The REEF Education Advisory Panel (EAP) is a group of volunteer educators who contribute to REEF’s education efforts and programs by providing feedback and insight. It consists of educational leaders from both formal and informal settings. The panelists serve a wide range of ages and user groups, have experience using REEF's programs in their educational activities and/or participating in REEF's Ocean Explorers programming, and/or have relevant experience such as incorporating citizen science into formal/informal education, developing marine science curricula, and working with group travel programs. The EAP serves to provide a robust review and input to the Ocean Explorers Program and advance citizen science participation. The goals of the panel are:

  • Provide guidance to REEF education staff on current Ocean Explorer and other education program priorities
  • Support a forum for lessons learned and best practices with regard to incorporating REEF programs and/or data into formal and informal settings
  • Serve as a test-bed for existing and proposed REEF education products
  • Advise on standard alignment requirements, and provide guidance to current educational practices
  • Deliver constructive and effective feedback, develop innovative curricula, and advocate for student needs, learning methods, and accommodations.

 

Are you an educator interested in joining the EAP?

Your experience and knowledge is a valuable tool to share. REEF recognizes the busy nature of an educational professional and appreciates your time in this endeavor. This leadership position will be recognized through social media, e-News and at volunteer recognition events. As an EAP member, you will work collaboratively and cooperatively with REEF's education staff and will stay updated on the latest scientific data and how to share it with their audience. Your passion for marine conservation will be amplified by the far-reaching effect of educating others. The EAP meets quarterly for virtual sessions, and opportunistically in-person at conferences and events. Email us at explorers@REEF.org to find out more.

 

2025-2026 Education Advisory Panel Members 

 

Jennifer Donahue has worked in libraries since 1998, as a public librarian, and for the past 17 years as a librarian at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is co-founder and co-moderator of St. Xavier’s first Marine Biology Club. Jennifer has also been a member of Newport Aquarium's Dive Team since 2004, and a volunteer diver for the Cincinnati Zoo since 2015. Jennifer has logged over 1,000 hours as a volunteer, cleaning and maintaining habitats for sharks, hippos, manatees and penguins. Jennifer was a 2023 REEF Educator in the Field Fellow.

Amy Reber is a Principal Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology at Georgia State University where she teaches a variety of courses focused on organismal biology and marine ecology. She earned her BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her PhD in Biology from Georgia State University. She is a strong supporter of experiential learning and is always looking for opportunities to get her students out of the classroom and into the ocean. Since 2017 she has co-led small groups of Georgia State students in field experiences in Florida Keys as part of the REEF Ocean Explorers Education Program.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Selina Heppell is a Professor of Fisheries Science and Head of the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University who is passionate about science communication and diversifying science through inclusive activities that “demystify” the important work that we do. She earned her degrees in Zoology at University of Washington, North Carolina State University, and Duke University. Her research on sea turtle conservation planning and marine fisheries ecology has connected her with many agencies and people around the world. Selina has been a diver since 1985 and became a marine educator while volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium as a teenager.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Lauren Twele is currently an Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Utilities department of Pinellas County, Florida. Lauren is a graduate of The University of Tampa where she earned a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology and a minor in Education. Having always been passionate about conservation education and inspiring youth to protect our aquatic habitats, she has worked at several organizations as a science instructor including Tampa Bay Watch, The Florida Aquarium, and Seacamp Association, Inc., and also has experience as a first mate on eco-tourism boats around the Tampa Bay area. In her free time, you can find her helping assist scuba classes as a divemaster, dog sitting, paddle boarding, and hiking through America’s national parks.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Stephen Kos is a dual-certified, K-12 licensed educator who teaches middle school STEAM classes in New York City.  He earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from American University in Washington, D.C., but just as importantly, became a PADI-certified scuba diver there!  Each summer, he seeks out place-based learning opportunities to bring back new knowledge and perspectives for his students – and go for a few dives.  This year, he joined researchers at the Pacuare Reserve in Costa Rica to learn about sea turtle conservation, helping collect eggs for protection and monitoring for hatchlings to release by night.  A Math for America Master Teacher, Academy for Teachers mentor, and Urban Advantage Fellow, Stephen loves to work with other educators as much as with his students! Stephen is a 2025 REEF Educator in the Field Fellow.

Laura Jim is a seasoned educator at Hawaiʻi Preparatory Academy on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. As Co-Director of HPA’s Sea Turtle Research and Stranding Program, she teaches SCUBA, Coral Reef Ecology, Vertebrate and Invertebrate Zoology, and conducts sea turtle research both in Hawaii and internationally. Additionally, she assists in stranding efforts for sea turtles on Hawaii Island, coordinates the West Hawai’i Fishing Line Recycling Program, and supports various independent student projects on marine-based topics and issues. Whether professionally or personally, she dedicates her time to exploring the ocean and inspiring current and future generations to be engaged stewards of our blue planet.

Erin Schmidt has been teaching biology and ecology at Totino-Grace High School in Fridley, Minnesota for the past 21 years. This year she was awarded the NABT Outstanding Biology Teacher for Minnesota. She is a 2023 National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, a 2022 Fund for Teachers Fellow, a 2017 Ecology Project International Teacher Fellow and Earthwatch Project Kindle Fellow. Erin loves to bring her personal experience of the natural world back to her classroom and uses storytelling and citizen science to help her students develop an explorer mindset. When she’s not in the classroom, you can find her scuba diving, wakesurfing and spending time on the lake with her husband and two sons.  

Paul Terkelsen is a middle and elementary school science teacher for the City of Springfield, Massachusetts where he serves on the staff of the ECOS program. ECOS is one of the oldest, publicly funded, outdoor environmental education programs in the United States. He has seventeen years of experience teaching science to students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Paul is a lover of all outdoor activities, when he is not teaching and has been a REEF member since 2016.

Todd Bohannon was born in Jacksonville, Florida, but grew up in Bellevue, Washington since the age of four. They received a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from The Evergreen State College in 1997 and a Master’s in Teaching from Antioch University-Seattle in 2002. Todd has worked as an educator in the greater Seattle area for over 20 years, working exclusively in small, public, alternative schools, also known as option schools. They have also worked extensively in environmental education for nearly three decades, which includes leading numerous trips of middle school students to the Peruvian Amazon with No Barriers Youth. Todd has been working as a REEF Grouper Moon Educator and Curriculum Designer for the Grouper Moon Project since 2011.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Katie McCarthy teaches Environmental Science & Environmental Engineering for grade 11 for New York City Public Schools at Sunset Park High School. She is a graduate of Fairfield University and pursued her Master’s Degree in Teaching Biology from New York University and began her teaching career in Brooklyn, NY in 2011. She is a nature enthusiast and part of a Climate Education Leadership Team, a volunteer with the Wildlife Conservation Society, and a SCUBA diver. She was recently awarded her third 4-year fellowship as a Math for America Master Teacher. Katie is a 2024 REEF Educator in the Field Fellow.

Stacy Trosin is a veteran science educator with over 20 years experience in Pinckney, Michigan.  For the past 15 years, she has taught Biology, Honors Biology, AP Biology, and AP Environmental Science. In 2022–2023, Stacy was honored as Michigan Teacher of the Year for Region 8, an experience that included presenting to the State Board of Education on advancing scientific literacy. Nationally, Stacy serves as an AP Biology consultant for the College Board, further expanding her professional impact. A longtime member of the Michigan Science Teachers Association, Stacy has presented at its annual conference for the past three years and currently serves on the board of directors. Stacy has degrees from the University of Michigan-Flint, Eastern Michigan University and Clemson University (Fall 2025).
Luca Graziano was born and raised in Naples, Italy, where his passion for the sea and marine life started at a young age. After completing his BSc in Biological Sciences at the University of Naples Federico II, he began working as an environmental and snorkeling guide in the Marine Protected Area of Punta Campanella, leading tours with schools, teenagers, and travelers and sharing his love for marine life. He then continued my studies in Marine Biology at the University of Pisa and completed a Master’s degree in Biology of Extreme Environments at Federico II, focusing on unique marine ecosystems, including the deep sea, hydrothermal vents, and submarine volcanoes, developing a deep fascination for these harsh environments and the life forms adapted to them. Looking ahead, he is motivated to contribute to marine conservation, science communication, and research, with the hope of making the ocean’s hidden worlds better known and better protected. Luca is a 2025 REEF Educator in the Field Fellow.

Claudia Horn is a music teacher in a K-8 school in Aurora, Colorado, where she also leads the Quest For Oceans Club for middle school students. Claudia has been a recreational diver since 2006 and loves to share her enthusiasm for the ocean environment with her students. She volunteers as a Pathway Guide at the Downtown Aquarium in Denver, continuing to learn about ocean life, while enjoying the informal nature of educating visitors at the aquarium.