your Board of Directors

Diane Ripollone

Raleigh, North Carolina

High School Teacher (37yrs)

Prior Profession:
Science Educator

Expertise:

Accomplishments:

Mentor- American Meteorological Society

Education Program and AMS's Datastreme CAT certified
SOFIA 2022 NASA Airborne Ambassador

Astronomy, and Robotics programs at current campus.

Angela (Angie) Rizzi

Hampton, VA

My NASA Data Task Lead, NASA Langley Research Center

Prior Profession:
MS Science & HS ESS Teacher (10 yrs)

Expertise:

Accomplishments:
Contributing author—My NASA Data

Mentor for student air quality investigations— student project presented at AGU
Webinar series: Investigating GLOBE Air Quality from the Ground, to Clouds to Satellites

Kimberley "No-Jo" Norris-Jones

Columbia, SC

ES, Environmental, Chemistry Teacher

(15 years)

Prior Profession:
Army LTC (retired)

Expertise:
ESS advocacy & Beauty/Artistry of Earth

Accomplishments:

2019 SC ES-Teacher of the Year

Diane Tom-Ogata

Honolulu, HI

High School STEM Capstone, Marine Science, Biology, Physics, Physical Science (16 yrs)

Prior Profession:
Early Childhood Education (8.5 yrs)
K-3 Elementary (2 yrs)

Expertise:
Integrated Culture/Place-base STEM

Accomplishments:

2018 Outstanding ES Teacher - Far Western Section
2019 Polynesian Voyaging Society STEM Wa'a Camp

Parker O. Pennington IV

Ann Arbor, MI

NESTA & MESTA Board / E-News Editor /
Rock Raffle Specialist (35 yrs)

Prior Profession:
MS, HS, & C. College ES / Environmental (30 yrs)

Expertise:
Leading Summer field conferences

Accomplishments:

Presented w/ my 9th grade ES teacher
(Dave Mastie) at conferences for decades

ES workshops—various levels

MI state supervisor MSO rock,
mineral & fossil event (20 years)

Randall Sanders

Wallington, NJ
HS Teacher AP Environmental Science, Chemistry, STEM Explorations (6 Years)

Prior Profession:
Quality Control Manager for Airplane Parts Company

Expertise:
Land and Water Use, Climate Change

Accomplishments:
2015 GSA, National Conference,
Best Student Paper

Ardis Herrold

Oro Valley, AZ

Education Specialist, Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Prior Profession:

HS & part time college teacher (38 yrs)
ES, geology, chemistry, astronomy, & ran district planetarium

Expertise:

Developing free online interactive astronomy activities (authentic data) for Rubin Observatory

Accomplishments:

Past President of NESTA & MESTA

Built/used radio telescopes w/ students—Radio Astronomy team (RATs)

 Professional Development (30+ years)

Peg Steffen

Iowa City, Iowa

Curriculum Writer

Prior Profession:
MS / HS Science teacher (25 yrs)

Program Manager—NASA & NOAA education (18 yrs)

Expertise:
Climate science, ESS, NGSS professional development

Accomplishments:

Designer/manager—NASA Explorer School

NOAA National Ocean Service Education Coordinator

NOAA Planet Stewards project lead

Joe Monaco

Highland, CA

Retired

Prior Profession:
ES teacher (37 years)

Expertise:

Geology & Astronomy

Accomplishments:

JOIDES Resolution;

Space Camp

David Thesenga

Erie, CO

HS Science Teacher (24 yrs)

ES, Physics, Engineering, Robotics

Prior Profession:
Geophysical engineer

Expertise:
Big data & Data visualization

Accomplishments:

Einstein Fellow - Washington DC, NSF Geoscience Directorate

PolarTREC Teacher\Researcher, Ross Ice Shelf Antarctica

NAGT Earth Science Teacher of the Year