Our Vision
ANROE envisions a world in which…
- Alaskans of all ages are environmentally literate, lifelong learners who embrace cultural diversity and ecological principles to sustain Earth and all life forces.
- Individuals are linked with the tools to facilitate community-based environmental education programs and investigations of environmental issues.
- Alaskans view environmental education not as a subject area, but as a community-based, hierarchical process of developing six elements: awareness, appreciation, attitudes, ecological understanding, skills, and active stewardship.
- Educators, resources and organizations are linked in a way that builds trust and acknowledges diverse perspectives.
History
In 1984, a group of passionate environmental educators gathered after an Alaska Environmental Assembly meeting in Anchorage. They quickly recognized the need to organize to provide effective environmental education in Alaska.
The founding members developed by-laws and filed for incorporation as a nonprofit organization in 1985 and received approval from the State of Alaska in 1986. ANROE provided the first, and continues to be the only, organized statewide linkage between Alaska natural resource agencies and organizations developing education programs and materials and the teachers and “nonformal” educators who deliver the programs. In 1992, ANROE became the official state affiliate of the North American Association of Environmental Educators.
In 1998, ANROE received 501-c-3 nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service. The organization has had paid staff over the years, with the support of capacity-building grants. However, ANROE is primarily run by volunteers. Currently, ANROE is led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors and by committed members of the organization.
Board of Directors
ANROE is led by a board of directors, elected for 3-year terms. During the school year, monthly meetings are held via teleconference. One face-to-face meeting is held each year, usually in the fall.
Board members represent a broad range of professional and educational institutions and interests and provide ANROE with policy direction and guidance. Each board member serves on at least one committee. Committees are: Executive, Networking, Curriculum, Membership, and Training.
Board members support the organization’s mission “To promote & implement excellence in natural resource, outdoor and environmental education for all Alaskans.”
The founding members developed by-laws and filed for incorporation as a nonprofit organization in 1985 and received approval from the State of Alaska in 1986. ANROE provided the first, and continues to be the only, organized statewide linkage between Alaska natural resource agencies and organizations developing education programs and materials and the teachers and “nonformal” educators who deliver the programs. In 1992, ANROE became the official state affiliate of the North American Association of Environmental Educators.
In 1998, ANROE received 501-c-3 nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service. The organization has had paid staff over the years, with the support of capacity-building grants. However, ANROE is primarily run by volunteers. Currently, ANROE is led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors and by committed members of the organization.
Meredith Gutierrez - Board President
Meredith grew up in southern Washington State and slowly and continually moved farther North over her adult life. After receiving a BA from University of Washington Seattle in Technical Theater, Meredith started snowboard and working as a white-water rafting guide. After graduation she started looking outside for a new career and found Environmental Education. Meredith received a MA in Environmental Education from Lesley University’s Audubon Expedition Institute. Learning about community, the outdoors, and new ways of teaching in an experiential format, inspired her to want to share the outdoors with others. Meredith came to Alaska in 2011 for a summer job and never looked back. She has spent the past five years as the Youth Engagement Manager for the Anchorage Park Foundation, where she works to support teachers in getting kids outside. Meredith believes the outdoors is for everyone and if we don’t intentionally create time and space for youth to have positive experiences outside, they may not care about that space in the future.
Katie Bobowski - Board President Elect
Katie Bobowski grew up in New Jersey and earned her degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University, with minors in Natural Resource Management and Animal Science. She is also certified to teach science and agriculture. Katie began her career with the U.S. Forest Service and the Agriculture Research Service before taking a break to raise her family. Upon returning to the workforce, she focused on teaching homeschool science and running environmental summer camps for youth. Throughout her career, Katie has lived across the western United States and moved to Alaska in 2016. She has worked at Prince William Sound College since 2017, where she played an integral role in developing the Natural Resources Technology OEC program. With a deep passion for education and natural resources, Katie recently completed her master’s degrees in both Park and Resource Management and Environmental Education from Slippery Rock University. In her free time, Katie enjoys traveling, fishing, birding, and gardening. She is committed to introducing formal educators to place-based education and advancing environmental education within her community and across Alaska.
Robin Mayo - Board Treasurer
Robin Mayo is a lifelong Alaskan, and the Executive Director of Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment, aka WISE. She loves living in the Copper River Valley and enjoys many opportunities to hike, ski, kayak, and camp in this amazing place. Her work at WISE includes planning and presenting year-round programs that immerse local students in the natural environment, and teach stewardship as well as science. In 2024 she was honored with the Jerry S. Dixon Award for Excellence in Environmental Education presented by Alaska Conservation Foundation. Robin joined the ANROE board in 2025 and serves as the treasurer.
Julie Johnson - Board Secretary
Julie Johnson grew up in Ohio and obtained a degree in Zoology from The Ohio State University. That summer, she took a Himalaya backpacking course with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), which led her to realize that environmental education was where she belonged.
Soon, she made her way to Alaska and began working for the U.S. Forest Service as an Interpretive Ranger at the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. Most recently, she served as an Outdoor Educator with the Bureau of Land Management at the Campbell Creek Science Center, where she honed her craft for nearly 15 years. During her time in Alaska, she has also worked as a Naturalist guide and a substitute teacher for the Anchorage School District. Through her career working to bring students and the wonders of the outdoors together, she has been recognized as an Afterschool Superhero by the Alaska Afterschool Network.
She is now the Director of the Four Valleys Community School in Girdwood, where she brings her skills to support community enrichment opportunities for students and the community at large.
When she isn’t teaching, Julie can be found with her husband and two kids—cross-country skiing, hiking, or experimenting with her latest stained-glass project.
Tracy Wirak-Cassidy - Board Member
Tracy grew up hiking and exploring the Montana wilderness. She knew from an early age that she wanted to work with children and when she attended the University of Montana she pursed a degree in Elementary Education and Environmental Studies. She spent many summers working at outdoor education facilities including; the Teton Science School, Montana Natural History Center and the Glacier Institute. After completing her first teaching position in Montana she hopped on her bike and pedaled to Alaska with her sister. She fell in love with Haines, Alaska and founded a place-based summer camp, Haines Science Camp which she ran for 3 years before handing off the camp to a local museum and beginning a teaching position at the Haines School. Eventually, the pull to be working with kids outdoors drew Tracy out of the classroom and back into the environmental education field. She currently works for Takshanuk Watershed Council as the Education Coordinator. She provides watershed education to preschool through high school aged students in Haines, Klukwan, and Mosquito Lake.
Molly Gillespie - Board Member
Molly Gillespie is a certified environmental educator, naturalist, wilderness guide and the Alaska Coordinator of Project Learning Tree. Raised in Spokane, Washington, she grew up hearing stories of various family member’s adventures in Alaska, so when her college roommate from Fairbanks invited her to “drive home” from their California college, Molly declined a “real job” and jumped in the 1973 VW Bus for the adventure. She hasn’t looked back, and has been in the Denali National Park area since 1998. Molly believes our connection to the natural world is intrinsic and should be honored, beginning with providing youth as many opportunities as possible to be in nature. Molly loves teaching and learning outdoors, and strives to provide educators with resources, inspiration and skills to do so as well. She loves rivers and mountains and wild blueberries and can often be found listening for birds or skiing through the woods. Molly is honored to live in the traditional lands of AHTNA people near the Native Village of Cantwell with her husband and very loyal fur-baby.
