Noah is one of North America’s foremost field mycologists; he has spent over three decades seeking, photographing, identifying, and furthering his knowledge about all aspects of fungi. He travels and lectures extensively across America, following the mushrooms from coast to coast. Noah was the recipient of the 2022 North American Mycological Association’s Award for Contributions to Amateur Mycology. His primary research interest is on the taxonomy and systematics of fungi.

He authored, along with Christian Schwarz, Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast, a Comprehensive Guide to the Fungi of Coastal Northern California and Mushrooms of Cascaida, a Comprehensive Guide to Fungi of the Pacific Northwest, as well as A field Guide to the Rare Fungi of California's National Forests.

His newest book is Mushrooms of Alaska, with Steve Trudell and Kate Mohatt.

David W. Shaw splits his time between Fairbanks, Alaska and Salida, Colorado. He is a professional photographer and writer specializing in conservation imagery, science communication, and educating others about the art of photography. He has both undergraduate and master’s degrees in wildlife biology and applies this background to create in-depth stories of the natural world.

He has written over 100 articles for publications across the world. His images and writing about science and natural history have appeared in magazines like Sierra, Living Bird, UnDark, Defenders, Ensia, Resurgence and Ecologist, Birds and Blooms, Birdwatcher’s Digest, Birdwatching, Alaska, and others. His instructional photography articles have been published in Shutterbug, Photographic, Photo Technique, Professional Photographer, Amateur Photographer and others. Dave is also an instructor at the Digital Photography School and Expert Photography. He leads small-group, active-learning photography workshops, and natural history tours in Alaska and abroad.

Karen Evanoff is of Dena’ina descent with ancestry around Qizhjeh Vena, Iliamna/Pedro Bay, and Stony River. Her academic background includes an undergraduate degree in Anthropology and a Master's degree focusing on interdisciplinary topics in Dena’ina education and traditional knowledge. Her life experiences are woven intricately from growing up close to the natural world. She has had many visions for projects and programs over the years, often influenced by Indigenous Elders, and has pooled resources to bring these ideas into the world.

She, along with Danielle Stickman and two other partners, founded Qizhjeh Vena Alaska; a nonprofit working towards creating a world-class gathering center inspired by Dena’ina values and culture. Their holistic approach will nurture the next generation of leaders, educators, and inspired individuals within and beyond the Dena’ina community. Qizhjeh Vena, ‘a place where people gathered lake,’ is the original Dena’ina Athabascan name of Lake Clark.

Danielle is of Dena’ina and Koyukon Athabascan descent and was raised in both rural and urban areas of Alaska. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. She began her professional career in the northern regions of Alaska, assisting in the documentation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge of polar bears. Over the last decade she worked across Alaska advocating for local and cultural subsistence rights, diversity, equity and inclusion in public policy forums and meetings, and acted as a liaison between tribes and state and federal entities.

In her free time, Danielle enjoys teaching and practicing yoga, beading for her small business - Dena’ina Dreams, playing with her nieces, traveling, harvesting salmon, picking berries, and spending time out on the land.

She, along with Karen Evanoff and two other partners, founded Qizhjeh Vena Alaska; a nonprofit working towards creating a world-class gathering center inspired by Dena’ina values and culture. Their holistic approach will nurture the next generation of leaders, educators, and inspired individuals within and beyond the Dena’ina community. Qizhjeh Vena, ‘a place where people gathered lake,’ is the original Dena’ina Athabascan name of Lake Clark.

Alison York is an expert in Alaska fire ecology, tundra fire, fire management and science communication. She has lived in Alaska since 1986 and works with other scientists and managers to understand and address the impacts of environmental change in high latitudes. Alison is program coordinator for the Alaska Fire Science Consortium where she helps bridge the gap between boreal and arctic fire science delivery, outreach and application. She is based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and is affiliated with the International Arctic Research Center, and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Preparedness.

Ben Goldfarb is an environmental journalist and author whose work has appeared in National Geographic, The Atlantic, Smithsonian Magazine, The New Yorker, The Guardian, Orion Magazine, The Washington Post, Outside, and many other publications. He is the author of Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, which was named one of the best books of 2023 by the New York Times and received the Rachel Carson Award for Excellence in Environmental Writing and the Banff Book Competition's Grand Prize. His previous book, Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, won the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. He is currently at work on a book about fish migration: its ecological and cultural importance, the forces that imperil it, and the people who are working to restore it. Ben lives in Colorado with his wife, his daughter, and his dog Kit — which is, of course, what you call a baby beaver.

Eowyn (pronounced A-o-win) LeMay Ivey was raised in Alaska and continues to live there with her husband and two daughters. She worked for nearly a decade as a bookseller at independent Fireside Books in Palmer, Alaska, and prior to that as a reporter for the local newspaper, The Frontiersman.

Her new novel, Black Woods, Blue Sky was released February 2025. To the Bright Edge of the World was published in 2016. Her debut novel, The Snow Child, has sold more than a million copies worldwide and is a New York Times bestseller published in more than 25 languages. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, a UK National Book Award winner, an Indies Choice award for debut fiction, and a PNBA Book Award winner.

Susan Paskvan, known as “K’etsoo” in Denaakk’e (Koyukon Athabascan) is the daughter of Eliza and the late Benedict Jones of Koyukuk, Alaska.  

She was the Native Language Coordinator of Yukon-Koyukuk School District, which serves ten Interior Alaska Schools.   In this role, Susan taught Denaakk’e over two-way video-conference; developed the curriculum, lessons and materials; and coordinated professional development workshops for language speakers and educators.
She believes there is no greater joy than watching a child having fun learning their language.

Throughout her twenty years at Y-KSD Susan has worked with many elders, most often with her mother, Eliza Jones, to document Native place names throughout the Interior; genealogy; traditional memorial songs and stories.  These hundreds of hours of recordings have led to an increase in the number of people who are able to sing their traditional songs at memorial potlatches.   

Philip Wight is an Associate Professor of History and Arctic & Northern Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He is an energy and environmental historian, with a focus on infrastructure, mobility, and climate. He teaches classes in Alaska history, the contemporary history of the circumpolar north, as well as energy and climate history.

Dr. Wight is currently finalizing a book manuscript, Arctic Artery: The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and the World it Made, based on his doctoral research. To be published for the pipeline’s 50th anniversary, Arctic Artery tells the story of the most consequential pipeline system in American history and how it transformed the Pacific Rim from the North Slope to Panama. His other research has investigated the origins of green consumerism, the electrification of Alaska, and the history of Alaskan nuclear power.

Beyond his academic scholarship, Philip is deeply involved in modernizing Alaska’s electric industry. He worked as a policy expert for the Alaska Public Interest Research Group and led the successful passage of Alaska’s community solar legislation (SB152) in 2024. He was honored as a “Community Solar Champion” for these efforts. He currently serves as the Chair of the Golden Valley Electric Association’s Member Advisory Committee.

When not in the archives or tinkering with off grid solar systems, Wight could be found cycling, packrafting and skiing throughout Alaska.

Scott Weidensaul is the author of nearly 30 critically acclaimed books on natural history, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist Living on the Wind  and his latest, the New York Times bestseller A World on the Wing. Scott is a contributing editor for Audubon and writes for a variety of other publications, including BWD and Living Bird, and is a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society.

An active field researcher and longtime bird bander focusing on bird migration, he directs a major research project tracking the migration of saw-whet owls, and is part of a continental effort to learn why more and more western hummingbirds are wintering in the East. He is a cofounder of Project SNOWstorm, an ambitious effort to learn more about snowy owl migration. Scott is a frequent visitor to Alaska for more than 40 years, where his work has taken him into almost every corner of the state, including Denali, where he helps direct Critical Connections, a study of the park's migrant birds. A native of Pennsylvania, he and his wife Amy now live in New Hampshire.

Originally from rural Wisconsin, Liz Hahn has lived and worked in some of the most beautiful places in the world, including five different National Parks, a dozen US states, and two other countries but considers Alaska her favorite home. She believes in  keeping knowledge and education accessible for all and life-long learning is her deepest joy. When not collecting passport stamps or hiking hundreds of miles, Liz enjoys foraging, painting, and above all, reading. 

Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, Chelsie first visited Alaska in 2012 with friends and was immediately drawn to its wild beauty. Throughout her 20s, she traveled extensively, but Alaska remained at the top of her favorite places. In 2017, she took a seasonal job in the state, and by the following year, she had fully embraced the Alaskan lifestyle, moving to Talkeetna as a full-time resident.

Over the years, she pieced together a life through seasonal work, eventually securing a four-year role at the South District Ranger Station in Denali National Park. When the opportunity with the DEC came along, she knew it was the next step in her journey.

When she’s not working or directing the Oosik Classic ski race, you can find Chelsie outdoors—reading, identifying plants, birding with her partner, or running around with her two energetic huskies.

Caitlin first came to Alaska and DEC in the summer of 2023 as a Youth Field Educator. Despite her status as a “bear-magnet,” according to some NPS rangers, she has returned to Alaska to stay year-round. As an avid traveler and passionate environmental educator, she’s worked with schools and youth programs across the country. Caitlin enjoys all things outdoors, from climbing to nature photography, and especially loves trying new activities. She has found Denali and the surrounding communities to be something truly special, whether it was exploring the backcountry of the park, appreciating the midnight sun, or blueberry picking with friends.

Kellie headed north for Talkeetna in the summer of 2021 just because it seemed like the right place to be. It turns out that it was, and she began with Denali Education Center in early 2022. Prior to finding her place and her people, she spent time adventuring in various parts of the world and dabbled in multiple trades along the way including massage therapy, youth ministry, baking, farming, and customer service. The sense of “at-home” she’s found in Talkeetna is one to be savored and she’s hoping to make it the longest adventure yet.

Lauren is originally from Washington state where she earned her degree in Environmental Studies between training horses. She first ended up in Alaska due to a coin flip and after many back-and-forth trips (perhaps encouraged by a rugged Alaskan mountain man), finally decided to trade riding horses for riding snow machines and make Alaska home. Lauren is eager to try anything that involves recreating outdoors, then retiring inside to bake bread and dabble in arts and crafts. She is often found during the summer in her little vegetable garden or walking the dog to the beaver pond for a swim, and in the winter taking her snowmachine out to catch the sunset or cross-country skiing by moonlight.

Originally from Florida, Dave is now a long-time Alaskan resident. Dave is no stranger to the Denali Education Center campus as he served as our maintenance manager for six years before taking a two-year hiatus to work for an Alaska Native corporation. Dave has 35 years of experience as an ASE auto and truck-certified mechanic and has aviation repair/maintenance experience. Skilled in carpentry, electrical, and plumbing, he says he has the best job maintaining this wonderful place, nestled in this great land!

Keith first came to Alaska, and the DEC, in 2002.  He has spent many seasons frolicking in the summer sun and the snowy darkness and, after a decade of living in Pittsburgh, PA, is humbled and honored to call Alaska home once again! Keith has an MEd in Social and Comparative Analysis of Education, is an award-winning filmmaker, and fancies himself a savvy world traveler.  He has lived and worked in Antarctica, made documentaries in Japan, and tackled various long-distance hiking pilgrimages. In his spare time, Keith can be found chasing after his wide-eyed toddler, enjoying van life with his family, or scheming the next travel adventure.

Jill changed her life when she moved to Alaska in 1999. It only got better when she began working at the Denali Education Center in 2004. She and her husband Carl share their handcrafted homestead with Pete, their cheeky Jack Russell terrier, overlooking Denali National Park. Her favorite things include growing tomatoes in her greenhouse, singing avian migrants, springtime flowers, endless summer days, the tapestry of the autumn tundra, and the quiet of winter. She enjoys traveling and exploring the world with an open, inquisitive mind and a pair of binoculars.

Jodi came to Denali in 1995 to work for a summer and has remained here ever since. She has a BS in geology from Montana State University and began her career at the Denali Education Center teaching about the Denali Fault Zone. She loves living in this wonderful community with her husband and daughter, who keeps her “old” parents young! In winter, she enjoys skiing on the dog mushing trails and playing pick-up hockey on a local pond.

Suzi grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated college in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in education. She moved to Alaska in 2003 to work for ‘just one summer.’ Immediately, she was in awe of the beauty of Alaska’s nature, which inspired and grew her desire to travel and find adventure. She spent the next seven years traveling the world in the winters and working in Talkeetna in the summers. She loves experiencing new cultures and languages. In 2014 she settled in Talkeetna and became a preschool teacher at Talkeetna Elementary School. She worked as a Denali Discovery Camp instructor one summer and fell in love with the mission and programs that Denali Education Center offers. Currently, Suzi teaches second grade at Talkeetna Elementary and is a mom to an almost-three-year-old daughter Penelope. She loves outdoor adventures with her family and has a passion for igniting the love of learning in children.

Alex first visited Alaska in 2009, a summer trip that has never really ended. He quickly fell in love with Denali and soon began working for the DEC as a field educator. He is now an environmental philosopher and writer in Anchorage, where he teaches as a professor at Alaska Pacific University. Alex researches and writes about the ethics of environmental problem-solving. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College, completing a B.A. in Philosophy and Earth Science, and the University of Colorado, Boulder, earning a Ph.D. in Environmental Ethics. Alex is also an avid climber, skier, and wanderer – he still spends as much time as he can in Denali.

Michael Kaplan was born in Connecticut and raised in New York. In 1994, he moved to Alaska in pursuit of a career in outdoor education. At Reed College, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology in 1991. At the University of Alaska Anchorage, he earned a Master of Arts degree in interdisciplinary studies in 1997. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Washington in 2008.

From 2002-2007, he was an assistant professor and program chair of outdoor leadership at Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, Alaska. In 2008, he was appointed the assistant professor of outdoor studies at Alaska Pacific University.

Tennelle earned a BS in International Hospitality from the School of Hotel and Restaurant Management at Northern Arizona University. She has extensive experience in Alaska’s tourism industry, having worked with CIRI Alaskan Tourism Corp., Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Residence Inn by Marriott, the St. Thomas Restaurant Group, and currently Grande Denali, LLC. Being closely tied to the Denali National Park area through the hospitality industry, she believes it is important to promote and educate visitors and residents of Alaska about the area, the park, and everything it has to offer. Tennelle is passionate about leadership and service, as well as the park, the area, and supporting community activities and education.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Blair first arrived in Alaska in 2006 for an internship with the Denali Education Center’s youth programs. She spent the next six summers sharing the wonder, might, and value of wild places (and honing her marshmallow roasting skills) with Alaska’s young people. In 2013, she moved to Pittsburgh to pursue an MBA in Sustainable Business Practices and spent the next 10 years developing expertise in community and economic development, impact finance, and sustainable food systems in jobs spanning the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. In 2023, Blair and her family moved back to Alaska and she joined the talented crew at Agnew::Beck, a multi-disciplinary consulting firm working to achieve healthy, equitable, thriving communities across Alaska and the Mountain West region.

Originally from Utah, Bonnie came to Denali for a seasonal summer job in 2001; never did she think Alaska would become her home! She has attended many events and activities at the Charles Sheldon Center over the years and has always been impressed with the mission of the Denali Education Center. Bonnie joined the board of directors in 2013, and she enjoys being a part of this inspiring organization. After spending many years in the Denali area working for Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Bonnie now works for the parent company, Holland America Princess Alaska, as the Director of Sustainability and Community Relations.  This new role may take her around the state to many incredible communities, but she will always be a Denali Girl at heart!  In her off time, Bonnie enjoys traveling, yoga, and adventuring outdoors with her adorable cocker spaniel, Poppy Seed.

Greg LaHaie joined the Denali Education Center board in 2006 and loves supporting an educational nonprofit he considers vital in the community. He owns and operates Kantishna Air Taxi and Skyline Lodge, located at the end of Park Road in Kantishna. LaHaie studied business finance at Michigan State University but changed paths before finishing, completing his commercial pilot’s license and starting his air taxi business in 1992. During Denali’s winter months, Greg travels around the world. “I love Alaska for its vast untouched wilderness,” Greg says. “As I travel the world, it makes me appreciate [Denali] more every year and realize what a gift it is and how important it is to take care of it and preserve it for the future.” Some of his favorite past times include flying (of course), surfing, yoga, organic farming, and sustainability practices. His favorite motto comes from famous ice cream makers Ben and Jerry: “If it’s not fun, why do it?”