Field Education Team Welcomes Two New Members

The Field Education Team has two new faculty members from Virginia. Tasha Purcell and Matt McGee join the Jackson Campus with a shared enthusiasm for exploring mountains; both have completed thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail. They are both passionate about teaching in and exploring the valley, streams and mountains of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.Tasha Purcell loves playing and learning in the outdoors and has sought out opportunities to share her passion with others as an outdoor educator. Tasha received her bachelors in environmental science from Sweet Briar College in Virginia, and her masters in experiential education from Minnesota State, Mankato. She has enjoyed teaching outdoor and environmental education for the Sheridan School Mountain Campus in her beloved Virginia, The High Mountain Institute in Leadville Colorado and at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.Matt is excited to share his passion for combining research and education with students and teachers at Teton Science Schools. Matt has a Bachelors degree in wildlife biology from The University of Montana and he has conducted field biology research on coyotes, wolves, cougars, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and bats. He is a graduate of the Professional Residency in Environmental Education program at Teton Science Schools. Matt also has a Masters in Zoology and Physiology from the University of Wyoming, and an Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Montana State University. Matt has worked as an environmental educator for many organizations, including the National Park Service in Grand Teton National Park, the National Audubon Society in California, and the Murie Science and Learning Center in Alaska. He has also worked as a classroom teacher on the Wind River Reservation where he developed and taught an integrated project based curriculum for Northern Arapaho high school students. Prior to coming to the Teton Science Schools he served as a member of the Mathematics and Natural Science faculty and directed the Outdoor Leadership Program at Wyoming Catholic College and worked as an instructor for the Wilderness Medicine Institute in Lander, Wyoming.Tasha and Matt are thrilled to be living, learning and leading in the wild and beautiful landscapes that Jackson Hole has to offer. They are both looking forward to contributing their knowledge and skills to the Field Education team.