Our Educators

The best in their field

Our staff of highly skilled field educators is key to the success of NatureBridge. Equipped with a wealth of experience, education, and training, our educators change lives by creating dynamic programs that foster connections in Olympic National Park.

Who are they?

Our field science educators have years of teaching experience in outdoor and environmental education programs and a contagious enthusiasm for exploring the natural world.

All of our educators have:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Wilderness First Responder certification
• Passion about teaching, youth, and the environment

Many of our educators:

• Have traveled or lived abroad, sometimes volunteering for organizations or studying foreign languages
• Have worked as national park rangers or as certified classroom teachers
• Currently serve as educators, musicians, photographers, philosophers, poets, birders, artists, athletes, and more

Educator Spotlight - Lindsay Cutting

“I love working at NatureBridge because I’m able to focus on the kids and what they want to learn. Student-centered learning allows them to be critical thinkers, ask questions, and truly make connections between different subjects that might seem very separate in an indoor classroom. Regardless of their area of study, students are able to make interconnections, which leads to more profound learning.”— Lindsay Cutting

Lindsay, a Palos Hills, Illinois, native, joined NatureBridge in 2011. Prior to NatureBridge, Lindsay was an eighth grade teacher in Illinois public schools. While teaching in a traditional classroom setting, Lindsay said it became easy to forget that there are other places - such as the outdoors - where education takes place. Lindsay’s desire to teach in an outdoor classroom led her to Camp McDowell Environmental Center in Alabama, where she honed her skills and learned exciting new ways to engage kids with the natural world. Since becoming part of the NatureBridge team, Lindsay said that she loves watching kids when they first arrive on campus, “Kids are always blown away by how wild it feels in Olympic National Park. It’s like walking into a fairy tale when you walk into the forest - it ignites your imagination.” Lindsay earned a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University with a double major in elementary education and anthropology.

“I really got to not only enjoy nature, but I got a better understanding of how it impacts everything. This week I saw more passion than I’ve seen in a while.  Everyone here loves being here, loves their jobs, and loves to teach." — Student, Ballard High School, Seattle, WA

“Without a doubt, [NatureBridge’s] teaching staff is central to the success of field science programs. They are a principal motivation behind participating teachers’ decisions to attend. Their content knowledge, passion, and creativity in working with children are outstanding.” — 2000 Stanford Evaluation, Final Report