Project Get Outdoors

Sara holds a degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies from the University of Minnesota and has been an environmental educator since 1994. She's worked for various organizations including the US Forest Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Fisheries, Bell Museum of Natural History, Eagle Bluff ELC, Olmsted County Parks and Minnesota State Parks. Sara lives in Wabasha, MN and enjoys rock hunting, kayaking and exploring public lands with her family.

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Bucky holds undergraduate degrees in Wilderness Management and Therapeutic Recreation, and a graduate degree inEducation Leadership. He is currently a adjunct instructor in the Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic Recreation Department at Winona State University and the LEAP Program Coordinator with Rochester Public Schools. He is a thankful husband and proud father of two children. He resides on a small hobby farm and private event venue near Zumbrota, MN.

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MaryKate is a math teacher at Riverway Learning Community, a small charter school in Winona that has an emphasis on Environmental Education. This is where she shares her passion for the outdoors with students. MaryKate enjoys taking her students out in the Winona community to complete service projects and to foster an appreciation of nature in her students. When she is not working with students she enjoys taking her dog for hikes, kayaking, traveling, and cooking.

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Kate is the Director of Operations and Programming at Saint Mary's University-Rochester Campus. She shares a home in Byron, MN, with husband and 2 daughters. Kate finds joy and rejuvenation in various outdoor activities. Hiking and cross-country skiing are among her favorite  ways to connect with nature and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. She also enjoys boating, finding solace on the water, and capturing the beauty of the outdoors through her passion for outdoor photography.

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Sharon is retired from Clinical Laboratory Medicine. She has a Masters Degree in Education and has always enjoyed teaching, instructing and helping others reach their potential. She is a volunteer Minnesota Master Naturalist and she and her husband enjoys most any activity involving getting outdoors. She lives in Rochester, MN and walking/hiking, cycling, and kayaking are some of her favorite pastimes.

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​Maria was born in South Texas and grew up in Illinois. She attended Mundelein College in Chicago. During her teen years, Maria worked alongside her family as migrant workers, traveling to different parts of Ohio following the crops. This experience left her with a deep understanding of people living in poverty. In Minnesota, Maria has served as the Coordinator for the Plainview Area Migrant Council and assisted with the Migrant Head Start program. She later worked for Wabasha County Social Services. Maria is currently employed by Kwik Trip and enjoys providing customer service to the community. Maria lives in Wabasha, MN and enjoys spending time with her daughter and three beautiful granddaughters. ​​​​​

Angela Boozhoo indiznekaaz. Zhaanganaashimong. Winona nindaa. Winona Minnesota, endaayan.  Angela is a member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.  She is a mother and grandmother.  She has worked in an educational setting for the past 7 years in varying capacities.  Currently is Chair for the American Indian parent Advisory Committee (AIPAC) for the Winona Area Public Schools.  Angela is a Minnesota Master Naturalist Volunteer and is participating in the Healing Forest Cohort to complete her Nature and Forest Therapy Guide certification.  She is interested in making our world a welcoming place by getting involved in community projects and activities which include that type of inclusive environment. She currently works as an independent consultant.

Tom is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and the University of Minnesota law school. He is an attorney with the Olmsted County Attorney's Office and represents the County Parks Department.  He was a Boy Scout and is a firm believer in the importance of the outdoors for youth.  Tom lives in Rochester and enjoys hiking, biking, paddling and camping.

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​Jasmyne has a degree in social work and was previously a social worker with Hennepin County Social Services and the director of Thrive Youth Services LLC, an organization working to provide compassionate foster care services to young boys and teens in Mounds View, MN. She is currently working for Metro Care Human Services, a culturally sensitive organization with the purpose of providing psychological and mental health services to diverse adult minority populations. Jasmyne participated in the very first Project Get Outdoors after school program while a 5th grader at Plainview-Elgin-Millville public schools.

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​Nicole Pokorney is the Program Director for Minnesota 4-H Outdoor Education Program where she leads and develops learning experiences for youth K through one year past high school which promote healthy lifestyles, mindfulness, and an active appreciation of the natural world. She is also the current Chair for the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education and has served on that Board for 3 years. She has three grown sons and a daughter-in-law, as well as a grandson, Luca! She lives in SE Minnesota with her husband and dog, Belle. She enjoys hiking, reading, and exploring new outdoor spaces.

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​Denine teaches 8th-grade Earth Science in the Plainview-Elgin-Millville school district. She lives in Winona, and has two grown children, Tristan and Danneka, who are the most important people in her life! She has an obsessive love for the Earth and enjoys rock collecting, looking to the stars, and teaching others about the Earth and its important systems. She currently also serves on the MESTA (Minnesota Earth Science Teachers Association) board and was chosen for NAGT (National Association of Geoscience Teachers) Outstanding Earth Science Teacher Award in 2017. She is committed to teaching Earth Science for future generations to appreciate and care for this incredible planet of ours! Go team Lorax!

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​“Nature is often overlooked as a healing balm for the emotional hardships in a child’s life.”

― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

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