Environmental Education of New Mexico (EENM) Fellows are exploring the interconnectedness of access to the outdoors, outdoor and environmental learning, and social impact through systems change while learning, dreaming, growing, and being in community. EENM is a cross-sector network for those representing education, environmental justice, outdoor recreation, and conservation to advance daily equitable access to the outdoors and environmental learning for all New Mexico kids. This Fellowship was co-created in partnership with Vicki Pozzebon of Prospera Partners.
We brought on a second cohort of 19 Fellows in July 2021 to deepen collaborations for Every Kid, Every Day, Every Way: A multi-year shared vision and strategy to provide daily equitable access to the outdoors and environmental learning for all New Mexico kids. This shared vision and strategy, the first of its kind in the country, was developed from three years of community dialogues with over 200 individuals representing 90 organizations and with the support of our 2020 EENM Fellows.
The 2021 EENM Fellows are moving through a transformational leadership model and emergent process to grow their own leadership while exploring systems thinking and gaining skills in advocacy and messaging. Participants are exploring what it means to collaborate and have an opportunity to network and grow their own community of support.
We chose applicants based on the following criteria:
- Show a passion for connecting young people with the outdoors
- Demonstrate an openness and commitment to curiosity
- Have a desire to deepen relationships and broaden their peer network
- Reflect a spirit of innovation and taking risks
- Value intergenerational learning
Lived, work, and educational experiences are all valued, and Fellows are at a variety of career levels. Fellows advance outdoor and environmental learning in many forms, and they don’t include only those who self-identify as environmental educators.
In 2020, the first EENM Fellowship was established as a way of honoring and supporting the diversity of New Mexicans and ways we connect with the outdoors. Rather than individuals or singular organizations advocating for individual efforts, we support the Fellows in collective impact to support a shared systemic change agenda with measurable impact (Every Kid, Every Day, Every Way: A multi-year shared vision and strategy to provide daily equitable access to the outdoors and environmental learning for all New Mexico kids).
Read the Fellows’ bios to learn more about them here.
Shelby Bazan, Educator at the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP), Albuquerque
Samuel Villarreal Catanach, Director of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Tewa Language Department, Santa Fe
Tanya Cole, Gardener, Community Radio DJ, Program Assistant at the NM Local News Fund, Albuquerque
Heather Conyngham, Ph.D., Psychologist at New Mexico VA Healthcare System and Mind Research Network, Mother, Albuquerque
Jesus Godinez, School Garden Program Coordinator at La Semilla Food Center, Anthony
Morika Vorenberg Hensley, Director of Planning, Education, and Restoration for the Santa Fe Watershed Association, Santa Fe
LuAnn Kilday, Education Coordinator at the NM Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces
Andrew Lescht, 3rd / 4th grade teacher at the Santa Fe School for the Arts and Sciences, Santa Fe
Yvette Martinez, High School Science Teacher at the Santa Fe Indian School, Santa Fe
Florence Miera, LCSW, Clinical Social Worker for Federal Programs at Taos Municipal Schools, Homeless Liaison for the district, Taos
Lisa J. Myhre, Director of the Digital Arts and Technology Academy, Albuquerque
Hayley Pedrick, Teacher at the Bosque School, Albuquerque
Kate Porterfield, Administrator for the Wildcat Blooms Committee supporting the garden at Wilson Middle School, Albuquerque
Matthew Salas, High School Student at the Native American Community Academy, Zia Pueblo
Susan Schipull, Coordinator and Garden Elective Teacher for the Wildcat Blooms garden at Wilson Middle School, Albuquerque
Sebastiaan Stokhof De Jong, Biology and Environmental Science Teacher at the Native American Community Academy, Albuquerque
Bridget Tam, Marketing/Publication Specialist for the USDA Forest Service, Albuquerque
Zoe Wadkins, Education Manager at Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP), Albuquerque
About EENM: EENM believes access to daily environmental and outdoor learning is an issue of equity and justice, and are committed to the idea that all students deserve authentic, culturally relevant, and meaningful learning opportunities. To this end, we work with environmental education providers and those who advance environmental know-how in other forms, using a community-centered approach.
As an organization, we at EENM don’t just talk about equity, inclusion, and justice, we take action by prioritizing process over product and dismantling systems of oppression while building new ways of being focusing on shared leadership. Over the last four years, we have centered the people closest to the work (youth, educators, teachers, parents) and built relationships with unlikely allies in related fields like outdoor recreation, education, local food, conservation, and environmental justice. This was not simply hosting listening sessions or focus groups, but alternatively, EENM utilized an emergent strategy which led to the development of a new organizational structure, mission, vision, strategic direction, programming including a new Fellowship program, and a complete shift in how EENM operates. Over 200 individuals representing 90 groups were thought leaders that led the co-creation of Every Kid, Every Day, Every Way.
EENM’s Organizational Values: Within the leadership of our organization (Staff and Board of Directors) and our community, every voice is valued and respected. We celebrate differences. We support everyone to bring their whole selves and cultivate inclusive spaces for personal growth and lifelong learning.
This allows us to:
- take risks and innovate
- strategize and be intentional
- make fact-based and informed decisions
- be collaborative and impact-oriented.
Our work embraces meaningful change while honoring diverse cultures and remembering the histories of New Mexico. This will allow all of us to thrive in our ever-changing world while protecting our environment.
2020-2021 EENM Fellowship Information
Environmental Education of New Mexico began supporting 17 paid Fellows in 2020 to create a multi-year collective strategy for systemic change for New Mexico through a program that cultivates leadership, systems thinking, and a comprehensive vision and strategy. This multi-year strategy provides the pathway for systems change to provide equitable, daily access to the outdoors and environmental learning for every preK-12th grade student in school and their local communities. In January 2021, New Mexico has the first community-generated pathway for equitable daily access to the outdoors and environmental learning for all students in the country. This Fellowship was co-created in partnership with Vicki Pozzebon of Prospera Partners.
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