Lorrie Byrom
Lorrie Byrom is a life-long educator and learner. Born in Proctor, Vermont and raised in Middlebury/Pittsford, she was born into two family summer camp businesses, Camp Sangamon and Camp Betsey Cox, both in Pittsford. She majored in History at the College of Wooster in Ohio where she also completed a Masters’ Degree in Education. She taught first grade for two years in Coal Run, Pennsylvania before moving on to teach and administrate at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Mass. While working at NMH, she became the owner/Director of Camp Betsey Cox where she continues to this day. She has been a 4Winds volunteer at Neshobe and Lothrop schools in Central Vermont. She thrives in the out-of-doors and enjoys bringing the outdoors into the lives of children.
Joe Henderson
Dr. Joseph Henderson is currently a lecturer at the University of Vermont and formerly served as an Associate Professor at Paul Smith’s College. He completed a Ph.D. at the University of Rochester and is trained as an anthropologist of environmental and science education. His research investigates how sociocultural, political, and geographic factors influence teaching and learning about climate change and sustainability. He is a member of the National Academies’ Committee on Education for Thriving in a Changing Climate. A former middle school earth science teacher and environmental educator, he is also an elected member of the Saranac Lake Central School District’s Board of Education and serves on the board of John Brown Lives, a human rights and climate justice organization in the Adirondacks. In his free time, he likes to hike mountains, backcountry ski, and play video games. He lives in Saranac Lake, New York with his wife Tracey and their two children.
Kathleen Maslan
Throughout her career, Kathleen connected to environmental education in various ways in her professional life. Early on, she worked as a counselor at a summer camp for hearing impaired children, which exposed her to the importance of nature education. Kathleen graduated from Keene State with a degree in elementary education and taught at the Plainfield School in New Hampshire for 24 years. She has been an active part of the Four Winds program in the Cornish and Plainfield elementary schools, first as a parent volunteer when her children were young, later as a teacher welcoming the program into her classroom, and now as a community volunteer. She plans to continue to participate in sharing nature-based programs with children, teachers and volunteers.
Deb Parrella
One of the original founders of Four Winds in 2006, Deb has taught natural history to children and adults for more than 30 years. She led Nature Program workshops throughout Vermont, adding activities, skits and games to the program from her deep bag of teaching ideas. She was a co-author of Four Winds’ Nearby Nature curriculum and illustrator of scores of Four Winds puppets and teaching materials. In addition to being a naturalist-educator, Deb also served as Four Winds’ business manager for many years. Prior to 2006, Deb worked with the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and was a lead author of the second edition of Hands-On Nature. And at Shelburne Farms, she coordinated programs for K-6 students and their teachers. She is the author of the much beloved text, Project Seasons, a hands-on elementary science activity guide for teachers. Deb received her Master’s degree from Michigan State University and a B.A. at the University of Vermont.
Hilary (she/her) was born and raised in Florence, Vermont with an amazing view of the Green Mountains, a dirt road to wander down, and endless logging roads, forests, and streams to explore. Hilary attended Skidmore College where she majored in French before moving to Key West, Florida where she earned her Master’s degree in Montessori Education from Barry University. As an elementary educator for 12 years, Hilary has had many different teaching experiences in varied environments, from an island Montessori school to a public elementary school in Brooklyn, New York and then, finally, back home to a rural school in the hills of Vermont. While teaching Kindergarten in Chittenden, Vermont, Hilary was introduced to the Four Winds Nature Program and was so impressed with its curriculum and mission that she became a Nature Program volunteer at Richmond Elementary School. Hilary is honored to be a part of the Four Winds staff and board and to be able to work with and learn from educators and adults who are interested and excited about getting outside with kids!