Loading…
arrow_back View All Dates
Friday, November 13
 

7:15am EST

Registration + Coffee
Friday November 13, 2026 7:15am - 9:00am EST
Friday November 13, 2026 7:15am - 9:00am EST
Atrium 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

8:00am EST

Reforesting a Community: EE Success Through Community Events
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
For almost 20 years, the City of Frankfort Parks and Recreation Department has brought the community together for Reforest Frankfort, an annual event that allows participants to contribute to Frankfort’s tree canopy and experience hands-on environmental education. The success of this program stems from the department’s collaboration with community and government agencies to provide the community with local, relevant, and impactful environment engagement. Hear from Frankfort officials about how to implement a successful community-based environmental education program in the form of a community event. Participants will be given a guide for creating their own program in their community.
Speakers
avatar for Blair Hecker

Blair Hecker

Communications Manager, City of Frankfort
Blair Hecker is the Communications Manager for the City of Frankfort. She has served in local government for over 10 years. Blair holds an MPA in community development and is dedicated to seeing the community she works with thrive. When not communicating for the city, you can find... Read More →
avatar for Alex Cunningham

Alex Cunningham

Deputy Director, Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites, City of Frankfort
Alex Cunningham is the Deputy Director of the Frankfort Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites department. In her day to day, she supervises 8 areas of the department and also serves as the city's arborist. She is skilled in event planning and personnel management. Alex began her career... Read More →
avatar for Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall

Grants and Community Relations Manager, City of Frankfort
Rebecca Hall is the Grants and Community Relations Manager for the City of Frankfort. She has been with the City for almost 20 years and has brought in over $50 million dollars in grant funding. She has been recognized numerous times during her career for innovative projects and diligent... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
Bourbon Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

8:00am EST

Enchanting Environmental Education through Lord of the Rings
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
In this interactive session, participants will explore undergraduate students’ reflections from "The Ecology of Middle-earth," an honors seminar linking ecocritical readings of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, reflective writing, and outdoor service-learning. Presenters will share the course structure, key assignments, and student reflections illustrating how the class sought to help learners navigate eco-anxiety and environmental grief while fostering hope, agency, and environmental responsibility through engagement in fantasy literature and ecological restoration work. The session will highlight how students connected their time in “Faerie”—that is, Tolkien’s fantasy realms— to their experiences planting trees at a surface mine reclamation site in Eastern Kentucky and other service learning projects. Through reflective discussion and hands-on activities, participants will consider the possibilities and challenges involved in “enchanting” environmental education through fantasy storytelling traditions while exploring how these approaches might translate to their own educational settings and communities.
Speakers
avatar for Kenton Sena

Kenton Sena

Senior Lecturer, University of Kentucky
Dr. Kenton Sena is a Senior Lecturer in the Lewis Honors College, where he teaches HON 140 and Honors courses in ecology and the environment. He received recognition as one of the 2023 Great Teacher award winners from the University of Kentucky Alumni Association. He earned a B.A. in biology (with a minor in literature) from Asbury University, and an M.S. in forestry and a Ph.D. in integrated plant and soil sciences from the University of Kentucky. His research involves forest res... Read More →
avatar for Jill Abney

Jill Abney

Associate Director, Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, University of Kentucky
Dr. Jill Abney is the associate director of the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching where she directs CELT’s Teaching Innovation Institute and serves as the associate director of the UK-JHF Holocaust Education Initiative. She also teaches courses for UK’s department... Read More →
avatar for Madeline Aulisio Miller

Madeline Aulisio Miller

Senior Faculty/Instructional Consultant, Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, University of Kentucky
Dr. Madeline Aulisio Miller is a senior faculty/instructional consultant at CELT and previously earned her Doctor of Public Health in 2020 from UK’s College of Public Health with a research emphasis on health professions education. Prior to joining CELT, Dr. Aulisio Miller was an... Read More →
avatar for Laura Carter-Stone

Laura Carter-Stone

Senior Faculty/Instructional Consultant, Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, University of Kentucky
Dr. Laura Carter-Stone joined CELT after earning her PhD in Teaching, Learning, and Diversity from Vanderbilt University. As a Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities Environments Fellow during her time at Vanderbilt, she collaborated with interdisciplinary teams on a variety... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
Coldstream 4 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

8:00am EST

Returning to Our Roots: Why Accessing Nature Outdoors is Essential in Early Childhood Programs
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
Have you noticed changes in children’s behavior and wondered if less outdoor time plays a role? This session explores the link between limited outdoor experiences and indoor behavior, highlighting the benefits of daily outdoor play in natural environments with elements like sand, water, soil, and plants.
Speakers
avatar for Becky Slone

Becky Slone

ECE Quality TA Specialist and NPPAS Certified EC Outdoor Play Area Inspector, UK/HDI/Child Care Aware of Kentucky
Becky Slone has 40 years of experience in early childhood education, expanding her focus from indoor learning environments to safe, inclusive outdoor play areas through her work with Child Care Aware of KY as an Early Care and Education Quality TA Specialist. She is a certified Early... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
Coldstream 5 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

8:00am EST

Green by Design: Integrating Environmental Learning into Public Spaces and Curriculum
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
Explore how The Living Arts & Science Center (LASC) brings environmental education to life both inside and outside the building. This session highlights how LASC integrates sustainability and environmental awareness into its exhibit design, educational spaces, and outreach curriculum. Learn how exhibits serve as platforms for immersive learning. We’ll also share how these concepts extend beyond our walls through traveling programs, outdoor classrooms, and garden-based education.
Speakers
avatar for Callie Northern

Callie Northern

Education Director, The Living Arts & Science Center
Callie Northern is the Director of Education at The Living Arts & Science Center. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Arts with a minor in Art History from Eastern Kentucky University. Before joining LASC, Callie spent five years teaching preschool education. Since 2018, she... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 8:00am - 8:45am EST
Fayette Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

9:00am EST

Partnerships for Young People's Civic Engagement and Access to Nature
Friday November 13, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am EST
This presentation charts 35 years of lessons learned from research and practice about how to assemble coalitions that support young people’s connection to nature and participation in civic action. It begins with two projects for the Kentucky Oral History Commission which indicated that connecting to local nature and places in childhood can motivate lives of committed care for the environment. This insight raises the question: How can we create effective coalitions of researchers, local governments, schools, and community organizations to ensure that young people have access to local community resources, including nearby nature, as well as a role in their conservation and enhancement? It shares practical experiences gained through the international Growing Up in Cities Program of UNESCO, the Growing Up Boulder initiative in Colorado, and an informal alliance, KINship (Kids in Nature), that works to ensure equitable access to nature for all city residents.  
Speakers
avatar for Louise Chawla

Louise Chawla

Fellow, Community Engagement, Design and Research Center, Department of Environmental Design, University of Colorado Boulder
Louise Chawla is Professor Emerita of Environmental Design at the University of Colorado Boulder, an active Fellow in the university’s Community Engagement, Design and Research Center, and a member of the Boulder Youth Collaborative of Growing Up Boulder, a partnership among the... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am EST
Clark Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

10:00am EST

Activating the Choir to Build Capacity
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Options for how to do our work are nearly unlimited. Resources to do it aren’t. This presentation focuses on ways LFUCG’s Public Information and Engagement Section has engaged non-staff folks to further the reach of our efforts. By thoughtfully investing time and resources in small groups of allies, the Education and Community Teams have achieved long-lasting benefits that outweigh the direct costs.  Danny Woolums will discuss ways the Education Team empowers teachers to create and lead lessons on their own, primarily through the Teachers’ Environmental Academy but also through modeling lessons and classroom kits. Alana Insko-Kelley will share how the Community Environmental Academy has evolved to deeply engage interested residents in local government through outreach, advocacy and service. 
Speakers
avatar for Danny Woolums

Danny Woolums

Environmental Education Manager, LFUCG/KAEE
AI

Alana Insko-Kelley

Community Team Manager, LFUCG
Being in love with the arts her whole life led Alana Insko-Kelley to a career in Marketing, Graphics and Special Events for the past 31 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with graphics emphasis and a Minor in Photography from Eastern Kentucky University along with countless... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Bourbon Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

10:00am EST

Cleaning Water the Wild Way
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Learn about Clay Hill Memorial Forest and how it relies on natural processes to filter wastewater the wild way! Located in Campbellsville, Kentucky, Clay Hill Memorial Forest is a 300-acre property owned by Campbellsville University. The site includes facilities for environmental education, scientific research, and over 5 miles of trails that are open to the public. One of the most unique aspects of the site is the constructed wetland, which supports the wastewater filtration needs of the two main buildings as well as other water needs around the site. Join the Clay Hill Memorial Forest team for a discussion of the site as a whole, this unique wetland, the programming involving it, and how the wetland is used to educate and inform visitors about water management and the value of both constructed and natural wetland ecosystems.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. Kerri Adkins

Dr. Kerri Adkins

Undergraduate Chair (SOE) and Assistant Professor, Campbellsville University
Dr. Kerri Adkins currently serves as the Chair of the Undergraduate Program and as an Assistant Professor at Campbellsville University. Prior to these roles, she taught biology, chemistry, AP biology, AP chemistry, AP environmental science, forensic science, and physical science for... Read More →
avatar for Jana Wollesen

Jana Wollesen

Biology Instructor, Campbellsville University/Environmental Educator at Clay Hill Memorial Forest
Jana is an Instructor of Biology at Campbellsville University and the Environmental Educator at Clay Hill Memorial Forest. She received her MS in Biology from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville in 2023. She worked in outdoor education through the Oregon Museum of Science... Read More →
avatar for Novalee Hunt

Novalee Hunt

Undergraduate Environmental Assistant At Clay Hill, Campbellsville University/ Clay Hill Memorial Forest
Novalee is an undergraduate Environmental Education Assistant at Clay Hill Memorial Forest. She is also a student at Campbellsville University majoring in Elementary Education. She helps in the care of the animal ambassadors of CHMF including snakes, turtles, and salamanders. She... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Clark Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

10:00am EST

Clearer Skies Ahead: Making the Link Between Cars and Clean Air
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
With gas prices soaring, there’s never been a better time to train tomorrow’s drivers to make smart choices – choices that not only save fuel and money but protect the air we breathe. Join the Division for Air Quality’s Roberta Burnes for an experiential activity that will put fuel economy, carpooling, and riding the bus in perspective…literally!
Speakers
avatar for Roberta Burnes

Roberta Burnes

Environmental Scientist Advisor, Kentucky Division for Air Quality
You already have this from my other proposal.
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Coldstream 4 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

10:00am EST

Rooted in Belonging: Growing Inclusive Spaces for Gender-Diverse Learners
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Everyone deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported in learning spaces. Rooted in the understanding that both nature and identity are diverse and ever-evolving, this session explores how we can better include and uplift transgender and gender-diverse learners within environmental education. We’ll consider how identity, including gender, is a natural and essential part of who we are.
As we reflect on where our practices have been, we’ll also look ahead to how we can intentionally plant more inclusive, affirming approaches in our work. Whether you’re new to thinking about gender or already engaged in this work, this session offers space for learning, reflection, and growth. Participants will leave with practical strategies and tools, drawn from our AmeriCorps program, to help create environments where all learners feel a strong sense of belonging.
Speakers
avatar for Willa Dawn Bayne

Willa Dawn Bayne

Member Engagement Coordinator, The Kentucky Environmental Education Council- Environmental Education Leadership Corps (EELCorps)
Willa Dawn has served as the Member Engagement Coordinator for the Environmental Education Leadership Corps since September 2023. With over 15 years of experience across a variety of roles, her work has always centered around one guiding principle: service. Whether guiding AmeriCorps... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Coldstream 5 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

10:00am EST

Measuring Impact: How Do We Know We’re Saving the World?
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
As environmental educators, we are driven by a powerful sense of purpose. But how do you know your work is making a difference? And how do you communicate that funders, community members, and your team?
 
This workshop explores tracking impact, starting with the big question: why? We'll examine how evaluation practices help you stay mission-focused, engage funders, and share your story in a way that resonates. We'll share methods for gathering and synthesizing evidence, taking stock of data you are already collecting. Guided peer conversations and hands-on activities will strengthen your use of tools like logic models and strategic plans. 
 
Participants will leave with:
 
  • A stronger understanding of why and how to track mission-driven impact
  • Familiarity with multiple methods for measuring and communicating results
  • Hands-on experience with strategy and evaluation tools like logic models
  • Connections with peers navigating similar challenges
Speakers
avatar for Carolyn Waters

Carolyn Waters

Principal Consultant, Open Waters Consulting
Dr. Carolyn Waters has twenty years of experience in environmental education practice and research across the U.S. Southeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest. As Principal Consultant for Open Waters Consulting, she provides strategic services to organizations that connect people with... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am EST
Fayette Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

11:00am EST

Building Energy Literacy Across Generations
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Learn how the Bluegrass Greensource team designed engaging energy education programs for audiences from preschool through adulthood while fostering meaningful partnerships with community leaders and local officials.
This session highlights four components of community energy education: introducing energy concepts to preschool teachers, students, and families; expanding elementary student understanding of energy sources and energy types; reducing barriers to energy efficiency for low-income and underserved communities with energy efficiency workshops; and collaborating with community leaders, organizations, and agencies through the Central Kentucky Energy Forums program.


Speakers
avatar for Pattie Stivender

Pattie Stivender

Program Dirrector, Bluegrass Greensource
Founded to serve the communities of Central Kentucky, Bluegrass Greensource provides environmental education, resources, and outreach that inspire, equip, and empower residents with the knowledge and tools needed to help ensure clean, healthy, and enjoyable environments for future... Read More →
avatar for Rachel Skinner

Rachel Skinner

Outreach Director, Bluegrass Greensource
Founded to serve the communities of Central Kentucky, Bluegrass Greensource provides environmental education, resources, and outreach that inspire, equip, and empower residents with the knowledge and tools needed to help ensure clean, healthy, and enjoyable environments for future... Read More →
avatar for Gwen Hatcher

Gwen Hatcher

Environmental Educator, Bluegrass Greensource
Founded to serve the communities of Central Kentucky, Bluegrass Greensource provides environmental education, resources, and outreach that inspire, equip, and empower residents with the knowledge and tools needed to help ensure clean, healthy, and enjoyable environments for future... Read More →
avatar for Alli Johnson

Alli Johnson

Community Outreach Coordinator, Bluegrass Greensource
Founded to serve the communities of Central Kentucky, Bluegrass Greensource provides environmental education, resources, and outreach that inspire, equip, and empower residents with the knowledge and tools needed to help ensure clean, healthy, and enjoyable environments for future... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Bourbon Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

11:00am EST

Climate-Smart EE: Designing and Delivering Curriculum in a Time of Change
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
As Kentucky’s climate continues to change, environmental educators are increasingly challenged to adapt curriculum and program design to create learning experiences that are flexible, relevant, and responsive. This session will explore practical strategies for designing, refining, and delivering climate-smart environmental education (EE) curriculum that connects learners to real-world issues while remaining adaptable to the needs of local communities. Participants will explore ways to integrate local climate impacts, place-based learning, resilience, and creative learner engagement strategies into their programs.
Speakers
avatar for Katherine Bullock

Katherine Bullock

Extension Educator, University of Kentucky Dept of Forestry & Natural Resources Extension
Katherine serves as an Extension Educator at the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment in the Department of Forestry & Natural Resources. She and the soil and water quality extension team work to translate university research on soil... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Clark Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

11:00am EST

From Stakeholders to Stewards: Building a Superintendent’s Advisory Council to Drive District Sustainability
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Fayette County Public Schools is committed to building an ethos of social, economic, and ecological sustainability and regeneration by teaching our students, staff and families to understand themselves in an ecological context and to be aware of their relationship to our natural world.  To that end a 5-yr Sustainability Action Plan outlines goals in six priority areas: District Leadership, School Leadership, Facility & Campus Operations, Solid Waste, Instructional Alignment and Outdoor Learning.
But a Plan is only a plan until community ownership provides momentum and collective action.  To that end, FCPS launched a Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Sustainability (SACS) made up of six Working Groups.  Each Working Group is made up of representatives from each of the following stakeholder cohorts: student, parent, community partner, teacher, elected official, operations leader and district leader.  Informed and led by students’ lived experiences in our classrooms and on our campuses, each Working Group develops recommendations presented at an annual Student Sustainability Symposium.
Learn from FCPS’s mistakes and lessons-learned and apply a SACS framework replicable in district.




Speakers
avatar for Tresine Tatum Logsdon

Tresine Tatum Logsdon

Energy & Sustainability Coordinator, Fayette County Public Schools
Tresine Logsdon is the Energy & Sustainability Curriculum Specialist for Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS), where she drives student-driven sustainability innovation across the district. In this role, Tresine works closely with students, teachers, principals, community partners... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Coldstream 4 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

11:00am EST

The Practice and Benefits of Nature Journaling
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
This session will discuss ways to incorporate the practice of nature journaling into your daily life and highlight the benefits this can have on your mental and emotional health. The presenter will share how she has incorporated nature journaling in an online environmental education course and how this has impacted her students. During the session participants will have an opportunity to go outside and practice nature journaling themselves.
 
Speakers
avatar for Kim Yates

Kim Yates

Associate Professor, Northern Kentucky University
Kim Yates is an associate professor at Northern Kentucky University. She teaches in the College of Education with a focus on science methods for preservice teachers and environmental education. She also serves as Director for NKU's Center for Environmental Education. In her role as... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Fayette Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

11:00am EST

Win, Win . . . WIN: Leslie Knope-Worthy Partnerships
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Creating and maintaining a good partnership across organizations is deceptively difficult. Different goals, staff changes, scheduling limitations, budget stresses, organizational policies, poor communication, calendar conflicts, shifting priorities and any number of other factors can lead to partnerships falling flat - or worse. This session will use the ongoing and growing relationship between Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and Living Arts and Science Center as a case study for building a lasting, flexible partnership. The session will walk participants through a framework for establishing and maintaining effective organizational partnerships with examples and non-examples provided. 
Speakers
AP

Angela Poe

Program Manager Senior, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
Angela started her journey as an environmental educator in high school by volunteering at the Conservation District in Logan County Ohio where received certification in several of the national Projects while working closely with the Conservation District educator, Barbara Kuck. Angela... Read More →
avatar for Jeanette Tesmer

Jeanette Tesmer

Executive Director, Living Arts and Science Center
Jeanette Tesmer is the Executive Director of The Living Arts & Science Center. Jeanette holds a BS/BA in International Business from Rockhurst University Helzberg School of Management and an MA in Art History with a concentration in Museum Studies from the University of Kentucky and... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am EST
Coldstream 5 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

12:00pm EST

Exhibitor Spotlight
Friday November 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EST
Friday November 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EST
Atrium 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

12:00pm EST

First Time Attendee Networking
Friday November 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EST
Speakers
avatar for Perry Thomas

Perry Thomas

Program Director, KAEE
Perry Thomas joined the KAEE team as Program Director in 2024. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Dartmouth College and M.A. in Teaching and Ph.D. in Biology from Northern Arizona University. Perry has served as a formal educator at middle school, high school, and college levels as... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EST
Coldstream 4 Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

12:00pm EST

PEEC Reunion
Friday November 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EST
Friday November 13, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm EST
Bourbon Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

12:45pm EST

Luncheon | Planting Seeds for the Future
Friday November 13, 2026 12:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Speakers
avatar for Ashley Hoffman

Ashley Hoffman

Executive Director, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education / Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance
Ashley Hoffman has served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education since 2010. She holds a B.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida and a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 12:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Coldstream Gathering Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

1:45pm EST

Keynote Address | Silas House
Friday November 13, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Speakers
Friday November 13, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Coldstream Gathering Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511

2:45pm EST

Closing Remarks + Prize Drawings
Friday November 13, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm EST
Speakers
avatar for Ashley Hoffman

Ashley Hoffman

Executive Director, Kentucky Association for Environmental Education / Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance
Ashley Hoffman has served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education since 2010. She holds a B.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida and a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University... Read More →
Friday November 13, 2026 2:45pm - 3:15pm EST
Coldstream Gathering Room 1801 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511
 
Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.
Filtered by Date -