People

Board Member Medway Community Farm, a 501c focused on growing organic produce sustainably.  I am on the education committee.  We are looking to grow our education program.

I am an Environmental Educator for KAEE who is passionate about promoting environmental stewardship of designed and natural environments. With a MS in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology, I have conducted wildlife research within historically protected landscapes, taught biology labs, developed and implemented professional development curriculum, and worked seasonally as an Environmental Educator and Assistant Director for an outdoor education program in New York State. I am excited to help students learn more about what interests them in their surrounding ecosystems.

I am a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Tennesse - Knoxville. I earned my PhD in STEM Education from Texas Tech University. Community engaged scholarship is my passion, having worked with organizations such as Girl Scouts and National Audubon Society before becoming a classroom science teacher. My current research interests are:

• culturally responsive -sustaining practices
• science education
• garden-based education
• informal - formal education partnerships
• K-12 science teacher development

Breah Sovegjarto is an educator and educational researcher in the zoo and aquarium industry, based in Ontario, Canada. Breah leads a team of zoo educators who deliver over 1,000 hours of conservation-focused programs annually. She designs programs and lesson plans that align zoo conservation messaging with the Ontario curriculum in addition to conducting research on the impact of zoo education programs.

Emily earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from Ball State University and went on to teach first grade in Indianapolis, IN. At that time, the lack of widely accessible environmental education in urban areas led her away from formal education and into the field of informal science education at Lincoln Park Zoo. She worked on developing inquiry-based science curriculum for the zoo’s Conservation Camp program and later found her niche as the Early Childhood and Family Programs Coordinator.

Emily’s knowledge of nature education and developmentally appropriate practice allowed her to drive early childhood programming to the forefront of education offerings at Lincoln Park Zoo. Her work primarily focused on highlighting the importance of early experiences with the natural world and the long-term positive impact of these experiences. In an effort to break down barriers and create more diverse and accessible programming, Emily worked to expand the zoo’s offerings to a broader audience. Her progress on this goal is exemplified most notably through a partnership with Chicago Park District, the addition of an early childhood volunteer position, and the design and implementation of several nature play spaces.

In service to the greater AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) community, Emily served as a Nature Play Leader, where she supported other early childhood environmental educators by sharing resources, professional development opportunities, and leading discussions around important topics. Her experience advocating for early childhood environmental education led her to NAAEE and Natural Start Alliance as the Communications and Conference Coordinator. She is excited to continue the important work of Natural Start Alliance and explore new ways to support and engage the Alliance’s amazing community of members.

Emily is based in Chicago, IL.