Our Overnight Adventures Team
Meet our wonderful staff, each bringing their own unique knowledge and experience to Nature's Classroom Institute. All are CPR and First Aid trained, background checked and will undertake ongoing NCI training to ensure they deliver the best learning experience possible.
Wisconsin Team
Outreach Director
Carrie Benzinger
After joining our Montessori School in February 2018, Carrie also joined the NCI Lake Geneva WI team in October 2018. Carrie grew up in the Milwaukee area, is married, has 3 sons and currently lives in the Mukwonago area. She enjoys cooking, baking and spending time with her family. Carrie is interested in everything Nature’s Classroom Institute (and Montessori School) offers students and is eager to learn much more about the entire program. She loves working with our Wisconsin schools to handle all of the logistics for them. If you would like to book a field trip to Camp Lake Carrie will be your contact.
Education Director
Matt
Matt has been working in outdoor education since 2018 and has been teaching since 2014. Matt has worked in conservation landscaping, invasive management, and education. A native of northeast Tennessee, Matt received his undergraduate degree from UNC Greensboro in English and History, and his graduate degree from Goshen College in Environmental Education. In his spare time, Matt loves to read, to hike, to bird, and to watch movies. His favorite animal is the whale, his favorite color is purple, his favorite band is the Avett Brothers, and his favorite movie is the Lord of the Rings.
Environmental Educator
Jessica
​Jessica is from upstate New York and is a recent graduate of Binghamton University with a Bachelors in History and Biological Anthropology. She has spent her last 7 summers teaching swimming and the last 3 winters teaching skiing. She loves working with kids and discovering new things. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, biking, cooking and exploring nature.
Environmental Educator
PK
PK is from India and has been in the outdoors since 2018. She is always determined and dedicated towards her work and is always open to learning new things and extraordinary experiences. She loves cooking and traveling. She has worked and traveled in India and UAE and is now ready to go on an exciting journey with us.
Environmental Educator
Charlotte
Charlotte recently graduated Marquette University with a bachelor’s in Journalism and Social Welfare and Justice. She’s passionate about finding healthier and alternative ways to live and learn in synchronicity with the planet. During the last few years, she’s worked with Milwaukee community centers and a health clinic to help provide resources and education to Milwaukee kids. She enjoys video games, reading, and walking in the woods with her dogs.
Environmental Educator
John
John grew up in northern Illinois and has always had a love for the outdoors. His enthusiasm for nature was fueled by family hikes at the local state park and by programs put on by the county’s conservation district. When he finished college John went to work at a summer camp in Wisconsin. He enjoys the outdoors and wants to help others enjoy it too. When not teaching John enjoys writing, hiking, biking, canoeing, and exploring the world around him.
Environmental Educator
Jordan
Jordan is an educator from Rockville, Maryland. Before this, he worked odd jobs around the country, allowing him to work in towns and national parks in Alaska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. He discovered a love for outdoors activities and environmental education during his first summer in Alaska. Before working for NCI he worked at the Hillel at the University of Wisconsin.
Environmental Educator
Lauren
Lauren is from New Jersey, though she grew up exploring the Seattle area. She majored in English at the College of New Jersey, where she began and later elsewhere continued tutoring students in writing and SAT/ACT content. This sparked a love of teaching that led her to NCI. In her free time, Lauren enjoys hiking, reading, and writing books. She has traveled to New Zealand, Australia, and Alaska, and loved exploring the natural beauty of those places.
Texas and California Team
Outreach Director
Britta
Britta first discovered her love for nature while exploring the woods and creeks in her Texas hometown. Her passion for environmental education has led her to teach children in multiple, diverse ecosystems all over the world, including in Montessori classrooms from ages 1 through adolescence. Britta has been with NCI since 2015 and loves having the opportunity to ignite students' passion for learning, year after year.
Education Director
Prajeet
Prajeet, a Himalayan mountain guide and outdoor educator, seamlessly combines his passion for nature, adventure, and travel to ignite a profound love for the great outdoors in others. Beyond his adventurous pursuits, he delves into spirituality, maintains his fitness, and enjoys the occasional game of snooker. Prajeet is unwavering in his commitment to creating inclusive outdoor experiences, recognizing the transformative power of connecting with nature, where moments of reflection and realization abound.
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Environmental Educator
Torion
Torion Jones is from sunny San Diego,CA where he has a natural passion for the wonders of nature and an unconditional love for all people. Torion successfully obtained a BA in Behavioral science and a Masters in psychology where he primarily works with a different population of youth. However he has partaken in the realm of Environmental Education for six years on and off, not only changing lives but also changing into the best version of himself, broadening his horizons and expanding his consciousness. Torion enjoys surfing, traveling, reading, hiking, swimming, and biking as personal hobbies and ways to decompress or relax.
Environmental Educator
Dave
Dave is an outdoorsman from New Jersey, who studied wildlife management at SUNY Cobleskill. He spent the first part of his career traveling the country while working in the field with birds, moved to environmental education, and then taught middle school science for a stretch. He is now part of the NCI team and is thrilled to be back in the environment where he originally discovered his passion for education.
Environmental Educator
Rachel
Rachel is from Scotland and has always enjoyed the outdoors. This love blossomed during lockdown with nature walks becoming a solace for her. After graduating with a bachelors in medical science, Rachel worked in school for young people with additional support needs. This is how she discovered her passion for education and how it can be tailored to the individuality of every child. Rachel loves to read, enjoys creating different forms of art and spending time with friends and family.
Environmental Educator
Genevieve
Genevieve is a recent graduate of Coastal Carolina University (chants up!) with a Bachelor’s in marine science and a certificate in marine mammal biology from University of Alaska Anchorage. Her interest and love for nature and science came from growing up going to environmental education programs at her local parks. Now, she looks forward to helping a new generation learn to love and appreciate nature! In her free time she enjoys yoga, journaling, reading, and listening to music.
Florida Team
Outreach Director
Britta
Britta first discovered her love for nature while exploring the woods and creeks in her Texas hometown. Her passion for environmental education has led her to teach children in multiple, diverse ecosystems all over the world, including in Montessori classrooms from ages 1 through adolescence. Britta has been with NCI since 2015 and loves having the opportunity to ignite students' passion for learning, year after year.
Education Director
Jordan
Jordan is originally from Kentucky but lives in the UK now. He started at NCI in 2018 and stayed there for 3 years working as an instructor and a director for the Texas branch before making his move across the pond. He is so excited to be welcomed back for another season! Jordan fell in love with the outdoors at a young age and teaching about it has been a passion of his since he can remember. He is looking forward to getting to know your students and hopefully pass some of that love of the outdoors on to them. See you in Florida!
Environmental Educator
Tori
Growing up in rural North Carolina, Tori quickly developed a love of nature and a passion for being in it. After working with rehabilitated sea turtles, Tori discovered a call for teaching and educating the public on the environment. Tori found her passion for Environmental Education while working with children, and has continued to spread the love of nature everywhere she goes.
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Environmental Educator
Matheu
Growing up in North Alabama Matheu developed a deep passion for Wildlife and Nature. Graduating From Alabama A&M with a B.S. in Forestry he hopes to share his wealth of knowledge with all those he meets. Matheu continues to pursue his passion for the natural world through hiking, photography, and wildland firefighting.
Environmental Educator
Prajeet
Prajeet, a Himalayan mountain guide and outdoor educator, seamlessly combines his passion for nature, adventure, and travel to ignite a profound love for the great outdoors in others. Beyond his adventurous pursuits, he delves into spirituality, maintains his fitness, and enjoys the occasional game of snooker. Prajeet is unwavering in his commitment to creating inclusive outdoor experiences, recognizing the transformative power of connecting with nature, where moments of reflection and realization abound.
Environmental Educator
Lucy
Lucy grew up along the coast of California in a family full of naturalists. She spent her childhood exploring the beautiful redwood forests, grasslands, deserts, and seashores of her home state. She has brought her love for the natural world to all of her academic and professional pursuits. She studied Environmental Studies, Biology, and History at the University of California Santa Cruz. She is passionate about all things ecology-related, but particularly loves plants, Indigenous land stewardship, and habitat restoration.
Maryland and DC Team
Outreach Director
Austin Wood
Austin has been with Nature’s Classroom Institute since 2016, he has worked across all NCI states and believes he has the most important job in the world, reconnecting our future leaders to nature! He has brought his passion for education and the outdoors to Florida and soon Maryland. Austin started with us in Texas and then helped with the first California season. In 2018 Austin then moved to Florida to help develop the program in the sunshine state. D.C Field trips are next on his agenda as he continues to help the growth of NCI.
We would love you to explore the idea of working at one of our many sites as an Environmental Educator.