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STAFF BIOS
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Sally graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a degree in English and Anthropology and holds an MA in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico. For six years, she was the development director and acting director of the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, an environmental law and policy nonprofit in Boulder, CO. She has a strong backround in environmental education, as an educator and as a consultant, with the Keystone Science School, Calwood Environmental Education Center, Colorado Youth Program, EarthWalk, Summit County, and the National Wildlife Federation. Sally currently serves on the board of directors for the Colorado Association of Environmental Education. She has also worked as a newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and college instructor.
In addition to the above, Sally owns her own record company, Larkspur Records, and is a nationally recognized singer/songwriter with three CDs to her credit, Sally's recent release charted on the folk charts (For more info about Sally's music life, visit www.sallyshuffield.com)
Outside of DNS, Sally and her husband, Mike Matz, along with their son Carson and daughter Celia, enjoy camping, rafting, and traveling. On her own, Sally spends time running, biking, skiing, doing yoga, and reading.
Email Sally
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A seasoned DNS contract educator and summer camp
coordinator, Gretchen brings to the role of Program
Manager her passion for working with
children, playing outside, and her work experiences
as a youth counselor and outdoor educator.
Raised in Atlanta, GA, Gretchen relocated to
Durango in 2001 where she completed her undergraduate studies at Fort
Lewis College. A National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) trip to Australia
in 2005 led Gretchen to believe she would be happiest working with children
in
an outdoor,
hands-on
setting. Since then, she has worked as an outdoor
educator across
the
Four Corners
including many years with Colvig Silver Camps. Gretchen is a Leave No Trace
Instructor and a certified Wilderness First Responder.
Email Gretchen
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Jess graduated from Fort Lewis College in 2005 with a bachelors degree in English/Mass Communications. She is excited to be putting that degree to use here at DNS. Most of her education is based on writing skills and techniques, although her passion is all about being outdoors! During a mission trip with Habitat for Humanity to Nogales, Mexico in 2005, Jess helped to build a house for a small family in need. This is when she realized that working hands-on with children in a community and giving her spare time to those in need is what she wanted to engage in.
While attending FLC, Jess was involved with Images Magazine, The Independent Newspaper and had two short films submitted into the Student Film Festival. She also held a Tuesday afternoon radio show on KDUR during her senior year.
Jackson, her lab, keepS Jess busy when she’s at home. She also enjoys tending to her garden, snowboarding, cooking, painting and relaxing outside.
Email Jess
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Kara graduated from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst in 2005 with a degree in psychology and dance. In her senior year she completed a semester with NOLS in the Pacific Northwest, followed by a summer working for Outward Bound in Boston. It was through these experiences that Kara first experienced the power and transformation the wilderness can provide.
Kara came to Durango in December 2008 from Asheville, North Carolina. There she used her degree in Psychology along with her passion for the outdoors working with at-risk youth for a wilderness therapy program. With over 350 days in the field in both Georgia and Colorado, Kara brings an expertise in environmental education, teaching, and LNT to DNS. As our new Americorps VISTA volunteer, Kara is looking forward to sharing her passion of the outdoors to help our community develop a more intimate relationship with the world around them. In her free time Kara enjoys doing yoga as much as possible, biking, hiking, cooking, gardening, and exploring southwest Colorado. .
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In her role with DNS, Karen combines two of her favorite ways to spend her time - teaching children and being outdoors. She started as a DNS volunteer naturalist in 1995 with her youngest in a backpack.
Karen's love of nature and teaching comes from her time exploring the woods along Lake Michigan as a child. Those experiences have served Karen well and she is passionate that every child has an opportunity to connect with nature. "I feel privileged to share a special part of the Four Corners with our students," said Karen. "The best part about what I do is spending the whole day in wonder."
Karen has a background that includes camp counselor, teacher, ski instructor, river guide, and master gardener. She holds a Colorado teaching certificate and a Masters in Education.
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Gail might say she is simply a retired educator with just a bit more than 25 years of experience in the education field, but that would hardly suffice. An active community volunteer, she is the co-founder of the Durango Early Learning Center as well as a member of the Durango Choral Society and Heartwood Co-Housing Community. Gail is a current DNS Volunteer Naturalist and certified Project WILD facilitator.
In January 2006, Gail retired from the DNS Board of Directors after serving more than six years. Her roles and responsibilities spanned the breadth of the organization including Board President. She continues to lend her expertise to DNS as as an educator and volunteer.
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In addition to her biggest job of being a mom, Karen has worked as a subsitute teacher for the 9-R School District, worked as one of the district’s parent partners, and been an instructor and supervisor for DMR’s ski school. In addition to all of this, she has still managed to find time to run her own personal greeting card business.
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