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Meet Our Team

Dr. Chiara D'amore, Executive DirectOr

Chiara D’Amore, Ph.D. (she/her) is the founder of the Community Ecology Institute. She holds a M.S. in Environmental Science and Engineering and a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education. She has worked as an environmental consultant and educator for more than 20 years. Her overarching focus is on promoting the benefits of time spent in nature on personal, social, and ecological well-being  She is dedicated to helping create a healthy, beautiful and abundant future where people and nature thrive together.
ROOTS & WINGS LEARNING COMMUNITY DIRECTOR

Lindsay Kreisher

Lindsay (she/her) is an experienced educator with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution and a Master of Arts Degree in Education. She is dedicated to serving the community through youth programming that promotes independent learning, creativity and environmental stewardship. Lindsay utilizes her trainings in restorative practices when designing educational environments and has experience working with diverse populations, including at-risk youth and those in the criminal justice system. 
GREEN SEEDS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM LEAD

Nicki Sanders

Nicki (she/her) brings more than  20 years of nonprofit experience  and expertise to the leadership of CEI's high school and college internship program. Nicki has managed program expansion, led curriculum development, and served as the main point of contact for service collaborations, partnerships, and programming requests and provided direct support to children and families. Nicki has a Bachelor's in Sociology and a Master's of Social Work with a specialization in Social Action and Community Development. 
OPERATIONS MANAGER

Jonathan McKinney

Jonathan (he/him) serves as our Operations Manager. His life’s mission is to help people find the power of their voice, the value of their presence, and the overall strength of community. Jonathan comes to CEI through his work with the National NAACP and our local NAACP Howard County Branch’s garden. He is an activist, small business owner, and an author, but most of all, he is a human that believes that we all have unlimited potential.
FARM MANAGER

Justin Chen

 Justin (he/him) serves as CEI's farm & volunteer coordinator through the AmeriCorps program. He graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor’s in Spanish and Government and subsequently worked on various global public health projects. After several amazing farming experiences, he's excited to join the Freetown Farm family to engage volunteers and organizations with the common goal to improve the health of our communities.
COMMUNITY OF FAMILIES IN NATURE (CFIN) LEAD

SARA Smith

Sara (she/her) is a classically trained, eclectically minded educator who has worked in daycare, public school, and within the home-school community.   She joined the CEI team for the 2019-2020 school year as a teacher with Roots and Wings and then became a CFIN event leader in 2022.  In 2023, she stepped in to her current role as the Program Coordinator of CEI's Family Nature Club - a Community of Families in Nature (CFIN) .
NOURISHING GARDENS MANAGER

Loni Cohen

Loni (she/her) serves as CEI's Nourishing Gardens Program Coordinator. Loni has been a long-time CFIN program participant and completed the CEI Nourishing Gardens training program in 2022. She brings a passion for community development, specifically cultivating a safe, supportive, and healthy environment that promotes the wellbeing of all life. Loni has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work. 
ROOTS & WINGS TA & YOUTH GARDEN MANAGER

DANA BELANGER

Dana (she/her) carries a Master's Degree in Environmental Studies where she focused on ecotherapy and the intersections of mental health and sustainability. Much of her professional work has been in educational settings and non-profits, largely working with young adults with intellectual disabilities, previously having developed and taught a program to strengthen soft skills and skills for transitioning to the workplace and independent living for 26 individuals. She has worked in schools with K-8 students. Dana opts for hiking, working with horses, and making poetry in her free time. ​
ROOTS & WINGS HIGH-SCHOOL PROJECT MENTOR

FRANKIE DAVIDSON

Frankie (she/her) is a lifelong lover of nature and the outdoors, promoter of native plants, and student of primitive skills, She is a passionate educator who believes things are best learned by getting as hands-on as possible. In her spare time, she can be found on her family farm gardening and hanging out with her dog, Fang. For the last 12 years, she has taught science and history at various local homeschool co-ops and enrichment programs for various age groups. Other hobbies include playing D and D, reading, and crafts. She has three kids, 21, 16, and 12.
MD CORPS MEMBER

aidan hale

Aidan joined the CEI team through the Maryland Corps Service Year, looking for a job that allowed him to be outside and working with nature. He will be working to support our garden and facilities work at Freetown Farm and the Green Farmacy Garden. Aidan is looking forward to learning more about growing food and starting a garden. A fun fact about Aidan is he lives next to a tree farm that he enjoys hiking through and observing to see what's growing.
WORKSHOPS, FIELD TRIPS, AND RENTALS COORDINATOR

ANGELA NICHOLS

​Angela (she/her) first joined CEI as a volunteer at Freetown Farm, is a graduate of our Nourishing Gardens program, and now gets to combine her years of creative and administrative experience all in one role as a part of our team! She's taught knew skills, creative arts, and cooking (among other fun topics) to children and adults in church, retail settings, and with Girl Scouts! She loves to cook, hike, grow things, paddle board, read, create, and bring people together.​
ROOTS & WINGS ART INSTRUCTOR

SHIREN TEHRANI

​Shiren is an artist, mother, health & wellness coach, certified daycare provider and homeschooling mama. She believes we all hold inside what is needed to create anything we put our mind to. She has been working with and caring for children and adults for 14+ years as a teacher, special needs supporter and nurse.  She is a certified beauty/special effects makeup & prosthetic artist and has experience in photography, painting, graffiti, and sculpting. She incorporates mindfulness and attention to detail in all her teachings and believes everyone can have an “artist eye”.
ROOTS & WINGS INSTRUCTOR & CFIN EVENT LEADER

CHELSEA CLARK

Chelsea (she/her) has been the Columbia Families in Nature "Seedlings" leader since 2015.  She has her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development with a focus in Child Life, has worked as a Child Life Specialist, and has extensive knowledge of developmentally appropriate activities for young children, ways to help caregivers promote healthy development, and maintaining a safe space during exploration.​ With Roots & Wings she focuses on classes for our younger learners that explore the garden and forest ecosystems at Freetown Farm.
ROOTS & WINGS TA

Keri Eastridge

Keri (she/her) is an experienced educator with a Master of Arts Degree in Theatre. With a firm belief that theatre transcends the stage, she is dedicated to pioneering innovative approaches to infuse drama seamlessly into diverse educational settings. Her passion lies in creating inclusive environments where students not only learn about theatre, but also discover profound connections to their own lives and the world around them. With a commitment to nurturing both creativity and compassion, Keri strives to empower learners to explore, express, and embrace their unique narratives through the transformative lens of theatrical arts. 
ROOTS & WINGS ASSISTANT (BULBS)

RIAN HART

Rian has a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's in public policy. Between her studies, she lived overseas as a Peace Corps volunteer working with child-focused non-profits. For the last seven years, she has volunteered with Girl Scouts as a troop leader. ​
UMD IMPACT INTERN

purita sandi

Purita (she/her) is an upcoming junior at the University of Maryland, majoring in Landscape Architecture and is excited to be interning with CEI this summer at Freetown Farm. She is taking the opportunity to learn more about plant life, and environmental concerns, and hopes to expand her knowledge of sustainable practices concerning landscape designs.
ROOTS & WINGS ASSISTANT (BULBS)

sarah thober

Sarah (she/her) has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Master credit hours in Curriculum Development. She has taught with the JHU Center for Talented Youth and worked at the Cambridge school of Baltimore as a fifth-grade teacher. ​​
CHESAPEAKE CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CORPS MEMBER

ADI DANIELS

Adi (she/they) is a member of the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps program and will be joining CEI as a volunteer coordinator during her service year. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and French and has previously worked at other non-profits focused on regenerative agriculture and refugee services.  
Adi's favorite vegetables are green bell peppers and broccoli 🥦 . A fun fact about her is that she has lived in three different states and visited over half the states in the continental US. 
COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR AND FARM STEWARD

CHRISTY FERGUSON

Christy (she/her) joined the CEI team through the Chesapeake Conservation Corps in 2021 and is now a full-time staff member. Christy has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and Geography.  ​In addition to her work at Freetown Farm, which is focused on increasing the presence of beautiful native plant species, she will be helping to manage CEI's communications and outreach activities, including preparing for our wide array of community events and educational workshops. ​
CFIN EVENT LEADER

CECILIA ITUARTE

Cecilia is a native Spanish speaker and has over 20 years of experience teaching dance and sharing her passion for movement and music. She trained with the Royal Academy of Dance in Classical Dance with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance in Modern Dance and she holds an Associate Diploma as a Ballet teacher. In addition to dance, she has a passion for creativity, she is a professional graphic designer having gotten her degree from the school of Design of the National Institute of Fine Arts; she loves yoga (and is a Kidding Around Yoga teacher), nature, art and kids.
AGROECOLOGY COORDINATOR

SIMON SAUVAGEAU

Simon (they/he) joined the CEI team through the Chesapeake Conservation Corps in 2022 and has since transitioned into our Agroecology Coordinator. They have a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Franklin & Marshall College where they led research projects in urban ecology and geomorphology. During their year with us in the corps Simon was able to explore the relationship between agriculture and ecology and how their connection can promote healthier, more resilient communities.
Simon's fun fact is that the Freetown Farm chickens love them 🐔
CFIN EVENT LEADER AND NOURISHING GARDENS SPECIALIST

ZANETA TRENT

Zaneta (she/her) became a part of our community as a part of our first Nourishing Gardens program. She has joined our team to help with our efforts to create ecologically beneficial food growing gardens both at Freetown Farm and the community. She is also a part of our CFIN team, with a focus on nature-based art experiences. Zaneta has a degree in Health Education with an emphasis in Community Wellness and is a mother and educator with over 10 years of experience advocating for people with disabilities.
MD CORPS MEMBER

erik van den valentyn

Erik (he/they) has joined the CEI team through the Maryland Corps Service Year. They serve as an Educational Program and Facilities Assistant around both Freetown and the Green Farmacy Garden, along with working closely with Loni in our Nourishing Gardens program. Erik has commitment to sustainability and restoration of the natural environment, He loves to see people, plants, and animals thrive together. A fun fact about Erik is that he never spent much time in nature as a child, but that is where you'll find them normally now!