Meet the Team

Mark coordinates this program - reach out to him for all registration questions! He will be your main point of contact throughout the year!

Mark has been an environmental educator for 16+ years, and loves educating diverse audiences about nature and science. He began teaching about nature while working on the Georgia coast and has been engaged in studying the relationship of humans to the ecosystems they live in ever since. His love for teaching birding, forestry, watersheds, and astronomy only grew as he attained his Masters degree in Science for Ecological Teaching and Learning. Mark firmly holds the belief that the diversity within human ecosystems is as equally vital to survival as the diversity found within natural ecosystems is. He loves being involved in change initiatives that increase access to community resources, nature, and the outdoors for all. Mark grew up in an inner-city Chicago neighborhood called Uptown, and serves on the board for the community resource organization that owns the same building in which he grew up. He also serves on the Board of Summit for Action, which is dedicated to discussions and action around the intersection of equity and inclusion in the environmental conservation and outdoor recreation movements. When not squinting at bird legs, looking for planets, or smelling herbaceous scrub plants, Mark plays bass and paints watercolor landscapes. Mark raises his three children with special needs with his partner in a home with both grandpas, a niece, and a grandniece. Mark believes that communities can be empowered to steward and care for their ecosystems and the environment more broadly when they are eco-literate and have a strong sense of place.