Alex is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire with a B.S in Environmental Conservation & Sustainability. He enjoys backpacking, studying plants, and birdwatching. During the summer, Alex works as a Summit Steward protecting the rare alpine plant species in the Adirondacks. Working with all the other educators at the Ashokan center Alex hopes that through education he can inspire the next generation of stewards.

I grew up in the Pelham Parkway section of the Bronx. It was a great neighborhood at the time, a place where I felt safe to be outside all day using my imagination until I had to come inside. My imagination had no limits, but I was limited in the spaces I could exercise my body and mind. We weren’t really allowed to walk on the grass or touch the trees in the projects. If you got caught, you ran the risk of my mother getting a summons from the Housing Police. Fortunately for me there were places that I could go to connect with nature and have experiences in the outdoors. My relationship with nature has only deepened over time along with an understanding of the true value of access. I made my first trip to the Ashokan Center in 1997, as a teacher. We brought our 6th grade students from Monhagen Middle School in the Middletown City School District. Most kids had never been away from home before, let alone for four nights with their teachers. For the students, and for the staff that had the opportunity to accompany them, the trip always created an indelible memory regardless of meteorological season. For many students, a visit to the Ashokan Center was part grade level right of passage and part family multi-generational legacy trip, with whole families sharing experiences about the wiggly bridge, weighing their food waste or making a fire poker. What is not communicated in the tales but inextricably woven through them, is the sense of empowerment, community, and connectivity felt by those who have had the chance to come to this very special place. This past June, I joined the Ashokan Center after completing a career in education that numbered 27 years, my last two as school superintendent. I am proud to be working with schools to create experiences for their students. I intend to continue to collaborate on removing barriers to access so that opportunities for creating community and inspiration in nature abound. I look forward to working with you.

Bill is a school teacher, a paramedic, a wilderness skills instructor, and certified instructor of numerous medical certificate courses. He coordinates with school personnel before and during Ashokan School Field trips to help ensure students’ well-being and safety on campus.

Chris has a deep appreciation for the natural world and takes pride in his ability to inspire young minds to foster an enduring connection with it. Chris has experience teaching in a variety of outdoor settings and specializes in wildlife and ecosystem sciences.

Clara is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, with a Bachelors of Science in Conservation Biology focus in Environmental Education. She began teaching as a camp counselor early on, where she discovered her passion for education and connecting people to the outdoors. In the future she looks to complete a Masters of Science in Clinical Psychology to become a Nature Therapist.

Del was born in Ithaca, NY and grew up in New England and now lives in the Woodstock area. He received his graduate degree in sustainability and land planning at the Conway School in Massachusetts and holds an undergraduate degree in science and mathematics. For 12 years he has worked as a consultant for landscape architects, wetland scientist, engineers in NY and CT with a focus on mitigation, restoration, and storm-water management. Del is a licensed New York State D.E.C. Outdoor Guide as well. He has been teaching as an on-call instructor here at the Ashokan Center since 2015. He shares his love for the natural world with everyone he meets. His deep sensitivity and commitment to sustainability and the health of both the environment and the community add an integral aspect to our teaching staff.

Dennis is from Ridge, New York, a hamlet on Long Island. He grew up with seven brothers and a love for sports and the outdoors. His enjoyment of math and science inspired him to attend SUNY-ESF where he earned a B.S. in Wildlife Science while producing his thesis on Piping Plover ecology and management in New Jersey. He has worked at a number of wildlife refuges and conservancies protecting wildlife while educating visitors. Just before joining the Ashokan Center team, Dennis worked as a shorebird technician in Massachusetts. He is passionate about wildlife and nature and finds it very rewarding to inspire that enthusiasm in others.

Emily graduated from Stony Brook University with a B.S. in Environmental Biology. Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, she has always felt at peace in nature. After joining the Ashokan Center in 2022, Emily quickly fell in love with being an outdoor educator. Her personal teaching philosophy is to meet students where they are at, regardless of their backgrounds. In her spare time she enjoys encountering wildlife, discovering new music, blacksmithing, and napping in hammocks.

Hailey grew up in the Hudson Valley and lived in Stone Ridge, NY for most of her life. She attended the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse NY and earned a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Biology. While there she educated students as a teaching assistant for general biology lab and as a tutor for biology. After graduation she went on to work on the detection and tracking the of this emerald ash borer with different state organizations like the NYS DEC and NYS DAM. She loves working at the Ashokan Center and is passionate about environmental education!

James graduated with a B.S. in environmental science from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and is currently working on his masters in education at SUNY New Paltz. He enjoys spending time outside, hiking, running, and rock climbing in the Mohonk, Catskills, and Adirondack mountains. He loves the opportunity to share his passion for the outdoors with students and families during education field trips and the various public events.

Patty is a seasoned educator, outdoor enthusiast, practicing artist and a yoga instructor. Having taught art for 20 years at Saugerties High School, upon retirement she returned to the place where she first experienced teaching as a summer educator; the Ashokan Center. Patty digs deep with her students, encouraging them to learn by using their senses, asking questions and to "discover" the many lessons nature has to offer. Patty is as eclectic in her downtime as she is in her professional life, hiking, mountain biking, creating art, teaching yoga, stacking bluestone or walking her dog Skeeter on the Ashokan Rail Trail.

Rose has always felt most at home whilst submerged in nature. She started working in Environmental Education while studying Geosciences at the University at Buffalo. She began by teaching students about renewable energy and how to build solar vehicles while working with New Yorkers for Clean Power. She has also worked as a Naturalist with the Appalachian Mountain Club and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Nowadays, Rose enjoys exploring waterfalls, researching botany and hiking as much of the Catskills as possible.

Tom is an Ulster County native who has spent a lifetime exploring the Catskills with a particular love for the Ashokan Reservoir watershed. Graduating from SUNY ESF with a degree in Forest Biology, he worked many years in the Bureau of Wildlife with the New York State DEC. He is honored to have the opportunity to share his love of the outdoors and the natural world with today's youth.