Mercer Slough
Environmental Education Center Staff
Kirsten grew up in Atlanta, and then went
to school in New Orleans, where she received a B.A. in
Anthropology from Loyola University. After college, she
explored the southwest a bit and then moved to Seattle,
where she has been working at the Pacific Science Center
for about four years. She has taught summer camps,
after-school workshops, birthday parties, planetarium
shows, and live science demonstrations, and is very excited
to be fulfilling her dreams of being an environmental
educator at the Mercer Slough. When she is not teaching,
she enjoys hiking, knitting, painting, reading, and
exploring the wonders of the Pacific Northwest.
Justine is a more recent resident of Seattle. She moved from San Luis Obispo, California. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with majors in Forestry and Earth Science and a minor in Geology. She loves being outside, exploring, looking at rocks, looking under rocks, mucking in ponds, lakes, and rivers and sharing these things with others. When stuck inside she enjoys coffee, chess, reading about dinosaurs and practicing martial arts.
Julie moved to Seattle in 2006 from Corvallis, Oregon, where she graduated from Oregon State University with a major in Ecology and a minor in Natural Resource and Environmental Law and Policy. She discovered through her University Honors College thesis that she enjoyed teaching others about her invasive wetland plants research far more than the research itself. Julie grew up on Air Force Bases around the U.S. and Asia and feels blessed to finally be able to settle in the beautiful Northwest. When Julie is not teaching, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, reading, discussing politics, walking her beloved Black Lab, snowboarding, and ballroom dancing, particularly swing dancing.
Sarah has been working in environmental science for the last seven years. She started working as a lab assistant for a biologist while in college. Here she also became president for the environmental club and pioneered the set up of a new arboretum on campus. During the summer, she worked as an intern for NOAA and the US Forest Service, working her way to a paid position leading nature hikes in Montana. Sarah fell in love with the reward of teaching people about nature, which lead her to Alaska to do naturalist guiding. While guiding, Sarah got the title of plant specialist, always providing people with interesting stories about ethnobotony. Sarah now enjoys teaching kids about all the natural wonders of our environment around us and seeing the children get excited about learning more.
After graduating with a Masters in Secondary Education from Western Washington University, Brad found that nature was his preferred classroom. He spent five years on Orcas Island in the San Juans, teaching environmental education at YMCA Camp Orkila, and directing Moran State Park's Moran Outdoor School program. When not teaching environmental education, he was a sea kayak guide. Moving to Seattle, Brad worked for Discovery Park's Nature Day Camp program, before coming to the Slough. His current dream is to spot one of the elusive local coyotes. Brad loves to get out for an occasional paddle, and to explore new trails. If you have any local favorites, let him know!
After graduating from Boston University with a degree in Environmental Science, Apryl made the cross country journey to Seattle and has never looked back. The way she sees it - where else can you drive down the street and suddenly be awestruck by the sight of Mount Rainier floating above the horizon. Apryl worked as an organic chemist before returning to her first love - teaching children. She worked at the Bellevue YMCA for numerous years as the Day Camp Director and Supervisor of the Childcare Program. She was so thrilled when she discovered one could actually work at the Mercer Slough Nature Park. She enjoys learning about wetlands and dragonfly nymphs and she's always trying to spot a beaver while canoeing at the Slough.