2024 NAGT Elections

Officer Candidates

Second Vice President: Lynsey LeMay

How have you been engaged with NAGT already?

My involvement with NAGT started more than a decade ago. I first got involved with NAGT through a 'Strengthening Your Geoscience Program' workshop. The next year I participated in 'The Role of Two-Year Colleges in Geoscience Education' workshop, where the idea of the Geo2YC division was first imaged. I was then part of the Geo2YC development committee and served as the divisions second President.  I've participated in many other workshops and webinars since then, including being a part of the Virginia team for the Supporting and Advancing Geoscience Education at the Two-Year College (SAGE2YC) program.  This year's Earth Educators Rendezvous will be the ninth EER that I've attended, where I've also had the pleasure of being one of the 'Preparing for an Academic Career' workshop leaders.  I was also privileged to be one of the EER co-conveners in 2019 and 2020, as well as serving in that capacity for this year's 10th anniversary EER.  Currently, I'm also serving as a Councilor-at-Large on the NAGT Executive Committee.

How does your engagement in NAGT and other professional experience/expertise inform your goals as a leader in NAGT?

NAGT, and it's many professional development opportunities, has truly been a transformational resource for me as a teacher and also as a leader.  It is through NAGT many strong professional relationships have been forged, and I've been fortunate to have great mentors who are also involved in NAGT.  My involvement with NAGT has helped me to be better informed of best teaching practices, and has created opportunities to develop my own teaching materials with the help of expert colleagues.  Professional development through NAGT and other sources has exposed me to leadership style assessments, and allowed me to lead in a variety of ways, providing avenues to hone skills and my own leadership style while also being in an environment to get meaningful and honest feedback.  Developing leadership is integrated in all that NAGT does, all while supporting high quality earth education, providing support at all career stages, and intentionally infusing equitable and inclusive practices.  NAGT resources and opportunities truly are models of best practices.  My engagement with NAGT has greatly influenced my own leadership development, and through the high-quality experiences NAGT provides, my goals as a leader are to also model what has been so greatly modeled for me!

Secretary/Treasurer: Mike Phillips

How have you been engaged with NAGT already?

My engagement with NAGT began when I began teaching full-time at a community college. Reading the Journal of Geoscience Education helped me understand what might work (and what might not work) in the classroom.  I then learned of the Cutting Edge Workshop series and began attending them to further enhance my teaching.  I discovered that NAGT was a friendly and supportive community of geoscience educators and became more engaged in supporting the organization.  I have co-led workshops, reviewed Teach The Earth modules, served as a member and chair of the Advocacy Committee, and served as a Councilor-At-Large on the Executive Committee.  Since 2020, I have served as NAGT's Secretary-Treasurer.

How does your engagement in NAGT and other professional experience/expertise inform your goals as a leader in NAGT?

I recognize the importance of NAGT in providing professional development activities, peer-reviewed research, and a community of practice in geoscience education because I have taken advantage of all of these aspects over the course of my career.  I work on the Advocacy Committee because I have been politically active my entire life and have participated in geoscience and education advocacy at the local, state, and federal level throughout my career through multiple organizations including the Geological Society of America, the American Geophysical Union, and my Labor Union. I think it is important for NAGT to participate in advocacy because we have a unique perspective to offer.

Councilor-at-Large (through 2027): Brendan Hanger

How have you been engaged with NAGT already?

As with many earth educators my first exposure to NAGT was through the Teach the Earth website and its' amazing resources, and this led me to attend my first Earth Educators' Rendezvous in Albuquerque (2017) and also participate in my first Teach the Earth Activity Review Camp. This convinced me that NAGT was the right professional home for me and I have since broadened my engagement in multiple settings. Currently, I am a member of the Professional Development Committee and also lead the Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences workshop at EER. Additionally, I have been reviewing for Teach the Earth every year since 2017, and also for the Teaching with Online Field Experiences project in 2020 to support field education during COVID. Other past service has included the ad-hoc committee that realigned the regional sections in 2022-23, the planning committee for the 2019 and 2020 EERs and as secretary-treasurer on the Mid-Continent Section from 2017-20, along with attending the EER since 2017.

How does your engagement in NAGT and other professional experience/expertise inform your goals as a leader in NAGT?

I see NAGT as my primary professional society and I have had a wide range of experiences within the organization over the last seven years (EER, Teach the Earth, sections, Professional Development Committee). As an academic moving from early to mid-career I see the opportunity to become involved in the Executive Committee as a chance to bring this wide range of experience to the leadership and become more involved in the governance of the association and share my knowledge. I would like to see NAGT become a stronger organization that becomes more visible to people teaching geoscience who are not already involved, especially those who use Teach the Earth, and also continue as the welcoming, friendly group that it is.

Outside of NAGT I have been teaching at two different institutions (Colorado School of Mines and Oklahoma State University) where I have been involved in curriculum development, field camp leadership and professional development. I have also attending various workshops related to teaching field geology and petrology in recent years. I am also a current member of GSA, AGU and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and have previously been involved with the Geological Society of Australia, Australasian Universities Geoscience Education Network and Geochemical Society.

Councilor-at-Large (through 2027): Sean Tvelia

How have you been engaged with NAGT already?

I first became engaged with NAGT in 2014 as a result of a workshop I proposed and co-led through the SAGE 2YC project titled "Best Practices in Teaching Geosciences: Supporting Student Success at Two-Year Colleges." This program was the first time faculty from around the region from both two-year and four-year institutions were brought together to discuss issues specifically related to 2YC students—and was the start of a two-year/four-year partnership that continues today. Since then I have served as president of the Geo2YC division, chaired the professional development committee, served on the EER planning committee, serve as an active facilitator for the Traveling Workshop, and currently serve on the ad hoc Sections committee.

How does your engagement in NAGT and other professional experience/expertise inform your goals as a leader in NAGT?

As a two-year college professor, I often work to bridge the gap between K-12, higher ed, and professional careers to ensure students have what they need at all levels to be successful in the geosciences. Growing the next generation of geoscience professionals requires that students at all levels know and understand the opportunities that exist for them and that teachers, at all levels, have the skills and resources to inspire and encourage students to enter the field. As a leader in NAGT, my goal is to encourage communication and cooperation across the educational pipeline to create inclusive, thriving environments for geoscience educators and the students we serve.

Councilor-at-Large (through 2025): Alex Manda

How have you been engaged with NAGT already?

As an executive committee member of the NAGT, I have had the pleasure of chairing the Membership committee of the organization. Additionally, I have served as the liaison for the southeastern section of NAGT. As a leader in NAGT, I have focused my efforts in developing strategies to engage current membership, and to increase the membership of the NAGT through different initiatives and activities. Being part of the executive committee has allowed me to better understand the challenges (e.g., expanding membership) and opportunities (community building and engagement) that the organization faces.

How does your engagement in NAGT and other professional experience/expertise inform your goals as a leader in NAGT?

My goal for NAGT is to help build a dynamic and inclusive community that empowers educators at different institutions and levels to inspire the next generation of geoscientists. I am committed to using my experience and expertise in NAGT and my professional career to lead the organization towards achieving this goal, while ensuring that our collective efforts have a lasting impact on the geoscience community.