Friends of Pathways & History Jackson Hole

Originally from Maplewood, New Jersey, Skylar graduated from Williams College with a BA in computer science. She first discovered her love for the outdoors on summer camping, hiking, and biking trips, and fed this passion by exploring Massachusetts’s Berkshire mountains throughout college. For four summers, she led students on service and backpacking trips in New England, Colorado, Norway, and Switzerland, witnessing firsthand the power of the outdoors to help students build intentional communities and develop an appreciation for the world around them. She is excited to be an AmeriCorps member at TSS to continue spending time exploring the outdoors with students through place-based learning. In her free time, Skylar loves hiking, baking, playing ultimate frisbee, and exploring local swimming holes.

Teton Resilience Network

Olivia VanDien grew up in Northern California and graduated from the University of Vermont in May. Growing up exploring the outdoors around her created a lasting appreciation for nature, which led her to pursue a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies and Studio Art. At UVM, she concentrated her studies in environmental education, with a particular focus on how place-based learning in early childhood can serve as a foundation for fostering lifelong environmental values. After graduation, Olivia moved to Colorado, where she led hiking, camping, and kayaking trips for young kids that encouraged them to be curious, build confidence in the outdoors, and create a sense of place. She is so excited to join Teton Science Schools, where she can grow as an educator, continue to learn more about the natural systems around us, and adventure alongside her students. In her free time, Olivia enjoys skiing, hiking, knitting, and playing a good game of cards!

Teton County - Sustainability

Elena grew up in Colorado and graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in biology. While at CU Boulder, she worked at the university's Environmental Center, educating students and locals on sustainable living practices. She utilized her passion for the environment and her studies in biology to join a research lab on campus, where she helped biologically synthesize compounds that are currently obtained in unsustainable ways. She worked as a medical assistant in a physician's office, where she discovered her passion for working with people daily. Her love for science, working with people, and exploring the outdoors led her to pursue an outdoor education position at TSS. In her free time, she likes to go rock climbing, watch movies, and make jewelry.

TSS/UW Snowtography & TSS Professional Learning

Erica grew up in Pennsylvania and recently graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Computer Science. During her time in college, she mentored underclassmen through leading orientation backpacking trips, cycling training with the Club Triathlon Team, and workshops for first-years interested in sustainability. Erica has also worked in climate research studying computational climate models and the broader impacts of wildfire smoke transport. Since graduating, she has worked as a citizen scientist with an Icelandic nonprofit, harvested produce at a New Hampshire farm, and worked on a lodge crew in the White Mountains. Erica’s passion for science, outdoor adventures, and mentorship inspired her to serve at Teton Science Schools, where she is excited to learn from her students and fellow educators. In her free time, Erica enjoys hiking, baking bread, and solving the daily crossword puzzle.

Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative

Lucia grew up in Western Massachusetts, where she developed a love for experiencing and understanding the outdoors. She attended Wesleyan University, where she received a degree in Earth Science and Environmental Studies. Lucia’s time at Wesleyan was spent in sedimentology and GIS research labs as well as with the Wesleyan Climbing Club, where she developed a passion for climbing and the community it creates. In her free time, she loves hiking, cold water plunges, ice skating, and climbing. After her freshman year, Lucia moved to the Tetons for the summer, a choice that helped her immensely in growing her independence and confidence in the outdoors. She is excited to return to the place she loves so much to help foster others' sense of adventure and love for the outdoors at TSS.

JH Public Art & B on 33: Beautifying Our Byways

Maya Llewellyn grew up in Chicago and graduated from Grinnell College with a degree in Sociology and Environmental Studies. At Grinnell, she worked at the college garden and conducted research with a local retirement community, experiences that deepened her commitment to pursuing work that fosters both ecological health and social justice. She has spent several summers leading summer camp groups in the great outdoors of Michigan, and most recently spent the summer teaching environmental sociology and songwriting to middle schoolers in the Twin Cities. Maya chose to serve with TSS to explore the worlds of environmental education and non-profit work, and to practice cultivating connections between people and place. In their free time, Maya enjoys writing songs, reading, skiing, and wading into cold water.

Teton Raptor Center

Madison is currently enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University to get a degree in Environmental Science.  She grew up in Michigan, spending summers hiking and exploring in the Upper Peninsula, where she developed a love and appreciation for nature and wildlife.  Her passion for conservation and the natural world grew deeper while volunteering for the Wildlife Brigade in Grand Teton National Park, where she fell in love with the wildlife and landscape of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.  She chose to serve as an AmeriCorps member at Teton Science Schools to help inspire others to connect with and care for this unique ecosystem.  When she’s not recreating outside, she enjoys cooking, baking, and spoiling her dog, Lulu.

Art Association of Jackson Hole

Bainon grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio, but in the last five years has called New England, Edinburgh, Scotland, Eastern Canada, and Jackson all home at some point. Outdoor adventure has been a persistent teacher in her life through each era. She attended the Mountain School semester program in 2019; she participated in month-long whitewater canoe trips in Quebec and Ontario from the ages of 12-17, and she has led these canoe trips for the last 5 summers. After finishing at Williams College in 2024, she moved to Jackson seeking out mountain life. She quickly learned about Teton Science Schools and admired the fierce community and important work. She is so excited to finally be a part of it. Her skills off-trail include wearing white sneakers until they’re far from white, using only candy as running fuel, reading (after she recovered from a Bachelor’s degree in English literature), and DJing any dishes session.

TSS/UW Snowtography, JH Wildlife Foundation

Ingrid Fellows grew up in Minnesota and recently graduated from the University of Portland with a degree in Environmental Science and Social and Emotional Learning. In college, she worked at the outdoor program, guiding paddling and skiing trips. She especially enjoys Arctic science and has done fieldwork in the Norwegian Arctic studying Marine Biology and in Alaska studying glaciers. Ingrid’s love for environmental education began with guiding canoe trips in northern Minnesota, where she discovered the joy of learning alongside kids in how to care for the land and water.

Teton Raptor Center

Meg grew up on Long Island, New York, where spending the summers of their childhood camping fostered an early and lasting appreciation for the natural world. She graduated from the University at Albany in 2022 and has since pursued a variety of seasonal conservation and education roles. Meg has worked with Audubon on shorebird monitoring and public educational outreach, with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sampling and advocating for water quality of our lakes, and most recently with the National Park Service in Virginia. There, she worked on invasive plant management and endangered bird species. Meg is excited to work in the West for the first time and to further develop their skills working on raptor conservation with the Teton Raptor Center. Off-trail skills include dedicated birding breaks, camping in most weather, knitting wherever possible, and befriending any nearby cats.

Munger Mountain Elementary School, Teton Valley Ranch Camp

Addison graduated from Sewanee: The University of the South in May with a degree in psychology, as well as minors in neuroscience and women’s and gender studies. She discovered her passion for outdoor recreation and youth development in 2023 while serving as a camp counselor at Camp Walkabout in Chattanooga, TN. In 2024, she completed an 8-week internship at the Yale Child Study Center as a developmental science research intern. Last summer in Big Sky, MT, Addison led fun outdoor excursions for a private club, including Grand Loop tours in Yellowstone. Having so much fun learning about the wonders of Yellowstone and teaching others drew Addison to the AmeriCorps team at Teton Science Schools. In her free time, she enjoys reading thriller/mystery novels, attending dance fitness classes, and walking her black lab, Winter. 

Mountain Academy Teton Valley Campus K/1, National Museum of Wildlife Art 

Claire grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and earned her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Ohio University, with a minor in Psychology. After completing her degree, she began seasonal educational work in North Carolina, Colorado, and now Wyoming. In her free time, she enjoys experiencing live music.

University of Idaho Extension

Emma Bauer was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She graduated this June from the University of Washington with a degree in Environmental Public Health and a minor in Data Science. She has spent many of her recent summers working in Washington’s San Juan Islands, where she has led sailing, canoeing, and kayaking trips to kids ages 9-16. It was during that time that she developed a love of working with kids outdoors. In her free time, Emma can be found laughing with her friends and doing strenuous physical activities.