Each CEE-Change cohort begins with an intensive Leadership Institute designed to connect the goals of environmental education and civic education with the practical work of leading a Community Action Project. The 2023 and 2025 in-person components were held at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia; the 2021 Institute took place online. NAAEE describes the 2025 Institute as hybrid, with the international 2025 Fellows participating virtually.
CEE-Change is built on the premise that environmental learning and civic participation are stronger together. These speakers help Fellows understand the two fields, see where they overlap, and imagine how learners can move from understanding an issue to participating in decisions and action.
Explore speaker resources, below, sorted by theme.
Judy Braus
Executive Director, North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
At the Institute: Intro to Environmental Education (2023); Opening and Intro to EE & NAAEE (2025)
Judy leads NAAEE and has spent decades building networks, programs, and partnerships that strengthen environmental education. Her public work is a useful entry point for understanding both the field and the network supporting CEE-Change.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: 2023 Intro to Environmental Education with Judy Braus + Intro to Civic Education with Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg
- Listen: The World We Want: Earth Day 2025 with Judy Braus — A conversation about environmental education, hope, and action.
- Watch: Community Engagement and Conservation: Introducing Two Resources for Environmental Educators — Recorded webinar with Anne Umali, with slides and notes.
Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg
Newhouse Director, Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), Tufts University
At the Institute: Intro to Civic Education (2023); Intro to Civic Engagement (2025)
Kei’s research focuses on equitable civic learning and the pathways that help young people develop as informed, connected participants in public life. CIRCLE’s work is especially useful for Fellows trying to build civic learning into youth programs.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: 2023 Institute recording: Intro to Civic Education — Shared recording with Judy Braus’s opening session.
- Read / Watch: Educating for American Democracy: A Roadmap to Transform K–12 Civics — Includes a national forum featuring Kei and a framework for stronger civic learning.
- Read: CIRCLE and Arthur: Using Children’s Media to Promote Civic Education — A practical example of introducing civic skills to young learners.
- Listen / Read: CIRCLE and Civics in Illinois: A Partnership for Impact — The page links to an Education for Sustainable Democracy podcast episode with Kei.
Martha Monroe
Professor Emerita, University of Florida; past president of NAAEE
At the Institute: EE and CE, Connecting the Dots (2023, virtual)
Martha’s scholarship connects environmental education, climate change communication, hope, behavior, and community governance. Her public webinars offer a bridge between research and the choices educators make in practice.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: Civic Engagement for Climate Action — Webinar with Martha Monroe and Bora Simmons on climate action and civic engagement.
- Watch: A New Guide to Help You Assess Connection to Nature — Recorded NAAEE webinar with an assessment guide and slides.
- Explore: Martha Monroe’s University of Florida profile — Research and publications on environmental education and climate communication.
Danny Woolums and Jenna Cobb
Danny: Environmental Education Program Manager, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. Jenna: 2021 CEE-Change Fellow, listed as Jenna Hoover on the 2021 cohort page.
At the Institute: Danny: From Environmental Education to Civic Engagement; Danny + Jenna: Change-making: Identifying Impact, Opportunities, and Challenges (2023)
Both returned to CEE-Change as alumni practitioners. Danny’s project connected young people with the civic systems behind waste, water, transportation, and other city services; Jenna’s work connected environmental learning, spirituality, equity, and youth-led community action.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Read: Environmental Leadership Project Connecting Youth to Their Communities — Danny’s CEE-Change, Together reflection.
- Read: Adapting Formal Education Curriculum to Fit a Nonformal Setting — Jenna’s CEE-Change, Together reflection.
- Explore: Lexington environmental education programs — Current city context for Danny’s work.
Sarah Jennings and Vince Meldrum
Earth Force
At the Institute: Sarah: Civic Engagement and EE (2023). Vince: Earth Force: Young People Building Resilient Communities (2025).
Earth Force helps educators move from learning about environmental problems to youth-led civic action. Its approach is a strong example of how CEE-Change can translate into classroom, afterschool, and community programs.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Listen: Field Chats: Environmental Applied Civics Essentials — Earth Force podcast with short episodes for educators.
- Listen: Taking the Long View with Vince Meldrum — Education for Sustainable Democracy podcast.
- Explore: Environmental Action Civics: 2023 Educator Workshop — A concise description of how Earth Force frames student-led civic action.
- Explore: Earth Force — Programs, tools, and educator resources.
Climate change appears across many Fellows’ Community Action Projects, but the Institute treats it as more than a science topic. These speakers connect climate learning with resilience, participation, justice, and the capacity of communities to act together.
Shaun Martin
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) climate adaptation and resilience leader
At the Institute: Climate Change Education (2023); Building Community Resilience (2025)
Shaun’s work focuses on helping conservation practitioners and communities understand climate risk, adapt to change, and use nature-based approaches to build resilience.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: Learning to Live with Climate Change: What Educators Need to Know — Recorded NAAEE webinar.
- Listen: America Adapts: Adapting Conservation to Climate Change at WWF — Long-form discussion of adaptation and conservation.
- Learn: WWF Adapt — Free short courses on climate adaptation basics.
- Explore: Shaun Martin’s WWF profile — Current WWF background and work.
Bora Simmons
Director, National Project for Excellence in Environmental Education
At the Institute: Civic Engagement for Climate Action (2023); Introducing the Community Engagement Guidelines (2025)
Bora leads NAAEE’s Guidelines for Excellence work. Her sessions connect climate action with high-quality community engagement rather than treating participation as an afterthought.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: Introducing NAAEE’s Guidelines for Excellence in Community Engagement — Recorded NAAEE webinar.
- Watch: Fostering Collaborations and Engaging Communities Using NAAEE’s Guidelines for Excellence — Recorded webinar with Anne Umali.
- Watch / Explore: Civic Engagement for Climate Action — Webinar with Martha Monroe.
- Read: Guidelines for Excellence series — Includes Community Engagement and Educating for Climate Action and Justice.
Kim Noble
Senior Advisor for Environmental Education, U.S. EPA (2023 agenda attribution)
At the Institute: Evening keynote (2023)
Kim’s public work has connected environmental education, public engagement, climate action, environmental justice, and federal support for education. Her exact 2023 Institute keynote does not appear to be publicly posted.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Read: Kim Noble — 2022 NAAEE Conference keynote bio — Useful background on her EPA and environmental-justice work.
- Watch / Read: Climate Action Heroes: Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Innovators — American Alliance of Museums article with an on-demand roundtable featuring Kim.
- Read: Educating for Climate Action and Justice: Guidelines for Excellence — Kim contributed to the Guidelines writing team; see the climate-action resource in the series.
A Community Action Project can have a strong idea and still fail if people do not trust the process, see themselves in the work, or feel that their knowledge matters. These sessions ask Fellows to think about the relationships and systems underneath environmental work.
Leander Lacy
Founder and CEO, Lacy Consulting Services
At the Institute: Incorporating Equity in Conservation Planning (2023); Trust Ecology (2025)
Leander is an environmental social scientist whose work examines the human relationships that shape conservation outcomes. He uses research, facilitation, and what he calls “trust ecology” to help organizations work more effectively with communities.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Listen: The Green Mind podcast — Leander hosts conversations at the intersection of people, nature, and conservation.
- Listen: All Things Sustainable: Leander Lacy on relationships with people and nature — A conversation about social relationships in sustainability work.
- Explore: Lacy Consulting Services — Current work on trust, social science, and conservation.
José González
Founder, Latino Outdoors; educator, illustrator, and equity leader
At the Institute: Wayfinding for Systemic Change; Heart Like a River: Justice-Oriented Wayfinding (2023)
José founded Latino Outdoors to build community, culture, and belonging in the outdoors. His work invites environmental leaders to think beyond “access” toward identity, culture, representation, and the systems that determine who feels welcome and powerful in outdoor spaces.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: Yo Cuento: A Cultural Wayfinding Story — José’s story of founding Latino Outdoors and cultural wayfinding.
- Listen: A Sustainable Mind: People of Color in the Outdoor Community with José González — Long-form interview on representation and the outdoors.
- Explore: Latino Outdoors — Our People — Current organizational context and José’s founder role.
Leadership is not only about having a good idea. It is about helping people work together, managing tension, communicating with purpose, and staying well enough to keep showing up. The 2025 Institute made those human skills explicit.
Daryn Cambridge
Training Resources Group (2025 agenda); educator, facilitator, and peacebuilding practitioner
At the Institute: What Makes a Community Leader?; evening keynote (2025)
Daryn’s work spans civic education, community organizing, peacebuilding, and nonviolent action. His public resources are useful for Fellows thinking about how values, relationships, and power shape community leadership.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Listen: Conceptually Speaking: Daryn Cambridge Talks Love, Non-Violence, and Social Justice — A conversation about education, justice, and nonviolence.
- Watch: Working with Communities to Make a Difference — Recorded NAAEE webinar featuring Daryn on community leadership and engagement.
- Watch: Resisting Oppression Through Nonviolence — Panel webinar on nonviolent action and conflict transformation.
Anne Umali
NAAEE Director of Leadership, Conservation, and International Programs; 2025 agenda lists Human Nature
At the Institute: Facilitation for Community Engagement (2025)
Anne designs and facilitates leadership and community-engagement learning. Her public NAAEE webinars connect facilitation to community engagement, emotional intelligence, conservation, and collaboration.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: Fostering Collaborations and Engaging Communities Using NAAEE’s Guidelines for Excellence — Recorded webinar with Bora Simmons.
- Watch: Community Engagement and Conservation: Introducing Two Resources for Environmental Educators — Recorded webinar with Judy Braus, plus slides and notes.
- Watch: Beyond the Hype: Emotional Intelligence for Environmental Educators — Recorded NAAEE webinar on emotional intelligence in EE.
Dr. Vik Mohan
Family doctor, coach, and wellbeing practitioner; former Blue Ventures community-health leader
At the Institute: Staying Well in Uncertain Times: Wellbeing Hacks for the CEE-Change Fellows (2025)
Vik connects conservation and community work with the physical and mental wellbeing of the people doing it. His resources are especially useful for Fellows trying to make long-term work sustainable rather than treating burnout as a personal failure.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Listen: The World We Want: Exploring the Healthy Heart of Environmental Education with Dr. Vik Mohan — NAAEE podcast episode.
- Watch: Building Resilience: Strategies for Personal Well-Being — Recorded NAAEE webinar with practical wellbeing strategies.
- Watch: How Listening to Communities Can Help Save Our Oceans — TEDx talk linked through Blue Ventures.
Good work does not speak for itself. Fellows need to know who they are trying to reach, what that audience cares about, what story will make the work memorable, and when creativity can open a door that facts alone do not.
Dennis Poplin
Spitfire Strategies communications trainer and strategist
At the Institute: Communication Strategies: Selecting Your Audience and How to Reach Them (2023)
Dennis has spent decades training mission-driven organizations in strategic communication, presentations, facilitation, and storytelling. His recorded NAAEE webinar closely complements the Institute session.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Watch: Presentations for Impact — Recorded NAAEE webinar with a presentation-planner template.
- Read: Communication Is Power. Use It Well. — Spitfire’s introduction to Smart Chart 4.0.
- Try: Spitfire Smart Chart training and planning resources — A strategy-first approach to communications planning.
Evaluation is not only a final report. Done well, it is a way to make assumptions visible, learn while a project is happening, hear from the people affected by the work, and make better decisions. Both recent Institutes closed with Esther Cowles inviting Fellows to find the “joy” in that learning process.
Esther Cowles
Fernwood Consulting LLC
At the Institute: Finding Joy in Evaluation (2023); Introducing Program Evaluation and Finding Joy in Evaluation! (2025)
Esther is an evaluator and environmental-education leader whose approach emphasizes participation, curiosity, learning, and practical use of evidence. NAAEE’s eeVAL platform gives Fellows a larger set of tools to continue the work after the Institute.
LISTEN, WATCH, READ, AND TRY
- Explore: eeVAL — NAAEE’s hub for evaluation planning, methods, and practical tools.
- Read: eeVAL contributors: Esther Cowles — Esther’s short description of what she values about evaluation.
- Explore: Esther Cowles — NAAEE profile — Background and environmental-education experience.
- Read: eeWORKS — Research syntheses that can help Fellows connect program design with evidence from the field.
While you explore
- Which Institute idea has stayed with you?
- Where do you see that idea in your community?
- What perspective would help you understand it more fully?
The Institute is a starting point. These resources can support a Fellow at any stage of a Community Action Project—from defining the problem and building relationships to communicating, evaluating, and sharing what happened.
From NAAEE
- The World We Want: The NAAEE Podcast — including episodes with Institute speakers Judy Braus, Esteban Gast, and Vik Mohan
- eeWEBINARS — a large archive of recorded professional learning
- Guidelines for Excellence — including Community Engagement and Educating for Climate Action and Justice
- eeWORKS — evidence on environmental-education outcomes
- eeVAL — practical evaluation planning and methods
Join an eePRO community
Research on environmental education and civic engagement
- Read: A systematic mixed studies review of civic engagement outcomes in environmental education — A useful research bridge between the two fields at the heart of CEE-Change.
Tools from Institute speakers
- Spitfire Smart Chart — strategy-first communications planning
- WWF Adapt — free climate-adaptation learning
- Field Chats — short Earth Force podcast episodes on environmental applied civics
- CIRCLE civic-learning resources — research and frameworks for equitable civic learning
- NAAEE Community Engagement Guidelines — principles for working with communities rather than simply delivering programs to them
Share a Resource
This Learning Hub should grow with the CEE-Change community. Fellows, speakers, alumni, partners, and NAAEE staff can suggest additions or corrections.
What to send
- Your name, cohort year (if applicable), and organization.
- The resource title and public link.
- One or two sentences explaining what it covers and why it would help Fellows.
- The page or theme where it belongs.
- For photos or slides: confirmation that NAAEE has permission to publish them online, plus image credit and alt text if available.
Send it to NAAEE
Email info@naaee.org with the subject line “CEE-Change Learning Hub resource.”
Pause. Reflect. Take a next step.
Use these activities on your own or as a starting point for a peer conversation.
Reflection: notice a shift
Write a few sentences in a notebook or your preferred accessible format. You can keep your reflection private.
- Describe one idea that challenged an assumption.
- What experience shaped your original view?
- What might you do differently now?
Take action!
Choose one part of your work that would benefit from a fresh perspective.
- Name the change you hope to support and who it matters to.
- Identify whose experience is missing from your current understanding.
- Plan one respectful conversation or listening opportunity.
- Choose a manageable action and a way to gather feedback.
- Set a time to reflect on what you learned and what needs to change.