Certification

Are you interested in:

  • Building and demonstrating strong foundations in environmental literacy?
  • Positioning yourself for success within the environmental education profession?
  • Helping to build a network of highly qualified environmental educators in Colorado?
  • Personalizing and tailoring your own professional development?

If so, certification is for you! Fill out the general interest form below to get news, updates, and opportunities for professional development.

General Interest Form

Certified Educators in Colorado

Application Process

Next Portfolio Submission Deadline: August 17, 2026


What is Certification?

The certification program sets specific standards of knowledge, skills, and experience that highly qualified environmental educators in Colorado should be able to demonstrate. It is a competency based program - one where the applicant will demonstrate what they know and can do by building a portfolio.  The competencies for Certification are based on the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence in Environmental Education and Colorado Guidelines for Environmental Educators.  You can build your portfolio individually, at your own pace, or participate in CAEE's online course (see below).

Whether you are new to the field or have years of experience, the Certification program can help you grow as an environmental educator.  We offer two levels of certification and the portfolio requirement allows you to submit work that is relevant to you.

Want to learn more?  The following recorded webinar describes the process and answers some of the most frequently asked questions.

Watch Now


CAEE's Certification Program is Nationally Accredited

CAEE's Environmental Education Certification Program is accredited by the North American Association for Environmental Education! Colorado is one of only three states to achieve this recognition. The accreditation recognizes the high quality of the program and demonstrates it meets high national standards. For Master Certified Environmental Educators, it allows certification to be recognized nationally.   

Environmental Educator Essentials: Principles & Practices (formerly Principles & Foundations of EE) Online Course

Are you working on Certification?  Our online course is aligned with certification portfolio requirements and assignments can be used to build your certification portfolio.

Participants will explore the history and goals of EE, develop an understanding of the professional roles and instructional methods of environmental educators, and interact with other educators from across the state. For participants interested in CAEE's Environmental Educator Certification program, you can submit your portfolio for review at discounted rates.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS COURSE IS NOT REQUIRED TO RECEIVE CERTIFICATION.  Check to see if there is an upcoming course.

Certified Environmental Educators in Colorado

Total Participants in the EE Certification Program to Date: 198     Currently Certified: 187

Boys and Skink

Master Certified

Park Ranger with Kids

Certified

Fishing with Kids

Honorary Master Certified

kids examining bugs

Apprentice Certified

Master Certified Environmental Educators

Wynn Abrahamson 

Nathan Agarwal, The Catamount Center for Environmental Science & Education

Ivan Asin, Center for Art Education and Sustainability

Nina Avila

Debbie Bangs,  YMCA of the Rockies

Consuelo Barton, Colorado College

Denise Benitez, Colorado College

Heather Berry, Highlands Ranch High School

Tayler Branson, Walking Mountains

Rylee Bundy, Walking Mountains

Charlotte Cadow, Colorado College

Greta Cahill, Colorado College

Nicolai Calabria, Colorado College

Chelsea Campbell, Red Rocks Community College

Lara Carlson, Walking Mountains

Beth Church, Douglas County School District

Chris Cohen, Walking Mountains

Ashley Daniels, Walking Mountains

Betsy Defries, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

Barrett Donovan, High Mountain Institute

Howard Drossman, Colorado College Environmental Science Program

Ellen Eiriksson

Anita Evans , Engaged Learning LLC

Michelle Finchum, City of Fort Collins

Laura Fritz, Poudre School District

Riley Gaines, Walking Mountains

David Geddes, Walking Mountains

Genevieve Giarrusso, Walking Mountains

Aidan Goldie, Walking Mountains

Ania Gonzales, Walking Mountains

Robin Grathwohl, Colorado College

Ella Hartshorn, Colorado College

Jessica Hebert,  Colorado College

Anne Hennessy, Colorado College

Savanna Henning, Walking Mountains

Knox Huang, Colorado College

Tracy Jackson, Catamount Institute

Meg John, Colorado Biosciences Institute

Sarah Johnson, Wild Rose Consulting

Maggie Kehlenbeck, Colorado College

Anna Kiwera, Walking Mountain

Veronica Legette, Environmental Learning for Kids

Sarin LoMascolo, Rocky Mountain National Park

Aidan Luter, Colorado College

Sara Lynch, Walking Mountains

Nicolas Martinez,  Colorado College

Hillary Mason, University of Colorado Denver

Alison McGarigal, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

Ashley Millman

Melissa Mullins, Baylor University

Rani Muthukrishnan, Washington State University

Katie Navin, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

Natalie Neuwirth, Walking Mountains

Camille Newsom, Colorado College

Connor Nolan, Colorado College

Steve Noud, City of Boulder/Keep It Clean Partnership

Sarah Noyes, Walking Mountains

Jennifer Ortega, Humbolt State University

Katie Phillips, Rocky Mountain National Park

James Rahn, Ben Delatour Scout Ranch

Rosemary "Cede" Rashleigh McNally, Colorado College

Liam Reynolds

Donny Roush, City and County of Denver

Hannah Runyon

Nicholas Scarborough, Walking Mountains

Maddison Schink, Colorado College

Sarah Schmitt, Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

ZoĆ« Shark, City of Fort Collins Natural Areas

Remi Shore, Colorado College

Hope Stonner

Gail Smith, Beaver Ponds Environmental Education Center

Kirsten Springer, Lessons in Nature

Stephen Taranto, La Paz on Foot

Helen Thompson, Walking Mountains

Chris Tobin, Colorado College

Katherine Trudeau, Walking Mountains

Jen Visitacion, Guidestone

Leah Weisman, Walking Mountains

Kelly Williams, Walking Mountains

Rebecca Williams, Colorado College

Theresa Wirak, Takshanuk Watershed Council

Heather Young, Larimer County Department of Natural Resources

Mike Zawaski, The Observant Naturalist/Teacher's Rock Programs

Aiyu Zheng, Colorado College

Certified Environmental Educators

Adriana Aboitiz, Colorado College

Daniel Allen, Colorado College

Koki Atcheson, Colorado College

Beth Austin, Catamount Institute

Mariah Badillo, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Alex Banuelos, The Greenway Foundation

Kait Bashford, The Greenway Foundation

Ivan Beck, Colorado College

Jeremy Becker, Colorado College

Autumn Bjugstad, The Greenway Foundation

Michele Bratschun, National Park Service

Madison Brauninger, Catamount Center

Sabrina Brewer, Catamount Center

Natalie Brower-Kirton, Aurora Water

Emily Brown, Walking Mountains

Sarah Buckley,  Dinosaur Ridge

Genevieve Buzan-Dansereau, Colorado College

Molly Casey, Larimer County Department Natural Resources 

Jerry Cordova, CIty of Colorado Springs

Midori Coyle, Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership

Ethan Crump, National Park Service

Veronica Cruz, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Victoria Crystal, Colorado College

Sian Cuffy-Young, Siel Environmental Services Ltd.

Mary Dawson, Aurora Water

Cori DeLano, Colorado College

Lydia Delehanty, Walking Mountains

Aiden Dempsey

Joel Denney, Yampatika

Rose DeVito

Julia Dietz

Barona DiNapoli, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Erin Dreps, Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

Annabella Eskenazi, Colorado College

Katharine (Kitty) Evans, Colorado College

Laura Farrell, Vikan Middle School

Adam Fedyski, The Greenway Foundation

Mary Joyce Fink, Larimer County Department of Natural Resources

Christian Fowler

Laura Friedli, Colorado College

Julianne Gagnon, The Greenway Foundation

Madeline Gallagher, The Greenway Foundation

Alicia Goddard, Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Lauren Godfrey, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Pippi Graham, King Murphy Mountain School

Wendy Griesen, Colorado Canyons Association

Alissa Grutze, The Greenway Foundation

Pedro Gutierrez, Lincoln Hills Cares

Hadas Hacohen, CSU Spur

Hallie Harness, El Paso County Nature Centers

Atiya Harvey, Colorado College

Michael Hazel, Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center

Kelsey Head, Walking Mountains

Conrad Hedinger, TREE Semester

Samuel Hinkle, Catamount Institute

Corrine Hinton

Audreia Hoffa, Dunstan Middle School 

EmmaKate Holdbrooks, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Nizhooni Hurd, Colorado College

Hannah Jakob, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Ian Jensen

Maggie John, Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Area

Abbey Johnson

Victoria Joseph, Colorado College

Rachel Juritsch, Walking Mountains

Jonathan Kaufmann, Catamount Center

Tianna Kell, The Greenway Foundation

Lauren Keller, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Breyer Kinzer, High Plains Environmental Center

Vanessah Klaers, Catamount Center

Nick Kramer  

Katharine Kurtz, Bowdoin College

Casey Lay, The Greenway Foundation 

Trisha Lavery, Walking Mountains

Melanie Lewis

Tiger Locheart

Emma Malin, Larimer County Conservation Corps

Emma Markland, Colorado College

Patrick Marti, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

Olivia Martinez, Colorado College

Madison Martin, Colorado State Parks

Kelsi Massengale, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies

Amy May, The Greenway Foundation

Roisin McCune, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Alison McGarigal, Colorado College

Riley Meese, Colorado College

Ryon Merrick, River Watch

Sherry Meschko, Aurora Water- Environmental Education and Outreach

Rebecka Miller, Wild Bear Nature Center

Leslie Crawford Mitchell III, TREE Semester

Mike Montgomery, Littleton Public Schools

Rebeca Moreno Villarreal, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Grace Mullins

Kaylyn Murphy, Walking Mountains

Mackenzie Murphy, Outdoor Wilderness Lab

Alan Navarro,  Aurora Water

Hailey Neuburger, Boulder Valley School District's School Food Project

Feza Ngandu, The Greenway Foundation

Holly Nickel, Rocky Mountain National Park

Chira Noce, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Connor Nolan, The Catamount Center for Environmental Science & Education

Kevin P. O'Brien, South Suburban Parks & Rec

Margaret O'Brien, Colorado College

Amy Olsen, Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Daniel Orion, Butterfly Pavilion

Andrew Padgett

Haley Perez, Mountain Studies Institute

Tina Person, Wildwood School

Micaela Petrini, The Greenway Foundation

Abigail Philbrick, Colorado College

Leigh Preston

Xixi Qin, Colorado College

Sharon Reuth

Erika Rodriguez, Catamount Center Earth Force, Inc

Gabriela Rodriguez, Catamount Center

Elizabeth Roe, Catamount Center

Micah Rogers, Food Systems Project

Anneliese Rohane, Colorado College

Karli Rose, Denver Audubon

Imo Ross, Colorado College

Caroline Sandberg, Colorado College

Alexa Saxton-Bush, Walking Mountains

Maxwell Schubert

Mark Sharp, Walking Mountains

Jessie Sheldon

Alistair Schubert, Colorado College

Paige Simenz, Colorado College

Karen Sizelove-Murphy, Explore2LIVE

Eileen Skahill, University of Colorado- Colorado Springs

Katherine Slaymaker

Alex Spiezio, Colorado College

Sam Steinhacker, Colorado College

Amy Stevermer

Laurel Sullivan, Colorado College

Bhavna Tanwani

Helena Thatcher, Colorado College

Sydney Vine, Colorado College

Justin Way, City of Aurora Generation Wild

Roxanne Warner, Newlon Elementary

Siqi Wei, Colorado College

Emily Werner, Bluff Lake Nature Center

Sandra Wilder, Boulder Valley School District

Christie Wilkins, Rocky Mountain National Park

Viviana Zavala, Aurora Water

Honorary Master Certified Environmental Educators

Laura Arndt, Global GreenSTEM

Mike Blakeman, San Luis Valley Env & Conservation

Mary Ann Bonnell, Jefferson County Open Space

Roxanne Brickell-Reardon, Impact Conservation Services

Thomas Cleary, Crestone Charter School

Shawna Crocker, Colorado State Forest Service-Project Learning Tree

Mark DeGregorio, National Park Service - Rocky Mountain National Park

Kathy Fennell, Eaglecrest High School

Leigh Gillette, Colorado Parks & Wildlife

Francesca Giongo

Wendy Hanophy

Kim Langmaid, Teton Science School

Betsy Leonard

Judy Lopez, Rio Grande Watershed Conservation and Education Initiative

Sue Schafer, City of Fort Collins Natural Areas

Dave Sutherland, City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks

Charlie Warren, University of Northern Colorado

Apprentice Certified Environmental Educators

Tori Auger, The Greenway Foundation

Camila Carbaja, The Greenway Foundation

Amira Carrillo, The Greenway Foundation

Julia Dykstra, The Greenway Foundation

Alta Farrell, The Greenway Foundation

Isaiah Garcia, The Greenway Foundation

Lucy Hancock

Sarahy Herrera, The Greenway Foundation

Angelica Jeffrey

Sophia Luna, The Greenway Foundation

Hailey Meraz, The Greenway Foundation

Jimmy Moffett, The Greenway Foundation

Destiny Morales, The Greenway Foundation

Luisa Olvera-Mendoza, The Greenway Foundation

Victoria Ramos Rendon, The Greenway Foundation

Melvin Ramirez, The Greenway Foundation

Lilia Rankova, The Greenway Foundation

Ashley Mariah Rodriguez, The Greenway Foundation

Javier Rodriguez, The Greenway Foundation

Alejandra Ruiz-Diosado, The Greenway Foundation

Axyl Shores, The Greenway Foundation

Demintra Theard, The Greenway Foundation

Gavin Thomas Beyer

Meet the Review Team!

We are deeply grateful for our amazing team of volunteer eeCertification Reviewers, all of whom are leading experts in the field and have conquered the rigorous Master Certified process themselves. Each reviewer generously dedicates hours of deep reflection and evaluation to every single portfolio, ensuring the highest standards of excellence and stewardship for Colorado's environmental educators.

  • Ivan Asin
  • Heather Berry
  • Howard Drossman
  • Anita Evans
  • Wendy Hanophy
  • Savanna Henning
  • Nico Martinez
  • Katie Navin
  • Hillary Nieman
  • Donny Roush
  • Maddi Schink
  • Remi Shore
  • Kirsten Springer
  • Jen Visitacion
  • Katie Wareham
  • Charlie Warren