Dana Wu (吳淑如)she/her they/them

Dana (吳 淑 如) is a first generation Chinese-Vietnamese-Khmer American and eldest child of refugee parents who survived what some choose to call the "Vietnam War".They were born and raised on the ancestral homelands of the Tongva and Gabrielino tribes, in what modern-day settlers know as Los Angeles, CA.They are the first in their family to attend and graduate from college, with a Biology degree and Environmental Studies minor.As the Community Outreach Coordinator at the Seattle Aquarium, Dana works collaboratively with community partners to help connect historically oppressed peoples with their local beaches, watersheds, and marine ecosystems in a fun, safe, and reciprocal manner.

Christopher Criqui he/him

Criqui has always loved climbing trees. He chose his undergraduate university to attend based on the quality of its trees. After graduating, Criqui moved to Washington to see if he would enjoy a job working as an educator in public schools. HE DID. Ever since he has utilized the natural world to teach and learn with youth around the Pacific Northwest. Criqui draws inspiration from the radical queer communities and sparkly forests that surround him to question and challenge established teaching practices rooted in colonized ways of viewing the world.

Mónica de Resende Garcia de Mesquita she/her

Originally from Cascais, Portugal, Mónica grew up in a multicultural home where she began to develop her deep appreciation for multiple ways of knowing and being. During her second year of her Masters of Education program, Mónica’s queer identity led her desire to research and write a culminating Master’s paper on queer pedagogy and its implications on environmental education. As a former classroom teacher and current garden-based educator, Mónica is always looking for structured and unstructured ways to challenge normativity, to empower youth and develop her ability to offer culturally sustaining education.

Martha Harbinson they/them

Martha Harbison is an editor, journalist, and storyteller for National Audubon Society. They've birded for most of their life, but became serious about the hobby after they moved to New York City. They are "that person" at the party who dropsbird facts on anyone who will listen.

LIz Weinberg she/her

Liz Weinberg is a queer science nerd working to make the ocean and outdoors accessible to everyone. She is at work on a book of creative nonfiction about wilderness, climate change, queerness, and whiteness, and what all those things have to do with one another. By day, she serves as the social media coordinator, writer, and editor for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, where she works to tell stories about amazing underwater places and species all over the United States, and participates in Sanctuaries' Diversity & Inclusion Committee. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Washington and has published at The Toast, The Rumpus, Scuba Diver Life, and more.

Thumper Ormerod they/them

Thumper is a graduate student studying education through Western Washington University at the North Cascades Institute. They like to play RPGs with their friends and cohort members even when they ought to be studying. They like to sing, dance, make funny voices, and frolic in the woods on sunny days.

Connor Henzel he/him

Connor is an outdoor educator and guide. Traveling cross-country from season to season, he loves working with the National Park Service to inspire the next generation of hikers, backpackers, and stewards of the natural world. His adventures have taken him backpacking in Alaska and snorkeling in the Galapagos.

He currently works in Southern Utah, producing videos that highlight recreation opportunities for people with limited mobility in the National Parks. Over the last year, he has had the opportunity to bring together his gay identity and passion for the outdoors. He is coordinating the first attendance of the NPS, USFS, and the BLM at St. George Pride, and organizes a local LGBTQ outdoor adventure group.

Dr. Brian Forist he/him

Dr. Brian Forist is a lecturer and coordinator of the Outdoor Recreation, Parks, and Human Ecology program at Indiana University. He has worked in national parks and outdoor and environmental education settings for more than four decades. He holds a Ph.D. from Indiana University, M.S. from Antioch Universality New England, and B.S. from Huxley College of the Environment at Western Washington University. His area of expertise is in park interpretation. He is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion in parks and protected areas.

Katie Hecker she/her

Katie Hecker is currently the Outdoor Leadership Instructor and Shenandoah Outdoor and Adventure Recreation Coordinator at Shenandoah University.She is a past co-chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education and strives to create an inclusive environment in every aspect of her career.In her spare time, she enjoys paddling, woodworking, and hiking with friends.