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.
Certified Educators in Colorado
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.
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
Master Certified
Certified
Honorary Master Certified
Apprentice Certified
Master Certified Environmental Educators
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
Zoƫ 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
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