Friday Session Presenters
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James Emmerling
Science, STEM, Health, PE Coordinator, Davison Community Schools
James is a Science/STEM/Health/PE Coordinator with more than 25 years of experience advancing equitable education through systems thinking, collaborative leadership, and partnerships that improve teaching, learning, and student outcomes across diverse educational settings.
Natalie Miller
Principal, Gates Elementary School
Natalie is the proud principal of Gates Elementary School with more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, literacy specialist, and administrator. A student-centered leader, she is passionate about literacy, strong relationships, and fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and success for all students.
Jennifer Lutze
K-12 Food Service Director, Davison Community Schools
Jennifer has 24 years of school food service experience and has served as K–12 Foodservice Director for Davison Community Schools for 13 years. A graduate of Mott Community College's Culinary Arts and Restaurant program, she champions nutritious meals, farm-to-school initiatives, sustainability, and student learning.
Kelly Sanborn
Education Consultant, Discovering PLACE, Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative
Kelly is a retired middle school science teacher and PBE consultant with more than 30 years experience leading hands-on, engaging outdoor learning experiences.
Dave Chapman
Educator, MAEOE
Dave is a long time MAEOE member, workshop leader, and environmental educator. For many years he was involved with education programs of the American Meteorological Society, including weather and climate.
Darin Stockdill*
Design Coordinator, Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER), University of Michigan
Darin is CEDER’s Design Coordinator at the University of Michigan, specializing in innovative instructional design and professional learning to advance sustainability and place-based education for K-12 educators.
Andrea Stay
Michigan Project Learning Tree Coordinator, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Andrea is Michigan’s Project Learning Tree Coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources, partnering with educators and communities to inspire environmental stewardship, curiosity, and appreciation for the state’s forests and natural landscapes.
Lawerence Law
Urban and Community Forester/Partnership Coordinator, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Lawrence Law is an Urban and Community Forester based in Southeast Michigan that works with various communities and groups to improve tree canopies for the future.
Amy Lilienfeld
President and Founder, Circle of Illumination Science Education LLC
Dr. Lilienfeld is an environmental geographer and photographer who taught physical and human geography at the college-level for over 20 years with a strong emphasis on landscapes and landscape change.
Paige Bokach
Education Outreach Coordinator, Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens
Paige is a Michigan native with experience in formal high school science education, as well as outdoor gear retail. Now loving life as a nonformal place-based educator!
Ashley Medes
Regional Community Engagement Coordinator, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Ashley is a Regional Community Engagement Coordinator with MDHHS, advancing environmental public health through outreach, education, and partnerships across 13 West Michigan counties, grounded in her MSW and community engagement experience.
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Harry Castle
Program Community Engagement Coordinator, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Harry is a Community Engagement Coordinator supporting PFAS response and Eat Safe Fish outreach, using his environmental science and community sustainability background to translate technical health information for Michigan communities.
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MaryHelen Prince
Education Specialist, Plaster Creek Stewards
MaryHelen is an Education Specialist with Calvin University’s Plaster Creek Stewards in Grand Rapids, MI. She approaches Environmental Education focused on welcoming all and building community between people and the earth.
Avril Wiers
Program Supervisor, Ottawa County Parks
Avril has spent her career in environmental education - from protecting and connecting land along a local river to preparing high school students for careers in environmental science. She earned her Master's in Outdoor and Environmental Education from Alaska Pacific University and is an Environmental Education Certified Professional with more than a decade of experience.
Torrey Wenger
Science Teacher, Bloomingdale Middle & High School
After 20 years at the Kalamazoo Nature Center (ask her about bird banding!), Torrey became a biology teacher. Now with bonus ESL certification!
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Leyla Sanker
Director, Discovering PLACE, Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative
Leyla coordinates Discovering PLACE, the Flint regional hub of the GLSI, working to support and advance place-based stewardship education. She holds a master’s in Environmental Management from Duke University.
Emily Gochis*
Sustainability Teacher Fellowship Program Manager, Marsal Family School of Education, University of Michigan
Emily manages the Sustainability Teacher Fellowship at UM CEDER, supporting K-12 educators in the Saginaw Bay Watershed to enhance place-based sustainability education and empower youth through real-world learning and community change.
Tom Hartzell
Environmental Education Coordinator, Calvin Ecosystem Preserve and Native Gardens
Tom grew up in Pennsylvania, but now Grand Rapids is home. It's all about connecting people to their place and to each other!
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Saturday Session Presenters
Dale LeCaptain
Professor, Central Michigan University
A Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Central Michigan University, Dale designed the Environmental Chemistry Concentration and coordinates programs training science teachers to engage Michigan students in hands-on water science and STEM discovery.
Mark Jones
Consultant, Writer, Adjunct Professor, Central Michigan University
Mark is a Ph.D. Chemist, a consultant, writer, adjunct professor at CMU, and American Chemical Society Fellow. He began explorations of microplastics upon retirement after 30+ years at Dow Chemical.
Cara Cosgrove
Elementary Educator, Michigan Teachers Exploring Nature
Cara graduated from Michigan State University in May 2026 with a degree in Elementary Education. She recently participated in the Michigan Teachers Exploring Nature (MiTEN) program in May 2025 through Michigan State University.
Natalie Warren
Elementary Educator, Michigan Teachers Exploring Nature
Natalie graduated from Michigan State University in May 2026 with a degree in Elementary Education. She recently participated in the Michigan Teachers Exploring Nature (MiTEN) program in May 2025 through Michigan State University.
Kelly McClelland-Horton
Community Food Systems Educator, Michigan State University Extension
Kelly is based in Genesee County where she works to strengthen local and regional food systems, including small-scale & urban food production, farm to school projects, and local food policy efforts.
M’Lis Bartlett
Faculty, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan
With over 25 years of experience as an urban environmental educator, activist, artist, and researcher, M’Lis is dedicated to building supportive and ethical partnerships between communities and institutions.
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Gretchen Abrams
Executive Director, Detroit Bird Alliance
Gretchen is a lifelong educator with 20+ years of non-profit experience, currently leading a conservation organization dedicated to educating the greater Detroit community about the plight of birds and the environment we share.
Ren LaFave
Wildlife Biology Student, UM-Flint
Ren studies bird-window collisions and bird conservation and is an avid birdwatcher. Ren aspires to become an educator in the future.
Sarah Keyser-Brown
Program Assistant, Flint River Watershed Coalition
Sarah is a former formal ELA educator, presently non-formal nature educator within the Flint River Watershed. She enjoys interacting with community members of ALL shapes, sizes, abilities, and ages by land and water.
Richard Sadler
Associate Professor, Michigan State University
Dr. Sadler is a tenured professor and medical geographer who does community-engaged research on the intersections among nature/the environment, urban planning, and public health.
Jileesa Irwin
Outdoor Recreation Assistive Technology Specialist, Michigan Assistive Technology Program
Jileesa has a passion for the outdoors, and enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking. Jileesa combines her passions and her experiences and informs the disability community about assistive technology for outdoor recreation as an Outdoor Recreation AT Specialist for the Michigan assistive technology program (MATP).
Luke Grange
Park Interpreter, Michigan DNR
Luke is a Park Interpreter for the Michigan DNR. He has worked the last 12 years on Belle Isle in Detroit and can often be found playing with his kids outside. His favorite animal is a turkey vulture.
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Stephanie Kozak
Environmental Science Community Outreach Interpreter, Huron-Clinton Metroparks
Stephanie is an Environmental Science Interpreter with the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. She is a certified Master Rain Gardener and trained to teach the Master Rain Gardener Course.
Rebecca Field
Sustainability Teacher Fellowship Program Manager, 5th Grade Teacher, Hemmeter Elementary, Saginaw Township Community Schools
Rebecca Field teaches 5th grade at Hemmeter Elementary in Saginaw Township Schools. A five-year Sustainability Teacher Fellow, she now serves as a teacher leader, championing place-based environmental education.
Abby Squires
Assistive Technology Specialist for Gaming and Crafting, Michigan Assistive Technology Program
Abby works for the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition in their Assistive Technology Program as an Assistive Technology Specialist for Gaming and Crafting. She uses her expertise and love of video games and crafting hobbies to help others with disabilities access and enjoy these activities.
Crystal Brown
STEM Teacher, Hunter Elementary
Crystal Brown is an accomplished STEM educator with 23 years of teaching experience, including eight years specializing in elementary STEM at Hunter Elementary in Gibraltar. Based in Dexter, she serves as Conference Chair for the MSTA Board.
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Megan Jakubos
Undergraduate Researcher and Student, UM-Flint
Megan studies the impact of bird collisions with windows on the UM-Flint campus, along with assisting in research on the ecology and health of Michigan’s vernal pools with a main interest is creating and supporting a sustainable culture that nurtures coexistence between wildlife and humans.
Kara Haas
Teacher Educator, Michigan State University
Kara is the co-founder of the Michigan Teachers Exploring Nature (MiTEN) program, a program for preservice teachers at Michigan State University to strengthen their science teacher identity through outdoor learning experiences.
Lori Taylor
Elementary School Support Staff Media Center ParaPro, Central Elementary School
Lori is a Michigan artist, children’s author/illustrator of nature books, elementary school media center paraprofessional, artist-in-residence for state and national parks, graphic artist, exhibit preparator, and seasonal naturalist for Oakland County Parks.
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*These speakers will be presenting on Friday and Saturday.
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