Work With Us

Josh Flory

Josh Flory enjoys challenging his eighth-grade science students with real-world scenarios to drive their learning. This approach not only gives purpose to their learning but also leads to exciting outcomes. He has partnered with numerous organizations including the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and other organizations to connect his classroom with scientists on the front lines.

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A passionate advocate for outdoor and place-based education, Josh has shared his expertise at local and regional conferences across Ohio. His work, focusing on using the outdoors as an extension of the classroom, has been featured in Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning by Herb Broda and The National Park Classroom: A Guide to Designing Project-Based Learning Adventures by James Fester.

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Josh thoroughly enjoys teaching middle school students, appreciating their idealism and eagerness to make a positive impact on the world, and he is committed to guiding them on that journey. In his free time he enjoys reading, hiking, camping, and riding roller coasters with his wife and sons.

Patricia Taylor

Patty Taylor has been an educator for 26 years with experiences as a Reading Recovery Teacher, a Literacy Coach, a 3rd grade teacher and a 2nd grade teacher, which has been her favorite.

She has taught in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, where she currently lives with her husband, two teenage sons and Siberian cat. Patty loves to expose and encourage her students to wonder and explore. She is a National Park enthusiast and loves to share her passion with her students. When she’s not teaching, she loves to read, make clay jewelry, tent camp and take road trips. 

James Fester M.Ed 

During more than two decades in education, James Fester has worked in public, private, and online schools as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, technology director, and curriculum specialist. 
 
In addition to serving as a member of PBLWorks’ National Faculty where he helps develop schools and teachers across the globe, James is Google Certified Innovator and a widely published author. He contributes regularly to a wide range of blogs and online publications such as Edutopia, ISTE, and National Geographic. He has also written two books, the latest of which is titled The National Park Classroom and published globally by ISTE in 2024.  

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James’ educational work is not limited to schools. He is a facilitator for the United Nations through UNESCO-MGIEP, a National Geographic Certified Teacher and grantee, and a public lands professional who has worked at the regional, state, and national level. He regularly collaborates with state and national parks across the country who are looking to reimagine their educational programs. He also served as a facilitator for the National Park Services’ Teacher-Ranger-Teacher program.  

Kellyn Hardin

Kellyn Hardin has taught earth and space science since 2012 and currently teaches in California at Porterville High School. She attended Cal Poly Humboldt, earning a degree in Geology with an emphasis in GeoScience Education. After graduating, Kellyn accepted a GeoCorps internship with Rocky Mountain National Park Education Division. There, she led field trips and classroom visits. Following RMNP, Kellyn accepted a Student Conservation Association (SCA) internship with Yosemite National Park Interpretation Division, where she taught junior ranger programs and worked in the visitor center. After her work with NPS, Kellyn went into the classroom, where she is still today. Kellyn's educational philosophy is rooted in her love of the outdoors. In collaboration with Nature Bridge WildLink in Yosemite, Kellyn takes students on a backpacking trip each spring and facilitates field trips to Sequoia National Park and the local foothills each school year. Her goal is to extend students' understanding of the natural world and empower them to make decisions based on evidence so they will become better problem-solving citizens

Dian Brannen 

Dian Brannen and currently lives in Ocean Twp. New Jersey. Her first teaching job was with the Orange County Outdoor Science School in the San Bernardino Mountains. There she fell in love with teaching students using hands-on “real world” science. After 3 years teaching science in a rural school in Nebraska followed by 18 years as a stay at home mom, she is currently teaching 7th grade life science/special education.

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In addition to her teaching experience she is a National Geographic Certified teacher and the recipient of multiple grants. She is also the project lead for NPC's curriculum collaboration with Friends of Pando, an non-profit that works in conjunction with the US Forest Service to increase awareness of the world's largest living organism.  

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In her spare time she loves traveling, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Janet C. Rith-Najarian, PhD

Janet is a biogeographer living in the northwoods of Minnesota, among the "Sky-Blue Waters" of her home state's storied 10,000 lakes. 

She does survey work and research for various natural resource agencies but is also certified as a Minnesota Master Naturalist and National Geographic educator, a consultant and teacher-trainer for the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education, and as a naturalist and instructor affiliated with the international Wild Wonder Foundation. Janet is also a geographic and environmental storyteller, and is in the process of creating several documentaries, podcasts and presentations about expeditions and famous explorers and natural scientists of the past.

Most recently she has joined the National Park Classroom collaborative as a "Teacher-Ranger"  and is a new regional coordinator for the "Take Me Outside" Outdoor Learning Project. In her free time, she loves to go camping with her family and explore new places with her adventurous Geo-Dog

Molly Chance

Molly Chace is an educator and scientist with a background in forensics, passionate about inspiring curiosity and critical thinking in students. She currently teaches middle school earth and biological sciences, focusing on hands-on learning that encourages exploration and analytical thinking. Her goal is to spark wonder in the natural world while helping students develop the skills to think critically and ask questions.

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Outside the classroom, she is an avid adventurer and Ultrarunner, constantly seeking new challenges that test her physical and mental limits. Whether it’s running long distances or exploring rugged terrains, I embrace the opportunity to grow through adventure. She believes her passions enrich her teaching, bringing lessons from her personal experiences into the classroom, encouraging students to embrace perseverance and continuous growth.

Beky O'Brien

Beky has been an educator since 2019, inspired by her experiences as a neurodivergent learner seeking meaning in education. She is the founder of "The Nomadic Classroom," an educational YouTube channel that virtually takes elementary students across U.S. states and is evolving into a VR-based geography curriculum, guiding second graders around the world and fourth graders through the U.S. National Parks. Passionate about using technology to enhance learning, Beky lives in Massachusetts with her firefighter husband and their three cats, sharing a mutual love for adventure, National Parks, photography, and videography.

Hailee Attorri

Hailee Attorri is a high school history teacher who teaches in North Central Massachusetts. Since 2019, Hailee has been a National Geographic Certified Educator, and a Women and the American Story Ambassador Alum through the New Stork Historical. Hailee is a former National Park Ranger and worked as a historical interpreter at Salem Maritime National Historic Site for a year before becoming a high school history teacher.