Environmental Educator
Tennessee Wildlife Federation
I grew up on the Gulf coast and I wanted to help other residents, particularly the many new residents moving there from other parts of the country, to appreciate it and protect it.
Education
- B.S., Marine Biology/Physics, Auburn University
- B.S., Secondary Science Education, Auburn University
- M.S., Environmental Education/Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
Salary
$40,000 - $60,000
Contact
What is your current job and what does it entail?
I serve as the statewide manager for Great Outdoors University, an education program of the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. Through Great Outdoors University, we take low-income kids outdoors. I hire and train over 50 field trip leaders who take kids from Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga on day trips, overnight trips, and extended trips to more than 30 destinations. We partner with organizations like Scoutreach, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Clubs, Oasis Center, Youth Villages, and others who offer programming for low-income communities. Activities include hiking, fishing, caving, canoeing, rock hopping, hay rides, campfire cooking, camping and stargazing. A highlight of most of our trips is when everybody puts on water shoes and explores a waterway on a stream stroll, creek crawl or river ramble. We stay overnight in the barn at a llama farm. We organize community service projects like creek cleanups and tree plantings. We set up activity areas at festivals like Earth Day and Barks for Parks so that our Great Outdoors University kids can teach others how to fish, pitch a tent, pack a backpack, or build a campfire. We are entirely funded by private donations and grants and we provide the naturalists, gear, program supplies, transportation and meals at no cost to the partner organizations or families. With the help of my staff, field trip leaders and volunteers, I coordinate over 120 field trips a year.
What was the key factor in your career decision?
I wanted to work in education, but not in a formal classroom setting. I wanted to work with the coastal environment. I grew up on the Gulf coast and I wanted to help other residents, particularly the many new residents moving there from other parts of the country, to appreciate it and protect it. I had the privilege of working as an extension agent with the Cooperative Extension Service in northwest Florida and south Alabama for 18 years.
What do like most about your career?
I enjoy having the opportunity to develop programs and projects to meet the needs of the community. I like writing grants to fund the projects and working collaboratively with other agencies to make big projects a reality. I like doing something different every day, and splitting my time between the office and the field. My husband, Larry, is a forester for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, so we are able to attend conferences together and help each other with projects. I have had the privilege of serving on the boards of directors of numerous professional associations. This has allowed me to support environmental education and marine education at the national level.
What do you like least about your career?
This is definitely not a nine-to-five job. I work a lot of nights and weekends because that is when the audiences are available. There are many 60-hour weeks. It is difficult to prioritize programs for each year because the need for environmental education is so great.
What do you do to relax?
We live on seven acres in a home that Larry named Oink Hill Cottage. We also have a home in Orange Beach called The Last Resort. We participate in work mission trips in Mexico, where we build schools and health clinics. I love to take my dog, Story, hiking and kayaking. I enjoy travel, photography, theater, bike riding, kayaking, scuba diving, gardening, storytelling, steamed shrimp, fresh raspberries, and ice box pecan pie.
Who are your heroes/heroines?
I get my determination and inspiration from Aldo Leopold, Edward Abbey, Jacques Cousteau, Sylvia Earle, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Richard Wilke and my parents, Frank and Frankie, who are outstanding educators.
What advice would you give a student who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in your field?
Get lots of field experience (on weekends, in the summer, as a volunteer if necessary) to make sure this is what you enjoy and to develop your skills. Get your foot in the door by working hard as a volunteer or intern. Get experience in public speaking, writing, computers, graphics, photography, lab work, scuba or skin diving, and the identification of coastal creatures and native plants. Join professional associations and attend their conferences to meet others in this field. And most importantly, live your dreams!
Are career opportunities in your field increasing or decreasing and why?
As we recover from the recession, there will be more job opportunities in outdoor education and environmental education. Check with the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, state parks, city nature centers, and nonprofits.
What will you be doing 10 years from today?
I hope to be working as an environmental educator in a place where the billboards don't block the sunset. I have written a couple of books and would like to write more.
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