Jessica holds a master’s degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and has a lifelong passion for playing in the woods. Jessica has 8 years of experience as a professional naturalist and educator, and a great love for the wildlife and lands of New England. She is the author of Exploring Natural Connections, a book of playful games and creative activities for involving young people in learning more about nature. Jessica can often be found bicycling around Cape Ann or standing out in the rain watching frogs and salamanders.
Tori has been working for Kestrel since 2006, first as a grant writing consultant and then as the Program/Development Coordinator. Tori has over three years experience working for start-up non-profit organizations. Tori's interest in the environment began in the woods behind her childhood home in Western Massachusetts. Tori crafts grants to help save wildlife including wolves, badgers and salamanders, among others. She has a B.A. in English from UMASS Amherst, and currently lives in Ipswich.
Amber is excited to teach again with Kestrel this Spring! Amber has worked as an environmental educator and community organizer for over 10 years. She has led nature programs with the Massachusetts Audubon Society, directed an elementary school gardening and nutrition program with Groundwork Somerville and facilitated several tropical ecology trips in Central America with high school youth. Also passionate about improvisational dance and movement, she hopes to create a dance piece about salamander migration.
Garry comes to us from the Department of Conservation and Recreation where he works as a coastal interpreter at Sandy Point State Reservation on Plum Island. Prior to joining Kestrel, Garry worked as an educator, naturalist and deckhand for The Gundalow Company based in Portsmouth, NH. He holds a master’s degree in environmental education and a bachelor’s degree in environmental journalism. When he’s not mucking around in vernal pools, Garry enjoys mucking around on long distance walking treks, usually through distant lands, in search of good food, good people and good places. So far none have proven quite so wonderful as home.
Shannon is attending Antioch University in the Masters of Education program to earn a certificate in Elementary Education. She has over 20 years of experience working with children in non-profit organizations, schools and summer camps. She has three children who love to visit the animals at Kestrel and have become expert amphibian migration monitors. She has taught gymnastics, coached cross-country, track and facilitated a school gardening project for her children’s school. In her rare alone time she is often gardening, biking, hiking, or creating art.
Jennifer is a self proclaimed "bird nerd" who enjoys chasing feathery creatures throughout Massachusetts, over oceans and across the globe.
Mary is a student of cultural anthropology, and has decided the study small kids on Cape Ann this season as a Kestrel volunteer. Mary has stuck with us for the whole season, volunteer co-instructing both field and classroom programs. She is especially talented at engaging small people in imaginative activities!