Meet North Carolina's newest Certified Environmental Educators!

John Sutton
Hickory, NC (Catawba County)
What does he do? - John Sutton is the primary park ranger at Bakers Mountain Park for Catawba County Parks where his duties allow him to lead guided interpretive walks, host a variety of educational workshops and participate in outreach programs in schools and with special interest groups.
Favorite part of earning his certification? - John's favorite part of earning his EE certification was the advanced dragonfly workshop with Scott Hartley and the avian point counts and community hikes with Tim Johnson and Alan Rogers of South Mountains State Park. John found the most valuable and useful part of his certification experience to be the plethora of activities available through PLT and Project Wild.
His Action Partnership? - John's action partnership was to work with scouts and citizens to construct an interpretive trail system with signs and a kiosk as well as to remove invasive species and replace them with native species. He also created wildlife feeding stations for birds, butterflies and mammals. John attempted to place some of the stations and signs on the ADA trail. Even though his work is completed for my certification, John says that his action partnership project will continue to grow with the help of eagle scouts and hopefully with others that will set the goal for achieving their EE certification.
CONGRATULATIONS JOHN!!!
Posted 8/29/08

Katie Bender
Salisbury, NC (Rowan County)
What does she do? - Katie just graduated from Catawba College and is currently job searching.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - One of Katie's favorite things about earning her certificate was meeting new people and learning about what they do as well as learning new things with familiar friends. Fulfilling the various requirements also allowed her to learn many things about the people and places in North Carolina.
Her Action Partnership? - Katie carried out her Action Partnership in conjunction with the Land Trust for Central North Carolina where she updated their display to better communicate information, accomplishments, and events to others.
CONGRATULATIONS KATIE!!!
Posted 7/23/08

Charlotte Fletcher
Charlotte, NC (Mecklenberg County)
What does she do? - Charlotte is an Instructional Assistant at Park Road Montessori, a public elementary school in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system. She teaches a mixed 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade class. Her responsibilities include leading a small group of students each day in a "green hour." This often means taking a nature walk along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, which is connected to the school property, or working in the classroom garden.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Her favorite part of working on her Environmental Education Certification was learning so many things she could use during these "green hours" and getting to know the wonderful natural resources of her city that, despite being a Charlotte native, she'd never experienced.
Her Action Partnership? - Charlotte's Action Partnership included working with volunteers to develop hiking trails, remove invasive plants, label plants, make a map and put up signage for RibbonWalk Nature Preserve, a 155-acre urban forest located 4 miles from Charlotte's Center City.
CONGRATULATIONS CHARLOTTE!!!
Posted 7/23/08

Pamela S. Bowman
Statesville, NC (Iredell County)
What does she do? - Pamela is a teacher at North Iredell High School. She primarily teaches biology.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Her favorite part of earning her EE Certification was the Becoming an Outdoor Woman workshop that was offered by the Wildlife Resources Commission. "I love to camp," says Pamela, "and that workshop provided me with so many more skills to make camping more enjoyable."
Her Action Partnership? - Pamela's Action Partnership involved designing and placing interpretive signs in Riverbend Park (Catawba County). The signs are meant to educate the public about invasive species and the park's forest restoration project.
CONGRATULATIONS PAMELA!!!
Posted 7/23/08

Daniel Schewlakow
Raleigh, NC (Wake County)
What does he do? - Daniel is a Park Ranger at William B. Umstead State Park.
Favorite part of earning his certification? - His favorite park of earning his EE certification was traveling to all of the different areas of the state where trainings were held and meeting lots of other environmental educators.
His Action Partnership? - For his action partnership, Daniel built and renovated a picnic area so that people would have a place to enjoy the outdoors.
CONGRATULATIONS DANIEL!!!
Posted 6/12/08

Michelle Glass
Teachey, NC (Duplin County)
What does she do? - Michelle teaches fourth grade at Richlands Elementary School in Onlow County.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Her favorite part of earning her EE Certification has been the hands-on workshops and getting to know others who share her passion for the environment.
Her Action Partnership? - Michelle started a recycling program at her school as her Action Partnership. She and her students work hard every day to ensure that recycleable materials are not thrown in the trash!
CONGRATULATIONS MICHELLE!!!
Posted 6/9/08

Whitney Sorge
Oxford, NC (Granville County)
What does she do? - Whitney works as a State Park Ranger at Kerr Lake State Recreation Area in Henderson, NC.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Her favorite part of earning her EE certification was building a chimney swift tower for her action partnership. She really enjoyed working with the staff at Hemlock Bluffs and learned a lot of construction techniques. She also says that it was fun working with the high school students who were taking an AP environmental science class.
Certification experience that stands out? –Whitney's chimney swift tower stands out! It was constructed out of cedar and stands about 11 feet tall. She's hoping that Hemlock Bluffs sees chimney swifts nesting in the coming year.
CONGRATULATIONS WHITNEY!!!
Posted 4/28/08

Kristen Brigner
Raleigh, NC (Wake County)
What does she do? - Kristen is a Park Ranger at William B.
Umstead State Park in Raleigh, NC in Wake County.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Her favorite part of
earning her EE Certificate was getting to visit other State Parks in NC
and participating in various outdoor activities.
Certification experience that stands out? – Kristen's favorite outdoor
experience during the certification process was going out to Bear Island at Hammocks Beach State Park during the sea turtle nesting period, even though she
did not get to see any actually hatch.
Her Action Partnership? - Kristen's project was with Duke University's Nicholas School of Environmental Studies Master's program. She and other volunteers renovated a cultural cemetary on a newly acquired piece of park property. The volunteers cleaned up the site and built a split rail fence around the cemetary.
CONGRATULATIONS KRISTIN!!!
Posted 12/3/07

Nicolette L. Cagle
Durham, NC (Durham County)
What does she do? – Nicki is earning her Ph.D. in Ecology at Duke University.
She has spent the last four years studying the snakes of the tallgrass prairie
in Illinois, and loves sharing her research with middle and high school classes.
Favorite part of earning her certification? – Nicki really enjoyed meeting other
enthusiastic environmental educators and exploring North Carolina’s diverse
natural areas.
Certification experience that stands out? – One of her favorite outdoor
experiences while earning her certification was taking an interpretive boat
cruise through the pristine salt marshes of Capers Island, South Carolina.
Pulling fascinating sea creatures from the marsh with sampling nets, and eating
raw oysters, was a big thrill!
Her Action Partnership? – Nicki, along with a crew of hardworking volunteers,
designed and constructed a footbridge for a new trail at Occoneechee Mountain
State Park.
CONGRATULATIONS NICKI!!!
Posted 12/3/07

Andrea Talley
Wilmington, NC (New Hanover County)
What does she do? - Andrea heads up the Adventure Pathways program for the City of Wilmington. She plans and leads outdoor recreation programs, such as canoeing, kayaking, backpacking and day-hiking.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Meeting and building relationships with other environmental educators in North Carolina, as well as visiting different State Parks and parts of the state.
Certification experience that stands out? - Andrea enjoyed and learned a lot from the Amphibian Days and Nights Workshop taught by Mike Dunn with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Trudging through wetlands, finding tadpoles, frogs, newts, and salamanders, and observing their night-time mating habits was an experience to remember!
Her Action Partnership? - Andrea partnered with local Girl Scouts working on their silver award to design and build a carnivorous plant garden in Halyburton Park. The bog showcases some of the plants that would normally flourish in a fire-sustained ecosystem.
CONGRATULATIONS ANDREA!!!
Posted 12/3/07

Betty Anderson
Cary, NC (Wake County)
What does she do? - Betty works at William B. Umstead State Park, Raleigh, NC as an
Office Assistant at the Visitor Center. She takes care of reservations for park facilities (shelters, group camps, auditorium, classroom, park educational programs). A big portion of her time is spent talking to park visitors, especially on the weekends (her days off are during the week) answering questions about the park trails, cultural history, and identifying flora and fauna that they have observed in the park.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Betty enjoyed observing and learning from so many knowledgeable educators in various areas of North Carolina and their willingness to share their expertise not only in workshops, but also by phone or email and meeting other individuals who share my enthusiasm for the wonderful diversity of nature in our state.
Certification experience that stands out? - The two-day workshop, “Wonders of Wetlands” at Howell Woods. The presenters knew their subject and had a good balance of indoor and outdoor activities on site and off site including hikes, canoeing and visiting a planned wetland.
Her Action Partnership? - Renovating Camp Craggy, a boy scout camp built in 1923, in William B. Umstead State Park. This included removing debris, clearing the council ring area and hiking path to the site, and placing a plaque with the history of the camp at the stone steps leading to the council ring. Park programs with a hike to the site and history of the camp will be presented for the public on a regular basis.
CONGRATULATIONS BETTY!!!
Posted 9/14/07

Sandra Payne Fambrough
Washington, NC (Beaufort County)
What does she do? - Sandra is a park ranger at Goose Creek State Park.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - She most enjoyed the diversity of the learning experiences and meeting various people with common interests and goals. Sandra adds that "the Environmental Education Certification experience is one that has enhanced my personal knowledge and has strengthened my professional skills as an environmental educator."
Certification experience that stands out? - In reflecting on the many workshops, the Aquatic Wild program at Blue Jay Point really stands out to Sandra because of the variety of hands-on activities.
Her Action Partnership? - For her Action Partnership, Sandra credits her many partnering teams in blazing a new trail that now connects all of the previously existing trails at Goose Creek State Park.
CONGRATULATIONS SANDRA!!!
Posted 9/14/07

Gary G. Gilliam
High Point, NC (Guilford County)
What does he do? - Gary is the Marina Manager at High Point City Lake Park. He is also the Program Manager for H.P. Parks and Recreation’s Youth Education Program.
Favorite part of earning his certification? - Gary says that one of the best parts of earning his EE Certification has been meeting the great people who teach the classes and networking with the participants.
Certification experience that stands out? - When Gary decided to do the homework assignment for a N.C. CATCH class, he ended up creating a Teach-A-Kid-To-Fish Day based on the activities provided at his Park. The response was overwhelming and he ended up doing two that Spring. "The smiles on the faces of the kids and their parents made all of the time, effort and expense of earning my EE Certification worthwhile." says Gary. His park now does two of these events annually and has added many more nature/environmental education programs, but the sense of accomplishment and of filling a need for young people and of seeing them learn while enjoying the outdoors has sustained Gary's efforts since that first day.
His Action Partnership? - There was an area behind the Park Marina where little would grow and that had become an eyesore, so for his Action Partnership, Gary enlisted help from the local Wild Birds Unlimited, local butterfly and bird societies and Parks Maintenance to plant a beautiful and educational butterfly/hummingbird garden.
CONGRATULATIONS GARY!!!
Posted 8/28/07

Emma Thomas
Yorktown, VA (York County)
(Originally from Durham, NC)
What does she do? - Emma works at an environmental consulting firm called EEI (Engineering & Environment, Inc.) in Fort Eustis, VA. Her title is “Environmental Management Systems Coordinator” and she helps train and inform people on the army base (as well as Langley Air Force Base and the naval base in Norfolk, VA) about ISO 14001, which is an international standard for the environment. They are in the process of implementing a greening initiative by encouraging personnel on base to reduce water usage, plant native plants, and recycle furniture and electronic equipment. Since she only work 4 days a week, she also volunteer in the education department at Nauticus Aquarium in the National Maritime Center in Norfolk, VA.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Her favorite part of earning the EE Certification was learning a TON of fun new activities to do with people of all ages and exchanging ideas with other people in the program.
Certification experience that stands out? - One of her favorite outdoor experiences while earning the certification was taking a Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation course that traveled to Trinidad! The group tagged and measured nesting leatherback sea turtle mothers and even found hatchlings!
Her Action Partnership? - For her Action Partnership, Emma helped install a trap to collect fouling community organisms at the Maritime Museum in Beaufort, NC and created a lesson and fact cards about some of the organisms in the local area.
CONGRATULATIONS EMMA!!!
Posted 8/28/07

Jonathan Marchal
Asheville, NC (Buncombe County)
What does he do? - Jonathan works as the Youth Programs Coordinator at the North Carolina Arboretum. He plans, coordinates and implements the Arboretum's youth programs including a 10-week Summer Day Camp and 11 on-site field trips for school groups on topics such as woodland and aquatic ecology, wildlife management, botany, environmental stewardship and wilderness skills.
Favorite part of earning his certification? - His favorite part of earning his certification was getting a chance to meet other individuals in the field and getting to know the resources available to environmental educators.
Certification experience that stands out? - Jonathan would have to say that his favorite outdoor experience while earning the EE certification was during Project Aquatic WILD which he took at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. After reviewing the curriculum the group headed to the creek to do some macroinvertebrate studies and also found a hellbender. "What a great end to a very useful workshop," says Jonathan.
His Action Partnership? - He created a tree identification trail for North Cove Elementary in McDowell County.
CONGRATULATIONS JONATHAN!!!
Posted 8/8/07

Susan Ashley
Nebo, NC (McDowell County)
What does she do? - Susan is employed at Lake James State Park as the lead Interpretive and Educational Ranger.
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Susan found earning her EE Certification to be an enriching experience. She was able to meet old and make new acquaintances within the park system as well as professionals from other agencies across the state, many with whom she still corresponds. This training
also allowed her to visit various parks, obtain valuable educational information and gain a greater scope of divisional operations, all of which she found particularly rewarding.
Certification experience that stands out? - Her most memorable experience
during the training was attending the Primer at Carolina Beach. In one
week she learned so much about the coastal area's plants and animals as
well as wetland conservation. She also enjoyed assisting in presenting
the Lake James EELE.
Her Action Partnership? - Susan worked with the local Order of the Arrow honor group with Boy Scouts of America. They constructed several sturdy and beautiful benches along the lake shore for elderly and handicapped individuals to use. Susan says, "by enhancing our knowledge and meshing it with established ideals, we as new Environmental Educators will be able to continue to successfully
communicate the State Parks' commitment to conserving North Carolina's natural resources."
CONGRATULATIONS SUSAN!!!
Posted 2/23/07

Jayme Bednarczyk
Wake Forest, NC (Wake County)
What does she do? - Nonformal educator, volunteers with Wake County Master Gardeners and the JC Raulston Arboretum, works with 4-H camps ages 5-12, the Speakers Bureau and creates plant databases for WaterWise gardens and rain gardens.
Favorite Part of earning her certification? - Being given the tools and confidence to easily work with children of all ages and meeting amazing educators.
Certification experience that stands out? - The Project Design and Evaluation workshop offered by NOAA and working with hummingbirds at Weymouth Woods.
Her Action Partnership? - Developed a "community awareness rain garden" to be used as an outdoor classroom for community residents, teachers and students. The garden is centrally located and wheelchair accessible. Jayme partnered with the Town of Wake Forest, Master Gardener Volunteers, Boy Scout Den 885 and the Wake Forest Garden Club. The photo above shows Jayme (in red) leading an interactive water quality game for the Scouts and their parents. The Scouts earned their Conservation Badges through this project.
CONGRATULATIONS JAYME!!!
Posted 10/16/06

Michael Crouse
Millers Creek, NC (Wilkes County)
What does he do? - Educational Ranger at Rendezvous Mountain Educational State Forest. Teaches pre-K through college students from area schools as well as adults.
Favorite part of earning his certification? - Visiting all of the EE sites that the program has you explore.
Certification experience that stands out? - The IYE's conducted by the NC Forest Service. They are so interesting and hands on with various after hours extras. They are really worth a lot to the program.
His Action Partnership? - Applied for a Lowes Hardware Grant for Outdoor Classrooms and received $35,000 for implementing five classrooms which were constructed at Rendexvous Mountain Educational State Forest.
CONGRATULATIONS, MICHAEL!!!
Posted 10/10/06

Ann Walter-Fromson, Ph.D.
Greensboro, NC (Guilford County)
What does she do? - Psychology professor at Greensboro College
Favorite part of earning her certification? - Visiting state parks for the EELEs
Favorite outdoor experience while earning her certification? - Hunting for salamander and frog eggs and larvae as part of the Amphibian Days and Nights workshop that was sponsored by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and taught by Mike Dunn.
Her Action Partnership? Ann coordinated the design and development of 5 fiberglass-embedded interactive interpretive trail signs focused on Piedmont forest communities for the Evergreen Trail at Price Park in Greensboro.
CONGRATULATIONS, ANN!!!
Posted 9/26/06

All of North Carolina's Certified Environmental Educators are listed below by county:

Alamance
Twila Buffington, Mebane
Lisa Lowing, Graham
Alicia White, Burlington

Alexander
Judith Abernethy, Hiddenite
Jeffrey Moose, Taylorsville

Alleghany
Greg Church, Roaring Gap
Roy Farr, Roaring Gap
Jeffrey Jones, Roaring Gap
Susie Miller, Sparta
Shawn Wolfe, Ennice

Ashe
Paul Bailey, Jr., Jefferson
Douglas Blatny, Jefferson
Michael Edwards, Roaring Gap
Michael Lambert, Crumpler
Jeffery Matheson, Jefferson
Scott Robinson, Jefferson
Rebecca Rose, Jefferson
Kelly Safely, Creston

Avery