Scott
Scott D. Williams is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation at Utah Valley University.  He has been on faculty at UVU since 2007 teaching and conducting research in natural resource planning, ecotourism, sustainability, environmental and social ethics, inclusivity and career development.  He also teaches classes in expedition kayaking, backpacking, mountain biking and Leave No Trace.  He is an avid reader, traveller, a connoisseur of college athletics, and a notorious email avoider. He lives in his fixer-upper (currently being remodeled) with his wife and two children.

Cinimin
Cinimin is a magical unicorn who was born and raised in the heart of Utah Valley. Surrounded by majestic mountains and outdoor enthusiasts, it's easy to understand what inspired Cinimin’s passion for nature. Working as an interpretive ranger for Capitol Reef National Park she found a piece of her soul exploring the rippled layers of sandstone in canyon country. Since that time she has worked as an interpreter, trails worker, and backcountry ranger for the National Park Service, US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. She has extensive experience working with youth including working at Capitol Reef’s nature center, leading backcountry excursions, and teaching english abroad. Cinimin is an adventurer; world traveler; always ready to meet new people and explore a new landscape. She is a chaser of thunderstorms, mountain summits, dark night skies, and howling coyotes.

Steve
Steve is an elementary school teacher for Nebo School District.  He has lived and worked as a teacher in Springville since 2008 and previously taught environmental education and service learning projects through the AmeriCorps program. Before relocating to Utah he has lived and worked in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, been employed as a County Planner in California, grew up on the Modoc Plateau, and wrote a graduate thesis on rural Nevada front lawns. Travelling to out of the way, overlooked, or forgotten places and landscapes in the American West has been part of his life since childhood and continues whenever time and gas money permit.  By working with the NTTC conference group since 2016 Steve has been able to more effectively integrate environmental education themes and topics into his reading, writing, and math teaching routines and hopes to collaborate with other educators that seek to do the same.

McCall
Raised by a modern mountain man, McCall learned to love nature at a very young age. Most of her childhood was spent outside. It was a flurry of mountain summits, desert arches, grassy knolls, and hidden lakes punctuated with campfires and telescopes aimed at the moon. This alternative to traditional childhood offered her many advantages. McCall learned to see herself as part of an even greater whole at a very young age – as a citizen of the Earth. Through that filter she learned to appreciate the way that things must work together; each filling their niche, to establish a thriving environment. It is her hope that this conference will provide educators with the information necessary to inspire children to love and appreciate nature in the same way she does.  

Amy
Amy is a filmmaker, teacher and artist. She recently got lead climbing certified so you can most often find her at the Quarry with her Hawaiian husband as belay. Amy's main interests include how teachers can change the world and prepping for the zombie apocalypse. When she's not rock climbing or prepping for the end of the world you can find her walking or swimming with her dog. She loves birds, plants and rocks. Amy believes that art and science  really aren't so different and she looks for ways to connect them. Amy is a Nature to the Classroom Alumni.

MaKenna

MaKenna is a lover of nature, rock enthusiast, and current student at UVU studying photography, outdoor recreation, and environmental science. She spent the past two summers between semesters working as the High Adventure Director facilitating the high and low ropes courses, archery, and hatchet throwing at a local camp owned by Girl Scouts of Utah. In her free time you can find her somewhere up in the canyons rock climbing, hiking, paddle boarding, backpacking, snowboarding, or chillin in a hammock. She's always looking for new friends to go play outside with and loves introducing people to the outdoor activities that make such a positive impact in her life.

Bethany

Bethany is a current student at UVU majoring in Outdoor Recreation and a minor in Biology. A few of her favorite outdoor activities are mountain biking, rock climbing, snowboarding and going on hikes with her dog. She has always known she wants to work with kids and while working at a summer camp in Maine she knew she wanted to help get kids into nature and learn from the environment. She loves to go camping with her family and learn the names of all the flowers. When she’s not outdoors you can find her either at home for family time, doing some sort of craft, or baking. Bethany has a love for music and used to dream about being a singer. She now dreams to be a stay at home mom and run her own nature school.

Russ

Russ grew up in American Fork where he hiked, fished, hunted, and camped surrounding mountains with his family. He grew to have a deep and abiding respect for the power that Nature can have in our everyday lives. Russ is a veteran teacher of two decades; he has a Masters in Education, and bachelors degrees in Psychology and Sociology. During his summers he is either a National Park Ranger, the assigned Naturalist on a cruise ship, or visiting far away lands with his wife. But wherever he is you can count on him wearing walking shoes and be itching to get outside. Russ is not a fan of labels - but if you were to give him some he would accept the following: seeker, guide, maker, healer, hermit or fool. 

Esteemed Emeritus 

'Ilikea
‘Ilikea is a cat-obsessed, multicultural mudblood. She hails from Hawai’i but went to school in Utah Valley. Her passions for adventure, the earth and environment, humanity, flora, fauna and education were fostered at a young age. She is curious about the world around her and always seeks to learn. Her thirst for adventure and knowledge drives her to take risks on a daily basis. Seeking for growth, progression and not being afraid of failure are her keys to leading a happy life. It is easier said than done to not be afraid of failure, but the outdoor world has helped facilitate and minimize those fears through its therapeutic nature. ‘Ilikea is compassionate, a social moth, loves snowboarding, going on fun, risky hikes that push her body, a reader and an avid watcher of documentaries. 

'Ilikea is following a new adventure guiding youth in the lush land of the Big Island of Hawai'i.

Gina
Gina Gilson has been living in the heart of Capitol Reef National Park for two years as the field station’s site manager. She grew up in Nebraska City, Nebraska, a small Midwestern town that is proud to be the home of Arbor Day. This community first introduced her to environmentalism, but her interest in conservation grew when she joined an estuarine research team on Georgia’s barrier islands. While working at a field station in Costa Rica, Gina developed a passion for outdoor education and hands-on learning; she brought this with her to Utah when she joined the Capitol Reef Field Station team. After a lifetime of long road trips to escape to the red rock desert, she is immensely grateful to wake up every morning surrounded by towering sandstone cliffs.

Gina has now moved to another beautiful location and is enjoying Oxford, England as she pursues her Masters Degree in Environmental Studies.  

Erik
Raised in South Jordan Utah, Erik was introduced to the outdoors by his father through hunting and fishing expeditions in the mountains of Utah. He spent his teenage years participating in the local boy scouting program and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He worked for two years as a special education activity coordinator, and more recently as a river rafting guide. He has worked as a professional photographer for the last 4 years specializing in nature, landscape, and commercial adventure photography. Erik is currently majoring in Outdoor Recreation and obsessing over his new sweetheart.

Sherie'
Sherie' grew up in Montana where she developed a love of the outdoors.  She returned to college after 20 years and is pursuing a B.S. at Utah Valley University in Outdoor Recreation Management with a minor in Environmental Studies.  Sherie' wants to run her own women’s empowerment backpacking trips; although, after volunteering at Timpanogos Cave National Monument last summer, she would also like working for the National Park Service.  Truth be told, she is interested in doing a lot of things because she loves to learn.  Her favorite activities are downhill skiing, hiking, and backpacking.  Sherie' also loves touring the Northwest on her street motorcycle.  Her passion is traveling and exploring other cultures and she has been throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and Italy.  She has four children (ages 21 to 11) who waffle between laughter and embarrassment at her silly dance moves in the kitchen.  Sherie' has volunteered extensively with youth and wants to help them unplug and get outside.

Sherie' has since finished her degree is and is moving back to those wild Montana skies.

Kara

Kara is currently a student at Utah Valley University majoring in Outdoor Recreation Management. She is a registered EMT and spends most evenings working at or watching sporting events. She is a lover of all things outdoors, but out in the snow is where she is happiest. Growing up she developed a love of nature through hiking and visiting national parks with her family and that love has only grown over the years. She has previous experience as a wildland firefighter and recreation maintenance worker for the US Forest Service. Kara wants to share her passion for the outdoors and teach others how a connection with nature is the key to living a happy and productive life!

Kara has finished her degree and is working as a National Park Service Ranger.