool for every homeowner.  Improving our Chesapeake Bay watershed water, soil and air quality and increasing biodiversity are central to the work Liz does.  Liz resides in Fairfax County.

Elena is currently the Director of Conservation Education and Leadership Development at the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, where one of the programs she manages is Project WILD. Elena was an EE Specialist for NAAEE supporting the state capacity building program, Guidelines for Community Engagement, and Community Climate Change. Prior to coming to NAAEE, Elena was the Program Manager for National Geographic’s Chesapeake Bay FieldScope program and the co-lead staff for Maryland's Partnership for Children in Nature at Maryland DNR. With a B.S. in Natural Resource Management (Environmental Education concentration) 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 an M.A. in Science Education from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University. In her spare time, Elena enjoys playing taiko and dancing hula.

My name is Hannah Benge. i am orginally from Charlotte NC, but i moved to Taylorsville NC.i have always had a deep appreciation for nature and spending time outdoors. This passion has insprired me to dive in deeper into enviromental education, as i am eager to learn more about how we can protect and preservw our natural surroundings.