Sarah received her Bachelor's degree in Biology in 1988, then a Master's degree in 1994 in Cell and Molecular Biology, both from the University of Wyoming. Though born in Colorado, Sarah wishes that her mother, a Wyoming native, would at least have had the courtesy to drive to Cheyenne to deliver her, as she believes there is no better place on earth than the Cowboy State. Sarah enjoys a variety of outdoor pursuits, as well as jewelry-making, reading and talking things into the ground. She lives in Sheridan with her husband and son.
Barbara Masoner - Instructor
Barbara has shared her enthusiasm for nature with children for over two decades. Her undergraduate degree is in Environmental Interpretation from Colorado State University. She was director for the Vail Nature Center for ten years. For the past six years she has lead school groups as a volunteer for the Audubon Society of Greater Denver after completing ASGD’s Master Birder course. Barbara has taught for Thorne Ecological Institute’s summer camps (Science Kid's Colorado equivalent) for the past 4 years. Prior to that she was a volunteer assistant.
Dusty Downey - Instructor
Dusty Downey is a senior Community Naturalists for Audubon Wyoming. Dusty, who was born and raised on a ranch in Northeast Wyoming, graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. After college, he worked a variety of jobs including ground fish observer in Alaska’s Bering Sea, biological technician for the U.S. Forest Service in the Greater Yellowstone, and marine biology instructor on Catalina Island where he met his wife Jacelyn. Before coming to Audubon, Dusty was involved with the direction and coordination of education programs as the Marine Education Associate for the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and served as the Education Coordinator of the Cache Creek Nature Preserve in Woodland, CA. He brings his teaching experience and love for children to the position as he strives to give Wyoming students high quality education programs.
Emily Emond - Instructor
Emily grew up in Crystal, MN just outside Minneapolis. She received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from Hamline University in 2000 and immediately began working on her Master's in Education. In the spring of 2010, Emily completed her thesis on outdoor exploration and it's impact on science learning in the classroom. Emily and her husband, Jason, moved West in 2003 for a job opportunity. They love living in the Cowboy state and taking advantage of all of the amazing outdoor activities Wyoming has to offer. Emily has been teaching 5-8 grade science at Holy Name School for seven years and ice skating lessons during the winter months.
Jacelyn Downey - Instructor
Jacelyn Downey lives on a ranch near Keyhole Lake with her husband and serves as a senior Community Naturalist for Wyoming. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Science degree in aquatic biology. She has a very diverse employment history that includes teaching marine biology at the Catalina Island Marine Institute, managing a lodge in Alaska, working as an Aquarist in the husbandry department for the New Orleans Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, and working as a veterinary technician near Davis, CA. Jacelyn’s passion and enthusiasm for nature is matched only by the depth of her experiences. As one of the Community Naturalists, Jacelyn hopes to connect the community with the amazing flora and fauna of the region. Her mission is to protect our way of life while preserving the integrity of our natural system.
Sam Singer - Instructor
Sam grew up exploring the high desert outside of Yerington Nevada. College brought him to the deciduous forests of the east coast where he became interested in astronomy and outdoor science education. After completing his bachelors degree in physics and astronomy at Hampshire College and teaching outdoor science for another year in Massachusetts at Nature's Classroom, Sam moved back out West and began his master's degree at the Teton Science Schools in Jackson Wyoming. He finished his master's degree in Natural Science and Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming and then returned to the Teton Science Schools to mentor outdoor educators. Sam has led backpacking trips for teenagers in the Sierra Nevada, Olympic, and Grand Teton ranges. Sam is currently working on his Ph.D. in Science Education at the University of Wyoming. His research is focused on how people from different backgrounds develop a connection with nature.
Joel Pontius - Instructor
Joel Pontius lives in the Laramie Valley with his wife, Laura, where he works as a writer and educator. He is a lifelong naturalist and outdoorsman who loves to explore nature with people of all walks of life. He has worked throughout Wyoming guiding and teaching ecology for groups like Natural Habitat Adventures, the University of Wyoming and Teton Science School’s Wildlife Expeditions. Lately, while pursuing his Ph.D. in Science Education, he has contributed to local education by developing and facilitating nature-based curricula as a science education consultant to the Albany County School
District. If he’s not teaching or writing, you can find him fly fishing, watching birds, bugs, or whatever else he happens to find, playing jazz or shooting his bow.
Annie Bergman - Instructor
Annie Bergman holds degrees in forest biology (B.S., Syracuse University, College of Environmental Science & Forestry), wildlife ecology (M.S., University of Massachusetts), and environmental physiology (Ph.D., University of Wyoming). In a previous life, she worked at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, on field ecology studies at NY Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and on woodcock, moose and acid-rain studies at the University of Maine. She has co-directed a summer camp in the Berkshires, coordinated programs, exhibits and animal care at the Laramie Children’s Museum & Nature Center, and taught lab courses in Zoology & Physiology at UW. Last summer she helped teach high school teachers in Magadi, Kenya how to collect field data on fish, birds, invertebrates, and water quality. Annie is a board member of the Wyoming Association for Environmental Education and is the Project Coordinator currently working on an environmental literacy plan for WY. She has been involved with informal environmental education for the past 10 years, focusing on water ecology, nature art, and gardening. She lives in Laramie, WY with her husband and daughter and in her spare time, enjoys playing outdoors, photography and graphic arts, travelling, and trying out new recipes. Her passion though is encouraging kids to get their feet wet and their hands dirty and, to explore their great Wyoming ‘backyards’.
Julie Davidson - Instructor
Julie was born and raised in Sheridan, and graduated from Big Horn High School in 1994. Although she lived in Indiana, Oregon & Montana, and pursued studies in athletic training, gender studies, land resources & environmental sciences, and writing; she eventually made her way back to Sheridan in 2004. She owned/managed Big Horn Mountain Sports, in Sheridan's Historic Downtown, for 7 years. Julie is involved with numerous volunteer organizations. She relishes any opportunity to educate Sheridan County's youth in flyfishing as well as many other outdoor endeavors! Julie lives in Sheridan with her husband.
Arin Waddell - Instructor
Arin Waddell is a professional fine artist and mother who moved back to Sheridan, Wyoming a year ago. Waddell was raised on a Black Angus cattle ranch in south central Montana by an artist and a psychology professor. She has 3 degrees in art: a B.A. from Hamilton College in New York; an M.A. from California State University Chico; and an M.F.A. from the University of Texas San Antonio. Arin has taught art at the college and university level in Montana, Wyoming and at a public charter K-9 school in Arizona. Her art work has been exhibited in over 120 art shows throughout the west since 1990. The Buffalo Bill Museum of Art in Cody has 2 of her paintings in their permanent collection. Waddell is married to John M. Heyneman, Jr. and they have 3 children under 10. They all enjoy their 14 chickens, a weedy and wild garden, 1 huge, fluffy dog and a bouquet of beautiful friends.
