EEA
EEA Board of Directors
During most of its history, EEA has had a “working board,” which not only governs, but also implements plans, operates programs, and organizes events. The term of a board member (also called a director) is three years and members may serve two consecutive terms. Each director chairs one of EEA's committees or serves as an officer. With the hiring of an executive director in 2020, the board transitioned from a focus on day-to-day operations to one on governing, scaling its successful initiatives, and advancing the field of environmental education.
2021-22 Officers
President: Zipangani Vokhiwa
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Professor of Science, Mercer University
EEA Board Term: 2019 - 2022 Zipa is a professor of science at Mercer University. As project director for Mercer’s Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad Program award from the U.S. Department of Education for 2012/2014, Zipa led a team of 10 teachers and two administrators from the Atlanta metro area on a four-week field research project to Malawi during summer of 2013 to collect data on “The Interaction of Environment and Culture in Malawi” for their area studies curriculum development. |
President-Elect: Korri Ellis (acting secretary)
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Sustainability Coordinator, The Paideia School
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 Korri has been involved in environmental education for more than 20 years. She started her career in various informal settings, including Camp Wahsega and Zoo Atlanta, before moving into the school setting as a science teacher at Grady High School. Since 2016, she has been sustainability coordinator at Paideia School, where she works school-wide empowering K-12 students with tools they can use to help take care of the earth they will inherit from us. |
Treasurer: Jonah McDonald
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Park Naturalist, Mason Mill Park
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 Jonah is the founder and operator of Sure Foot Adventures, an outdoor guide service offering hiking, camping, backpacking, and outdoor education programs throughout the Southeast. He is also a professional storyteller, founding the Stories Squared concert series in Decatur and serves on the board of the Southern Order of Storytellers. Jonah performs at schools across the state and leads storytelling workshops for youth and adults. He is currently park naturalist at Mason Mill Park in DeKalb County. |
Advisory Council: Jennifer McCoy
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Communications & Education Manager, Cobb County Water System
EEA Board Term: 2019 - 2022 Jennifer has been active in EEA since 2001, chairing several committees including Executive, Conference, Monarchs Across Georgia, Council of Outdoor Learning, Advisory Council, and has represented Georgia on the Southeastern EE Alliance Leadership Team since 2010. Jennifer is employed by the Cobb County Water System as communications and education manager. She attended Lesley University and Kennesaw State University, earning an MPA in nonprofit management, a master's degree in ecological teaching and learning, and a bachelor's in biology. |
Past President: Michael O'Shield
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Senior Program Coordinator, DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management
Term: 2019 - 2022 Michael's involvement with environmental education began as a Boy Scout as a merit badge instructor, summer camp teacher, and troop leader. He earned a bachelor's degree in geography from the University of Georgia. While in college, he interned with Gwinnett County's Adopt-A-Stream program to learn more about the effects of land use on water quality. Michael is the longest serving Adopt-A-Stream trainer in Georgia and now coordinates environmental education and outreach programs for DeKalb County's Department of Watershed Management. |
2021-22 Directors
Strategic Partnerships: Jay Bassett
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Retired from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EEA Board Term: 2021 - 2024 Jay has served the public for more than 35 years both as a (retired) military officer with the Navy and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At EPA, he was a charter member of the leadership cadre that transformed the land and waste program’s “Road Ahead” principles related to management of materials on a life-cycle basis, and served as EPA’s regional program manager; national expert; and senior advisor working to achieve meaningful outcomes in disproportionately underserved and vulnerable communities. He also serves on several advisory boards for sustainability-based nonprofits, advancing K-12 initiatives, green school programs, and curriculum development. |
Monarchs Across Georgia: Mary Beth Cary
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Retired Educator; Citizen Scientist
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 Mary Beth began learning about environmental education in 1995 after being charged with developing an outdoor classroom at Worth County Primary School, thus beginning a 20-year immersion in content knowledge, lesson development, and best practices for outdoor education. She earned a bachelor's degree in home economics and journalism from UGA, M.Ed. in elementary education from Georgia Southwestern, and Ed. Leadership from Valdosta State. She was in the first ATEEG cohort and qualified for National Board Certification in 2005. When she retired in 2015, she began fulfilling her plan to volunteer with Monarchs Across Georgia. |
Higher Education: Adrian Epps
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Dean of Bagwell College of Education, Kennesaw State University
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 Before becoming Dean of the Bagwell College of Education, Adrian was founding director of KSU’s ATOMS Center: Advancing the Teaching of Mathematics & Science, which focuses on meeting the science and math needs of Georgia’s K-12 schools; and was appointed to The College Boards’ national Academic Assembly Council in 2016, serving on its board of directors in 2021. In 2020, he was elected to the board of directors of the Georgia Association of Colleges of Teacher Education. He has a doctorate in educational leadership from Clark-Atlanta University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and M.Ed. in science education from Emory University. |
Practices, Resources, and Professional Learning: Nicole Ford
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K-5 STEM Science Specialist, Fulton County Schools
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 Nicole works as the K-5 STEM program specialist in science for Fulton County Schools, providing professional development for teachers and instructional support leaders in STEM pedagogy. An educator for more than 20 years, she has implemented and grown numerous programs, including several STEM and school garden efforts. She operates F.A.C.E. Ed. STEAM Consultancy, serves as a Georgia Science Teachers Association elementary representative, is a Georgia Department of Education Science Ambassador, and a SAGES presenter for the Captain Planet Foundation. Nicole has served as a fellow in the Harvard Think Tank, collaborating with educators across the world to develop lessons aligned to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. |
Environmental Stewardship & Community Engagement Opportunities: Darryl Haddock
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Education Director, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 As environmental education director for the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Darryl coordinates educational programs, community outreach, and citizen science research. During his 20 years as an environmental scientist in both public and private sectors, Darryl has been recognized as a fellow and emerging leader by organizations including Toyota Together Green and National Audubon Society and was selected as Proctor Creek Ambassador by U.S. EPA’s Urban Waters Movement. He is a Project WET trainer, Adopt-A-Stream coordinator, an NAI interpretive guide, and is working toward ATEEG certification. Darryl has a bachelor's in geography from Jacksonville University and a master's in geoscience from Georgia State University. |
Issues and Research: Rabieh Jamal Hafza
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STEM Coordinator, Henry County Schools
EEA Board Term: 2021 - 2024 Jamal is STEM coordinator for Henry County Schools. Previously, he served as science coordinator for grades 6-12 at Atlanta Public Schools, a curriculum writer and editor for Captain Planet Foundation, a science content specialist for grades K-8, an assistant magnet school coordinator and AP physics teacher at Westlake High, Tri-Cities High, and Dutchtown High, as well as a chemistry teacher at Timber Creek High. He is a member of Georgia Science Supervisors, a Georgia Science Ambassador, and an experienced presenter of professional learning for K-12 science. Jamal earned his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction, his M.A.T in secondary science education, and his B.S. in biology with a minor in chemistry - all from Mercer University. |
Monarchs Across Georgia: Susan Meyers
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Manager, Monarchs Milkweed & More, LLC
EEA Board Term: 2018 - 2021 Susan's 25+ year career has taken her from microbiologist at the Godchaux Sugar Refinery to the education department at Stone Mountain Memorial Association. In 2003, after a visit to the Mexican overwintering colonies of the monarch butterfly, her life was forever metamorphosed. Now retired, she continues to volunteer for Monarch Watch, Project Monarch Health, Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, and Monarchs Across Georgia. Susan has a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge and a master's degree in environmental science from Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne. |
Council of Outdoor Learning: Stefan Moss
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Principal, The Moss Group; Teacher, Whitfield Academy
EEA Board Term: 2021 - 2024 Stefan is an environmental scientist and educator who has worked on United Nations projects in the Caribbean, including the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, and the Bahamas National Implementation Plan. He also has worked on environmental remediation projects in the U.S. and The Bahamas and is a former adjunct professor of environmental science at Georgia State University. He also previously worked at Lincoln College of Technology and Georgia Military College. In 2014, Stefan launched The Moss Group to provide diversity, education, and inclusion (DEI), mentorship, and environmental stewardship training services for public and private organizations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biology from Lee University, and a master’s degree in environmental science from the University of Tennessee. |
30th Anniversary EEA Conference / SEEA 2022 Regional Conference: Hannan Penn
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Environmental Education Coordinator, Fulton County Public Works
EEA Board Term: 2018 - 2021 Hannah is an environmental education coordinator with Fulton County Public Works, a Project WET/WILD/Learning Tree facilitator, and a Georgia Adopt-A-Stream community coordinator. She has a dual undergraduate degree from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. Her favorite hobbies include gardening, hiking, paddling, and camping with her husband Adam, twin daughters Molly and Olivia, and son Grady. |
Fundraising: LeAnn Rutledge
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District Program Assistant, Georiga Association of Conservation Districts
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 LeAnn is district program assistant for GACD where she is responsible for planning public outreach events of two soil and water conservation districts. She is a two-time Corporation for National and Community Service AmeriCorps alumna; created the Conservation Education Collaborative with local libraries to increase agricultural and environmental literacy in children up to five years old; and has taught more than 4,400 children, youth, and adults about environmental conservation as a non-formal educator. |
Advanced Teaching in Environmental Education in Georgia: Stacy Smith
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Program Education Specialist, Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful
EEA Board Term: 2018 - 2021 Stacy has been the program education specialist for Keep Athens-Clarke County Beautiful since 2010, providing outreach, coordinating volunteers for community projects, and incorporating environmental education in schools. She completed her ATEEG certification in 2017. Originally from Oregon, Stacy received a bachelor's degree in wildlife science from Oregon State. She studied at the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and has a master's in forest resources from the University of Georgia (studying salamander micro-habitat). She is a master gardener with a certificate in native plants. |
Communications: Susan Wood
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Program Manager, Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
EEA Board Term: 2020 - 2023 Susan is a program manager for the state weatherization assistance program and previously worked for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Pollution Prevention Assistance Division and as an environmental specialist with the Environmental Protection Division, managing the "Environmental Education in Georgia" website. She is a member of the Georgia Recycling Coalition Board of Directors, serving as secretary for 2020-21. Susan holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Berry College, a bachelor's in environmental studies from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a master's in political science from the University of Georgia. |
2021-22 Staff
Executive Director: Karan Wood
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Karan joined EEA as executive director in January 2020, having been a member of EEA since 2006. She previously worked as director of the CPF Institute for the Captain Planet Foundation and executive director of the Greater Atlanta Conservation Corps. Karan is a Georgia Science Ambassador and facilitator of Projects WET, Wild, and Learning Tree; Dynamics of Climate, Climate Reality, and Science in the Schoolyard. She created ecoSTEM Kits, the SAGES curriculum project, and GREAT Pathways, a project-based storyline initiative. Karan is also a consultant with Inspiring Innovative Solutions, where she collaborates with non-profits and public agencies on strategic planning. She has successfully managed grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Improving Teacher Quality program, Community Development Block Grant Fund, Land and Water Conservation Fund, and private sector donors and foundations. Karan studied natural resource management at the University of Michigan.
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Bookkeeper: Tiffany Dover
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Tiffany (Selah Financial Management) manages EEA's accounting and taxes. She has worked in corporate, higher education, and government environments, gaining expertise in tax policies, finance, lending, and bookkeeping. She completed a master's degree in business administration in finance at Clark Atlanta University and a bachelor's degree in economics at Emory University. Tiffany’s career experience includes tax preparation, auditing and reconciling expenditures, constructing budgets, and preparing financial reports.
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ATEEG: Trish Foster
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Trish works on EEA's ATEEG program and other special projects. She also works with Vantage Point Education where she teaches agriculture, food, and natural resources and mapping, visualization, and photography. Trish has experience as a field biologist, environmental specialist, state park naturalist and senior scientist for U.S. EPA. She earned a master's degree in biology with a concentration in aquatic and environmental sciences from East Tennessee State University, and a bachelor's in biology and chemistry from Meredith College and North Carolina State University.
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Environmental Education Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 801066 | Acworth, GA 30101 EEA does not does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its program , activities, or employment. For more information on EEA's non-discrimination commitment click here . Grievance officer may be contacted at info@eealliance.org |