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.  

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