Daniel Hatcher (he/him) MPH, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Healthier Generation, is a nationally recognized workshop facilitator, having presented at education conferences in over 40 states and Canada, including South by Southwest EDU and the Global Outdoor Health Summit. He is also a Strala Yoga Guide and sound healing practitioner. With more than 15 years of experience in wellness and youth development, Daniel integrates mindfulness, movement, and creative arts to foster spaces of connection and authentic collaboration. Certified in Nature and Forest Therapy and Mental Health First Aid, Daniel recently authored a chapter in Wonder Libraries, highlighting the power of play and nature for healing and health.

Nathália Streher (she/ela/ella) was born and raised in the mountains of southern Brazil, where her fascination with natural history and ecology first began. She holds a Master’s and PhD in Plant Biology from the University of Campinas (Brazil) and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research uses pollen on stigmas from both field and herbarium samples to track contemporary and historical pollinator-mediated interactions. More specifically, she explores how these interactions shape plant community structure and dynamics, and how polyploidy, a major evolutionary process in plants, drives phenotypic changes that influence pollination.

Isabel Pen (she/her) is a queer Latina marine biologist pursuing a PhD at the Ohio State University. She earned a BS in Biology in her hometown at the University of Houston and a Master’s in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas. Her dissertation work focuses on resolving the identity of tiny species of sea anemones in the genus Bunodeopsis found in seagrass beds all over the Caribbean. Through her work, Isabel hopes to incorporate ecology and biogeography into the systematics of sea anemones and increase the awareness of marine invertebrates through public outreach.

Amanda Potts (she/her) attended Texas Southern University as an undergraduate, where they participated in research on the phylogenetics of birds. Aligning with their personal interests, they also served as a volunteer intern in the Herpetology Department at the Houston Zoo. Following this, they entered a post-baccalaureate program at Baylor College of Medicine, which prepared them for graduate school and included a position as a research technician. Currently, Amanda is a fourth-year Ph.D. student at Rice University in Houston, Texas, studying evolutionary biology and how organisms adapt to novel environments.

Alejandra Betancourt (she/her) is a biologist and environmental scientist, and a Ph.D. candidate in Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State University, specializing in forest conservation, landscape ecology, and remote sensing. Her background spans Venezuela, Uruguay, and the United States, where she has worked as a researcher, consultant, and educator on projects linking biodiversity, forest health, and community well-being. She has collaborated with international organizations and has been active in academia through teaching and conference presentations. Her doctoral research at NC State focuses on urban forests, tree health, structural connectivity, and the relationships with urban vines and lianas. Her work is, and will continue to be, driven by a commitment to connecting science, conservation, and communities.

José G. González (he/him) is a professional educator with training in the fields of education and conservation. He is the Founder of Latino Outdoors, Co-Founder of the Outdoorist Oath, as well as having served as a consultant at large as a Partner at the Avarna Group and his own consulting. He currently serves as the inaugural the Equity Officer for the East Bay Regional Park District. His work focuses on Equity & Inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. He is also an illustrator and science communicator. He received his B.A. at the University of California, Davis, with teaching coursework at the Bilingual, Multicultural, Education Department at Sacramento State. He received his M.S. at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources & Environment. He serves as a board member at Parks CA as well as a Commissioner for the California Boating & Waterways Commission, along with having served in a variety of other board and voluntary leadership roles in several conservation and outdoor industry organizations.

Jaida Elcock (she/her) is a PhD Candidate in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program for Biological Oceanography researching basking shark and whale shark movement ecology and habitat use. She is also an active science communicator on social media, having worked with Mental Floss, BBC, SciShow, Hank Green, and more. Jaida has been able to use the platforms she’s built not only to share fun facts about wildlife you didn’t know you needed, but to uplift voices of racial and gender minorities. Specifically, with Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), she and her co-founders have worked to create opportunities for marginalized groups to get their feet wet in a field that traditionally excluded them. Jaida’s goals following her PhD are to continue advocating for the communities and causes she is passionate about and bring fun, wacky, wildlife wonderment to her scicomm audiences.

Dr. Erika Marín-Spiotta (she/her) is Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she leads the Biogeochemistry and Biogeography Lab and the Transforming Research in Education Environments (TREE) Collaborative. Marín-Spiotta also is the lead PI of the ADVANCEGeo Partnership, which seeks to equip (geo)scientists with tools to transform workplace climate, and is part of the international ADVANCEing FieldSafety Team.  

Jamila Blake (she/her) is a community-focused leader with a passion for building inclusive pathways in conservation and science. With a background in conservation science, nonprofit leadership, and workforce development, she brings a unique systems-level perspective to her work. Jamila holds a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation and Ecology from the University of Delaware and an MPA in Nonprofit Management from American University. Over the past decade, she has led initiatives that empower emerging scientists, shape inclusive policy, and strengthen organizations working to protect wildlife and habitats. Currently a Senior Project Manager at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Jamila works to ensure STEM career pathways are accessible and equitable for all.

Oliver Nguyen (they/them) is a PhD candidate at Stanford University focusing on urban ecology and environmental justice. The core of their work is driven by spite (officially, they call it “resilience”) and extends towards projects that align with that nature– particularly animal communities that thrive in hostile urban conditions or co-working with local historically marginalized communities that seek to address environmental injustice in their neighborhoods. They enjoy incorporating art and design into their research and finding different ways to help tell stories of the communities they work with.

Dominique Daye Hunter (she/her; Black, Yesáh/Saponi, Scots-Irish, Polish) is a storyteller, poet, artist, and speaker. Her work explores historical trauma, brave spaces, and healing in Black and Indigenous communities. She is the author of Seeds, a poetry collection, and Hasi Čhigǫ:yǫ (Sweet Berry), a children’s book in her Indigenous Yesáh language. As CEO of D. Daye Hunter Designs, LLC, Dominique consults with organizations to integrate mindfulness, narrative strategy, and relational outreach, helping them reduce harm and build just, resilient social and environmental systems. She founded the 13th DEN, a Black and Indigenous creative collective for land-based art. A certified DEI trainer, Dominique holds a BS in Nonprofit Leadership (American Indian Studies concentration) and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing. Shining her light and not afraid of the dark, she resides in Šaunhuntakot (Durham, NC). 

Cat Fribley (she/her) is the Executive Director of Birdability. A lifelong birder with a background in nonprofit leadership, Cat brings her lived experience as a queer birder with multiple disabilities to her role. She’s passionate about disability justice, equity, and community-centered systems change. Her own experiences trying to determine accessible birding opportunities while visiting all 50 states before she turned 50 years old made her acutely aware of the important work of Birdability and especially the Birdability Map, a resource she sorely needed back then, and is passionate about now! Under her leadership, Birdability has grown its national presence and impact while staying grounded in joy, access, and the belief that the outdoors belongs to everyone. Cat lives in Iowa City, IA with her wife and partner, two indoor cats, and an ever-rotating cast of delightful backyard birds.

Dr. Erim Gómez (he/him/el) is an Assistant Professor of Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Southern Oregon University and both a Master’s and Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sciences from Washington State University. His research focuses on the habitat ecology of charismatic minifauna, including crayfish, amphibians, butterflies, and birds. He also served as the lead editor of Introduction to Wildlife Management and Conservation in North America (2022).

Dr. Karen Bailey (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is an interdisciplinary environmental social scientist and combines social science research with environmental and ecological data to understand feedbacks between communities and their environments, how we can build resilience to climate change, and how to support landscapes that meet human needs and sustainability goals. She earned her PhD from the University of Florida in interdisciplinary ecology and has a background in wildlife ecology and conservation with expertise on human-environment interactions, equitable conservation, and justice, accessibility, and inclusion in STEM and natural resources fields.

Dr. Lauren Esposito (she/her) is an evolutionary biologist and arachnlogist, and their current research investigates the patterns and processes of evolution in spiders, scorpions, with a focus on tropical islands. Originally from the US-Mexico borderlands, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at El Paso, and went on to obtain an MS and PhD from the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the City University of New York. Lauren is the co-founder/director of a science, education, and conservation non-profit called Islands & Seas, and the founder of 500 Queer Scientists, a visibility campaign for LGBTQ+ people working in STEM careers. 

Dr. Zakiya Leggett (she/her) is an Associate Professor of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University. She directs the High School Summer Research Program and the Scholars in Conservation Leadership Program, focusing on forest and soil ecology, participatory science, and diversity in natural resources. Before joining NCSU, she spent a decade as a sustainability scientist with Weyerhaeuser Company. Dr. Leggett serves on the boards of the Ecological Society of America, the Triangle Land Conservancy, and Tuskegee University’s Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. A Memphis native, she holds degrees from Tuskegee University, Duke University, and North Carolina State University.

Tamara Poles (she/her) is the Founder and CEO of Universal SciCom (formally SciCom Consulting, LLC) a global leader in science communication and strategic consulting for STEM professionals and organizations. With a background in biology and informal education, Tamara has earned international recognition for her ability to make complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging. Her expertise is highlighted by her work with organizations such as the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, the US Park Service and her role as the Accessibility Director for the Association of Science Communicators, among other accomplishments. Tamara empowers scientists and organizations to effectively communicate their research and engage with diverse audiences worldwide.

Dexter Patterson (he/him), also known as the Wisco Birder, on social media is passionate about making birdwatching inclusive for everyone, Dexter’s lively “You Ready? Let’s Go!” videos showcase his discovery of various bird species and have garnered millions of views. As an educator, photographer, writer, speaker, and author of Birds of the Great Lakes, Dexter is committed to demonstrating that birding is open to all. He is also the co-founder of the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, where he works to promote inclusivity and create welcoming spaces in the outdoors. Through his work as a speaker and storyteller, Dexter inspires audiences with his journey and his vision for a more inclusive birding community. His goal is simple yet powerful: to help people see that birding belongs to everyone.