Join US
Want more of a voice in how IdEEA serves Idaho? Interested in supporting Environmental Education programs throughout the state? Join the IdEEA board! We are taking nominations for new board members from December 1-January 31. New Board Members will begin in March and serve a 2 year term.
MISSION
The Idaho Environmental Education Association is dedicated to the advancement of environmental education in Idaho. We support and promote the activities of all educators working to clarify our understanding of the natural world and our role in it.
IdEEA is a 501(C)3 non-profit and serves as a network for EE Educators across the State of Idaho.
MEET THE BOARD
BETH KOCHEVAR
Vice President
Beth Kochevar is the Program Development Coordinator for the University of Idaho McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS), where she helps run K-12 outdoor science programming and mentors graduate student field instructors in their teaching practicum. She holds a BA in Geology from Colorado College, a MS in Natural Resources with a Certificate in Environmntal Education from UI MOSS and is currently pursuing s PhD student in Environmental Science at UI. She has served as an environmental science educator for NatureBridge and Asia Pacific Adventures and raft guided on the Salmon River in Stanley, ID. She is interested in evaluation and impacts of environmental education programs and how centering equity and justice within programming and pedagogy affects student engagement. She's excited to be on the Board of IdEEA to continue to support student-centered environmental education and reciprocity between land, water, and people.
JANICE ALEXANDER
President
Janice Alexander is the Environmental Education Program Coordinator at the Boise Urban Garden School. She has also worked at the Discovery Center of Idaho and the University of California managing STEM and environmental education programs. She grew up in Northern California and received Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Environmental Science from U.C. Berkeley before beginning a career in outreach and education. She loves the outdoors, cooking, sci-fi, and laughing with her friends.
ALEX BROOKS
Treasurer
Alex Brooks is the Education Manager for Boise Parks and Rec. She is passionate about offering outdoor exploration opportunities to the youth of the Treasure Valley. Her goal is to create a connection between community members and the outdoors to conserve this beautiful ecosystem. Alex received her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho and her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the McCall Outdoor Science School. She served as a Peace Corps environmental volunteer in Nicaragua and an Americorps member in Boise before entering her current position.
NORA PAECH
Secretary
Originally from Germany, Nora has found a new home with her family in Eastern Idaho and loves to explore the diverse landscapes on foot be it hiking or trail running. She works at ISU-College of Technology as a Grants Specialist and has extensive non-profit experience (international development, animal welfare). As a mother with four small children and a passion for environmental conservation, she is always looking for ways to share her love for nature with her kids and others.
Communications
MISHA SMITH
Misha grew up in the woods of North Idaho, and spent her childhood exploring the outdoors. She received her teaching degree from the University of Idaho, and earned her masters degree in Economics Education from Boise State University. She has taught 6th grade at Hawthorne Elementary in Boise since 1998 and loves to get her students outdoors and into the field as much as possible. Her mission is to inspire curiosity, critical thinking and problem solving in her students, as well as help them see their connection with the natural world. She uses a variety of inquiry projects, field experiences, and connections with local and global experts to empower students to take action. She won the IdEEA Elementary Environmental Educator of the Year award in 2020, was selected for the EPA Region 10 winner for the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators in 2023, and is a 2023 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions where she embarked on an expedition to Patagonia. In her free time she can be found exploring the great state of Idaho and beyond while camping, hiking, rafting, and visiting as many state and national parks as possible!
LIZ PRATT
Awards
Liz Pratt grew up just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. Exploring nature, as a child, was an adventure for her that sometimes involved dodging cacti and rattlesnakes. She earned a B.S. in Biology Composite Secondary Teaching, with a Zoology emphasis from Brigham Young University. After moving around from Arizona, Utah, California, and Texas, she and her husband, Dave, settled in the Treasure Valley 19 years ago and are proud to call Idaho “home”. Liz is a seventh grade Life Science teacher, Gifted and Talented Science teacher, and Science Department Chair at Star Middle School in the West Ada School District. Her teaching passion stems from a love of teenagers, nature, and exploring ecosystems around the world. Her students enjoy dissecting specimens, learning about birds, and sprouting seeds for their homes and school garden. When she is not teaching, she spends her free time birding, painting, and attending her three sons’ basketball and football games. Her summers consist of boating, paddle boarding, hiking, camping, and traveling. She loves learning and sharing others’ passion about nature and the world around them.
GABI REYES-ACOSTA
Partnerships
Gabi is a youth worker, outdoor educator, and an advocate who believes in the power of young people to make the world a better and more just place. A graduate of Saint Mary's College of California, Gabi spends as much time as possible recreating and adventuring in the outdoors. Her favorite place to explore is City of Rocks National Reserve in Alamo. Gabi began working with youth as a camp counselor for Girls Scouts of Northern California while she was in college, spending summers with girls as they learned about themselves and grew while taking positive risks in the outdoors. It was this work that spurred Gabi to make a career out of working with girls and gender expansive youth in the summer camp and outdoor education space, creating and supporting spaces for young people with marginalized identities to thrive in the safety of their communities. Gabi has worked in out of school time programming with organizations such as Girl Scouts and Girls Inc., creating curricula and experiences for young people to find themselves in nature and feel inspired to conserve the nature around them. Her goals are to connect young people and community members to these impactful experiences and to find joy in the outdoors. On the weekends Gabi can be found exploring the Sawtooths and soaking in every hot spring she can find in Southern Idaho where she calls home.
KAYLA WILCOX
NAAEE Liaison
Born and raised in Idaho, Kayla enjoys all the wonderful things Idaho has to offer: hiking the Boise Foothills, backpacking in the Sawtooths, whitewater rafting down the Payette, and more. You might spot her in Idaho's open spaces with her border collie, Cocoa, or with a bird ID book, trying her best as an amateur birder. Kayla earned her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Boise State University, and is currently working on her Master's in Conservation Biology through Miami University. She works at the Idaho Conservation League as the Development Communications Associate. Kayla is incredibly excited to join the board of the IdEEA and contribute to the growth of environmental knowledge in the next generation of Idahoans.
Member Benefits
ERIKA HOPKINS
Erika grew up in Mackay, Idaho, exploring the Salmon-Challis National Forest. Her dedication to environmental stewardship took root in 8th grade when she earned a scholarship from her local soil and water conservation district to attend a natural resources camp — an experience that led her to spend her teens and early twenties as a fisheries technician for the United States Forest Service, collecting field data on native trout populations. Erika holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition science with a minor in chemistry and a master's degree in education from Utah State University. She has taught chemistry, biology, and ecology at the high school level and most recently taught 6th grade gifted and talented students all subjects. Partnering with Trout Unlimited and Idaho Fish and Game, she gave students the chance to raise trout from eggs in the classroom. Watching students light up with curiosity and make personal connections to the natural world reinforces her belief in the difference environmental education can make for the health of our children and future of our planet.
MARY ANN REUTER
Member Benefits
Mary Ann Reuter is a retired marketing communications professional and nonprofit manager. She grew up in rural Wisconsin under the protective cover of a motherly oak tree and spent many unsupervised hours exploring fields, woods, and streams. Now with time to revisit the natural world again, she aspires to share her discoveries with other adults and seniors as her encore career. “I’m in the process of rewilding,” she says. With a background in behavioral health and journalism, Mary Ann integrates writing, drawing, and science into the nature journaling workshops she teaches as a community-based nature educator. She is passionate about the mental health benefits of nature connection and strives to promote ecosystem health and stewardship of place in her practice as well. She is excited to join the IdEEA board of like minded naturalists. Mary Ann is a member of the North American Association for Environmental Education, the National Association for Interpretation, and the National Audubon Society, as well as other local and national conservation organizations. A master naturalist, interpretive guide, phenology observer, bird nerd, and graduate of the Wild Wonder Foundation nature journaling educator program, she also writes a Substack blog called Noticing Nature as a Third Act. Visit her at https://maryannreuter.substack.com/
Member Benefits
JULIA SANDERSON
Julia Sanderson is an AmeriCorps Member serving with the Boise School District, where she supports environmental stewardship and educates our youth on sustainable practices. During her service years, she has led hands-on learning experiences, including composting programs, waste audits, pollinator projects, garden clubs, recycling initiatives, and climate education activities, engaging thousands of students in real-world environmental action. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and has experience teaching primary grades in public school settings. Passionate about permaculture and service learning, Julia specializes in translating ecological systems into accessible, creative classroom experiences that foster student leadership, environmental literacy, and community connection.
JENNY WOLF
Partnerships
Jenny works on climate change education and outreach at the City of Boise for the WaterShed Education Center. She supported the development of exhibits for the WaterShed Education Center, the nation’s first climate and water science center. Prior to joining the City of Boise, she spent seven years working as a backcountry guide and naturalist in Southeast Alaska. She holds a Master’s in Natural Resources from The University of Idaho. In 2023 she was chosen by the Idaho Environmental Education Association as Idaho’s Environmental Educator of the Year.
MEGAN GILLENWATER
Awards & Grants
Megan Gillenwater works as a Gifted and Talented Facilitator with West Ada School District, where she has taught students in grades Kindergarten through sixth grade. She holds a Master's degree in Education Leadership and a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. She is passionate about experiential and outdoor learning, incorporating exploration and hands-on adventures into her instructional practice. She believes strongly in connecting students with nature and the environment.
A lifelong Idaho resident, Megan draws inspiration from the state's natural landscape, including its national parks and mountain ranges. She is deeply committed to environmental appreciation. Her professional philosophy is informed by personal experiences exploring natural spaces. She enjoys a long walk on a sunny day to outdoor adventures with family and friends.
LILY WILSON
Social Media
Lilly Wilson is a second-year environmental science student at Boise State University, where her passion for nature and dedication to conservation are able to flourish. She dreams of becoming a botanist. Other than her work with the Idaho Environmental Education Association Board where she sits on the Communications Committee, Lilly works as the Youth Engagement Organizer at the Idaho Conservation League, leading the Youth Salmon Protectors. Lilly's love for the outdoors extends beyond activism, as she spends her free time painting wildflowers, embarking on hikes in the Sawtooths, and climbing trees near the Boise River.
