Leslie’s interests in science and getting kids outside led her to attend Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center’s Graduate Program in Finland, Minnesota. She completed her Master’s degree at Prescott College focused on understanding how educators connect students to place. Those graduate studies led her to Teton Science Schools where she has been since 2008.  Leslie works with Professional Learning and Graduate Program teams, facilitating training for in-service and pre-service teachers near the Tetons, across the US, and around the world.

Kelly grew up on a small family farm in Columbia, Missouri where her love of the outdoors began. Fascinated by people and all the things they can do, Kelly was drawn to “the spark” students have when they use their minds. As an educator, Kelly quickly discovered her passion for authentic learning and meaningful education. Before joining TSS, Kelly taught high school Social Studies for 6 years and received her MA from the University of Missouri in Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum, with a focus on inquiry-based learning. Throughout her career, she has focused on building strong relationships and inspiring students to become lifelong learners and wanderers. Her goal as a Professional Learning Coach with TSS is to bring joy back into the instructional environment, connect schools with their local communities, and reconnect kids to their natural world. When Kelly is not educating, she is spending time with her husband and dog outside, gardening, and getting out to the mountains as often as possible.

Amelia realized early on that our experiences are our most powerful tools for learning. As a result, she has crafted her career around facilitating meaningful educational experiences for learners of all ages. Having lived and worked on four continents, she deeply values connection to place and appreciates the power of stepping out of one's comfort zone to broaden one's personal and global horizons. She has nearly two decades of experience in education, both as a teacher and administrator. She has designed and implemented interdisciplinary, student-centered, project-based, and place-based curriculum to empower students to grow as individuals and become agents of peaceful change. She has also managed and trained staff to build skills and community cohesion and facilitated conflict resolution among staff and students. Amelia likes to be outside as much as possible, likely in any body of water during the summer and any mountain with snow on it during the winter.

Donna, originally from West Virginia, has called many places home—including Germany, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Hawai‘i, and now Wyoming. Her passion and curiosity about science and nature were gained at a very young age, having spent countless hours exploring the great outdoors. Her earlier work with The Nature Conservancy further ignited a deep and lifelong commitment to protecting wild places and the life they sustain. With a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Education, Donna has spent the past 18 years as a high school science educator in Oklahoma, Hawai‘i, and the past seven years in Jackson. Her educational philosophy emphasizes instilling a sense of curiosity, stewardship, and a deep connection to place in her students, as she invites nature into the classroom and her students into nature. Passionate about experiential and place-based learning, she has recently engaged in 2-week field courses situated in Nepal, Ecuador, the Galápagos, and Iceland. Donna is an avid gardener, hiker, backpacker, community volunteer, reader, and traveler, always eager to explore new landscapes and cultures. She lives in Wilson, Wyoming, with Simba, the feline who rescued her, and continues to be inspired by the beauty and wonders of the world around her.