Kathleen Kennedy
President
Kathleen Kennedy (she, her, hers) fell in love with the natural world as a child exploring the tide pools of Northern California. After becoming land-locked in Montana, she continued to explore terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems with the same enthusiasm as she made Missoula her home. To share that enthusiasm, Kathleen has been teaching science at Big Sky High School for 19 years. Her role as an educator has allowed her to visit schools in Japan and Thailand in cross-cultural exchanges. A trained facilitator in Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects, Kathleen incorporates systems thinking and mindfulness into her classroom at every opportunity. Her other passions are live music (don’t ask how many times she has seen the Dave Matthews Band), stand up paddle boarding, Bikram yoga and being a mom to MacKayla. In her rare free time, Kathleen can be found hiking Missoula’s extensive conservation lands with her dog Joe Joe pausing often to take in the sights and sounds along the way.
coleen o’connell
Vice President
Coleen (she, her, hers) loves all things nature – nourished by her years with the Audubon Expedition Institute where she was a student, faculty, then Education Director. She went on to design, direct and teach the Master of Science in Ecological Teaching and Learning at Lesley University for teachers from around the country. She has started two other non-profit organizations and has experience as a facilitator, director, and board member. She was on the Leadership Team in developing Belfast Cohousing & Ecovillage where she resides in Belfast, ME. She also serves on the New England Environmental Education Board and was Maine Environmental Educator of the Year in 2013 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Environmental Education Association in 2018.
Martha Harney
Treasurer
Martha (she, her, hers) has worked as an elementary science specialist in diverse settings, developing and implementing curricula focused on ecology and systems thinking. She has created and curated teaching materials and professional development for the National Science Teaching Association, including publishing a book and curriculum guide on engineering for early grades. Martha provided workshops for elementary teachers through the teacher-in-residence program at the Museum of Science, Boston, and taught STEM to preservice teachers at Merrimack College. Her work has been inspired by her studies on the shores of Cobscook Bay during her master’s program in Ecological Teaching & Learning at Lesley University. In her free time she enjoys learning Spanish, being on the beach in any weather, and watching ants.
kathy lyons
Kathy (she, her, hers) has a diverse background in education and environmental stewardship. She was a faculty member with the National Audubon Society Expedition Institute and worked as an interpretive ranger for the National Park Service. She also served on the boards of The Clamshell Alliance in New Hampshire and the Penobscot County, Maine Cooperative Extension. Kathy created two grant funded programs: Resource Acadia (a series of in-depth, day-long educational opportunities for Acadia National Park) and Healthy Foods from Healthy Soils (a program focused on the cyclical nature of our food system: gardening, composting, enriching the soil, and eating nutritious food) for two elementary school systems in Maine. She coauthored Healthy Foods From Healthy Soils, an educator's guide book based on the program. Her hobbies include skiing, sewing, crafting, quilting, reading and gardening. She is most at home on mountains, near wetlands and in snow. Kathy lives with her husband and Australian Shepherd in Orono, Maine.
Eva Barinas
Eva (she/ they) is a weaver and builder in the realms of food sovereignty and outdoor education. On any given day they are working with neighbors tending community gardens or cooking culturally important meals. You will also find Eva nature drawing, napping on beaches, and riding bareback wherever someone lets them ride a horse.
carl merrill
For over 30 years, Carl (he, him, his) was the director of Suffolk University’s Friedman Field Station, the land that is now The Center for Ecological Teaching and Learning. He brings a depth of knowledge of marine and terrestrial ecology of the Cobscook Bay bioregion as well as institutional history of the site. Research interests include intertidal ecology and protecting and restoring diadromous fish runs in Maine.
Ayala Galton Bassett
Ayala (she, her, hers) developed community organizing skills as a participant in the AmeriCorps program Massachusetts Community Water Watch before attending Hampshire College where she researched ways to support public elementary school teachers who wanted to bring more environmental education lessons into their classrooms. She was a public school teacher for twenty years, teaching science and health to 7th and 8th graders in Brookline, MA. Currently, Ayala is a licensed massage therapist practicing in Boston, specializing in myofascial release, deep tissue, and grief and bereavement massage. She lives in Roslindale, Massachusetts with her husband and their two boys, who all lend a hand tending their memorial pollinator garden grown in honor of her daughter. Ayala loves to read, play games, swim across lakes, spend time immersed in community and nature, and of course root for the Red Sox.
Marie Camillo Reimensnyder
Marie (she, her, hers) was an early childhood and outdoor educator for many years and was involved in the development of one of Maine’s first charter schools, Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences. She loves being outdoors with children (and adults), looking closely at all living things and fostering a sense of wonder, especially with her granddaughters. A recent graduate of the Maine Master Naturalist Program, she is beginning to lead nature walks through local preserves. Marie enjoys playing hockey, digging in the dirt, and canoeing on Mooselookmeguntic Lake with her dogs Nellie, Lily, and husband, Tim. She lives in New Gloucester, Maine.
ANNE Lewenberg
As an undergraduate, Anne (she/they) spent four semesters “on the bus” traveling with the Audubon Expedition Institute. She earned a Master of Science in Ecological Teaching and Learning and went on to pursue doctoral coursework in interdisciplinary education. She is a seasoned educator and nonprofit/school administrator who has worked with all age groups. Currently, Anne serves as both the co-director of teaching and learning and the director of the middle school program at Touchstone Community School in Grafton, Massachusetts. She is the mom of an awesome four-year-old. She has lived intentionally in a living collective focused on social justice for the past 20 years. Anne has a deep commitment to ecological and social justice, and she has the motivation and ability to make projects that embody these values come to life.
nick neises
As a teenager, Nick (he, him, his) discovered his passion for environmental education and found his destiny with the Audubon Expedition Institute (AEI). He finally realized his dream by getting on the bus to study environmental education with an emphasis on renewable energy through AEI and Lesley University. He is enthusiastic about the dual promise of CETL as a location for education and research with direct access to Cobscook Bay. Nick and his wife enjoy exploring the wonders of the Maine coast and reveling in winter and its sports.