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/Grants
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/Membership
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/Grants
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.
Secretary/ 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!
ERICA HERMSEN
Membership
Erica grew up riding horses in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains outside of Seattle, WA. Her love of nature and animals led her to pursue a B.A in Environmental Education from Western Washington University and an M.S in Conservation Biology from Antioch University New England. Erica worked as an educator for Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo before spending nearly a year conducting cheetah conservation research in Kenya. Her work as an educator and conservationist culminated with the launch of EverWild Forest School in Boise, ID in late 2020. By providing critical education and nature connection opportunities to her community’s youngest residents, Erica hopes to help develop the next generation of engaged global citizens.
Programs
AUGIE GABRIELLI
Augie is a Water Education Coordinator at the WaterShed Environmental Education Center. He is committed to delivering and developing environmental education programs in Idaho. He has a BS in Environmental Science and an MS in Natural Resources from the University of Idaho. Prior to working at the WaterShed, Augie worked for the Boise School District, did water quality research in South America, attended the McCall Outdoor Science School as a graduate student, and served as an AmeriCorps member for the City of Boise. He was born and raised in Idaho and loves skiing, golfing, hiking, and hanging with his dog, Tessa.
CHRIS TAYLOR
Awards/Grants
Chris Taylor has been in education as either a teacher, principal or district administrator for the last 25 years. He has taught all grade levels from 2nd - 9th grade, taught as adjunct faculty at Boise State University, and served as the science, sustainability, and computer science curriculum supervisor for the Boise School District. He has been an active board member of many organizations, such as the Idaho Science Teachers Association, Boise City Club, and Idaho State Museum. He was an integral member of the state committee that wrote and passed the new state science standards, and has worked with both in service and preservice teachers throughout the state helping them implement phenomenon based inquiry in science. Chris has also worked with many community partners throughout the Northwest to help students in the Boise School District be actively involved in topics such as climate change, civility, and sustainability. He has a master’s in Educational Administration, recently completed his Educational Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership at Boise State University, and has completed his doctorate in education. He hopes to continue to help all districts in the state of Idaho effectively implement the new Idaho State Science Standards and bring more STEM opportunities in their K-12 classrooms.
George retired after a career in academic medicine. He has lived in Northern Idaho for 2.5 years, and has been supportive of conservation efforts, and nonprofits. He
organized the City Nature Challenge in Bonner County, Idaho in 2021 and 2022, and then created the Northern Rocky Mountain Biodiversity Challenge (NRMBC) in 2022 that encompasses the Yellowstone to Yukon ecoregion. The NRMBC was created to connect people at the landscape level to raise awareness of biodiversity.
GEORGE GEHRIG
North Idaho Regional Director/Membership
BECKY FEEKES
Grants
Becky Feekes is the Secondary Science Academic Coach for the West Ada School District. She previously spent 16 years teaching high school science and now works with science teachers to help move science education forward in the Treasure Valley. She holds a BS in Biology and Masters degrees in Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership. Becky is married to a veteran of the Air Force and has two step daughters, one son, and two granddaughters. Her family has been in Idaho for six generations which has helped foster her deep love for the state and all of its wild places.
TRICIA GALER
South Idaho Regional Director/Newsletter
Tricia Galer wonders frequently if there’s ever a better day than one spent outdoors. Exploring the woods and creeks of southern Ohio was a serious childhood undertaking and one that kindled a lifelong curiosity about the natural world. Tricia strives to invite her fourth grade students to also cultivate wonder by creating outdoor experiences and solving environmental problems using place based solutions. Tricia has taught students from kindergarten to university during her career, but finds her current work in a self-contained gifted and talented classroom her most rewarding. Discovering the history, geography, and science of the wild state of Idaho with her students has illuminated the intersections of the human and natural world. Tricia loves spending time with her family, reading, hiking, traveling, and making connections with a diversity of people who lend interest and understanding to the human experience.
NORA PAECH
Awards/Grants
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.
Programs
TERRY RICH
Terry has a BS in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MS in Zoology from Idaho State University, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Public Policy from Boise State University. Terry worked for the Bureau of Land Management for 20 years and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for 15 years. He coordinated the international bird conservation partnership, Partners in Flight, from 2000 to 2014. Terry currently writes a weekly column on birds for the Idaho Press, and has given a monthly program on birds at the Foothills Learning Center for the past six years. Hopefully, these in-person programs will resume soon. Terry is an Honorary Life-time Member of the American Ornithological Society. He and his wife, kids, and grandkids all live in the Treasure Valley.
JAMIE BRUNMEIER
Programs
Jamie Brunmeier is an Idaho native that grew up riding horses in 4-H and rodeo. She married her high school sweetheart who, like her, loves being outside. She has three kids and spends her free time helping them with their 4-H & FFA projects; attending their sporting events; traveling; and keeping up with their small farm. Jamie earned her undergraduate in Education from Boise State University, and her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Northwest Nazarene University. She spent her career teaching science in the Vallivue School District, Thomas Jefferson Charter School, and College of Western Idaho. She is currently teaching science, ornithology, and photography at Vallivue Middle school. She is a big believer in bringing the outside into her classroom or taking her classroom outside. Her classes are part of the Idaho Bird by Bird and the Trout in the Classroom programs. She also teaches science and digital photography to online students at Idaho Digital Learning Alliance. She was the recipient of the IdEEA Educator of the Year award in 2021.
LIZ PRATT
Membership
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.
CHRISSY HOEFGEN
Programs
Chrissy currently serves as the Education Outreach Coordinator for the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute in Moscow, Idaho. She is passionate about environmental education and is actively furthering her expertise by pursuing a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction at the University of Idaho. She is studying the powerful connection between place, inquiry-based science education, and civic engagement. Prior to her current role, Chrissy has worked in experiential education and agriculture-related endeavors in Northwestern Washington. Additionally, she holds Idaho board certifications in all subjects K-8 and in K-12 Literacy & ESL. Beyond her professional pursuits, Chrissy enjoys learning, exploring nature, and being creative. Whether she's diving into schoolwork, experimenting in the kitchen, or tackling a new artistic project, she thrives on challenges and embraces new experiences. When she's not working or learning, you'll likely find her exploring the mountains through backpacking, cross-country skiing, or biking.
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.
GABI REYES-ACOSTA
Programs
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.
