People

I am Teresa Pietrusinski. I work for Finger Lakes Community College as a Program Manager for environmental education and community outreach at their Muller Field Station. I hold a Bachelor's of Arts in environmental studies and am working on my Masters of Education in environmental education. I thoroughly enjoy all things conservation, environmental education- specifically accessible pathways in informal environmental education. 

From Hialeah, Florida, and serving in the Marine Corps throughout the U.S. and in Iraq kept David Riera close to nature his entire life, I mean if it ain’t raining we ain’t training!​As a current doctoral candidate in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education at Florida International University, he leverages his passion for research, conservation, and education​ to be an advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM. He holds six collegiate degrees and 12 professional certifications (from veterinary technician to open-water deep-sea diver) in various STEM, industrial, and scholarly disciplines, which he utilized in partnership with scientific societal leadership to increase the presence​ and participation of underserved students/emergent professionals through research, educational, and advocacy endevours and intiatives. A First-Generation Afro-Hispanic college graduate, David is driven daily to tackle various social, cultural, and environmental issues (like environmental racism, urban degreening, food security, water rights, pollinator protection, etc.) and fervently believes that the path to conserving and restoring our natural and human capital can be achieved by cultivating the next generation of advocates, innovators, and educators.

David Riera is CEE-Change Fellow, FIU D.E.I and Florida McKnight Fellow; Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Alumni; TRIO Mentor; Bilingual Writer; Adjunct Professor, Environmental Gladiator, K-12 Formal y Informal STEAM Educator and–and…Who fervently believes that, We are only mentors, when our students, pupils, and apprentices make it so… until then, never forget Mentorship is the continual process of be-ing consistently committed to someone's success! As Kyojuro Rengoku says, “Set your heart ablaze”!

I'm currently based in Milwaukee working on urban environmental education and celebrating biodiversity with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. I am an environmental educator working with the next generation of conservationists.

Bethany Dunn has worked in environmental education since 2009.  Most of her experience is in conservation education in zoo and aquarium settings, she has also worked at natural history museums, nature centers, and with the US Forest Service.  

After a successful 30-year teaching career, Patty retired from the classroom and joined the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative. In this new role, she brings her passion for teaching and place-based education to life by supporting educators in their own journeys. Patty is developing meaningful programs that empower teachers to deepen student learning through connection to place, community, and environmental stewardship.

I am transitioning to consulting work after working as an Educator in Maryland promoting the "Green Schools" program in conjunction with MAEOE. 

I am a Biology and Earth Science teacher who has a passion for environmental conservation in my professional and personal lives.

Emily Schaller's appreciation of the natural world started during her childhood in Connecticut playing in the mud with her brother, hiking in the woods with her dad, and picking flowers and berries with her mom. She was a dedicated Girl Scout for 10 years, which helped instill in her a love of exploration and a sense of civic responsibility. 

She pursued her interest in connecting people to the natural world and inspiring action to sustain it by earning her MS in Ecological Leadership and Education from the Audubon Expedition Institute of Lesley University. This unique program included 3 semesters of living and learning outdoors while traveling across different bioregions of North America in a retrofitted school bus. This transformational experience provided her with a deeper knowledge of herself as well as the role she could play in building connections between people, their communities, and their place. 

She has since developed and delivered a variety of environmental education experiences for all ages at Naturebridge Yosemite, Teton Science Schools, and the University of Michigan's Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER). Emily currently supports professional learning programs offered through Shelburne Farms' Institute for Sustainable Schools, focusing on education for sustainability, climate education, and food systems education.