People

Ecological Steward for Earth and Human Systems. First-Generation-to-College. Resource-Connector. Youth and Young Adult Mentor. Believer and Doer. Philadelphia Program Manager with the Student Conservation Association. 2025 NAAEE CEE-Change Fellow. 

I am the University of Florida IFAS, Monroe County Extension Director. I have an M.A. Degree in Public Administration with a focus on Sustainable Development. I am a Certified Family and Consumer Science Educator. I work with local governments on climate, energy and sustainability.

Renee Strnad is the Environmental Educator for Extension Forestry, housed in the
College of Natural Resources at NC State University.  She is the state coordinator for Project Learning Tree, has responsibilities for 4-H natural resource
programming statewide, and is a North Carolina Certified Environmental Educator. 

She has served on the board of Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC), the Southeastern EE Alliance's (SEEA) Leadership Team, and the NAAEE Affiliate Network Steering Committee.  She also works closely with the North Carolina Office of Environmental Education by serving on the Certification Committee and Environmental Literacy Plan Committee. Being at NC State University has allowed her to work with faculty with a growing interest in EE research, and helped create and pilot NC State's EE minor for students in any discipline.

Renee was awarded the Governor’s Award for Environmental Education from the NC Wildlife Federation in 2010, Project Learning Tree’s Gold Star Award in 2013, and the EENC’s Melva Fager Okun Lifetime Achievement award in 2014. She completed her Masters degree in Ecological Teaching and Learning from Lesley University in 2015. In her free time, she enjoys traveling (just one more state to go!), gardening, exploring, relaxing in her hammock, and spending time with family and friends.

I am the Director of a Nature Based Preschool in the Washington DC Area. 

Emily has a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Science Education. Her research interests are at the intersection of Climate Emotions and Environmental Education. Emily is an adventurous, friendly, outgoing person who calls the Pacific Northwest home.

Cheron H. Davis, Ph.D. is an associate professor of reading education at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Recognized as one of the top 25 leading women in higher education by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and as Florida Project Learning Tree’s Educator of the Year, Dr. Davis is a practitioner at heart and maintains healthy, robust relationships with classroom teachers throughout the U.S.

Dr. Davis's initiative, ECO-READ (Empowering Conservation through Observation, Reading Education, Application, & Discovery), integrates STEM and literacy education with a focus on environmental education within HBCU teacher preparation programs. ECO-READ aims to enhance both teaching practices and environmental literacy among preservice teachers by bridging the gap between environmental education and literacy.

Dr. Davis’s research investigates the complex intersections of literacy, identity, and pedagogy within HBCUs. Grounded in critical literacy theory and sociocultural frameworks, her scholarship examines the belief systems, self-efficacy, and reflective practices of preservice teachers in early literacy and interdisciplinary contexts. Her current projects integrate environmental and reading education through the Eco-Read initiative, a federally supported effort to explore how ecological literacy experiences shape teacher preparation and student engagement in STEM-rich environments. Dr. Davis examines the mechanisms by which culturally responsive pedagogy, disciplinary literacy, and social justice–oriented teacher education converge to foster equitable reading outcomes. Her research agenda advances a transformative vision for literacy teacher preparation, particularly within HBCU ecosystems, emphasizing sustainable models of instruction that bridge the cognitive, cultural, and environmental dimensions of learning.

I am an environmental educator with 10 years of experience in childhood development and elementary education. A former gym teacher, kindergarten science teacher, and instructional coach, Milan's broad array of experience helps inform her understanding of how to best serve our community.