Nature Camp Staff
SARAH STREW
MEET SARAH
Sarah has been the Director for Nature Camp and Adult Programs at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science since 2014. Sarah feels deeply connected to VINS, and its camp program specifically, as she can recall being a VINS camper when the organization was at its original site in Woodstock, Vermont
During college, Sarah spent summers as a counselor and backpacking instructor at an overnight camp in Fairlee, returning eventually to manage the camp-craft department. For four years, she moved between Big Sky, Montana, where she taught skiing, and Hartford, Vermont, where she held various positions with VINS as a Lead Counselor for camp and also as an Environmental Education Intern, providing educational programs at the Nature Center as well as handling and training the raptors.
Prior to stepping into her current position, Sarah was involved with various educational efforts in the Upper Valley. She earned her MS in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England where she concentrated in Education. Sarah loves living in the Upper Valley and the lifestyle it affords her. She is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, gardening in the summer, and hiking with her dogs all year round.
KELLY MARQUA
MEET KELLY
Kelly has been a Nature Camp and Family Programming Coordinator at VINS since 2025. Before joining the team, she was a STEM Educator and Nature Camp Supervisor with the Montshire Museum of Science. She is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher with specialty training in accessibility, trauma-informed practices, and children's yoga.
Kelly enjoys creating fun and welcoming programs for families and children that help them connect with each other and the natural world. She feels incredibly honored to be part of VINS and lucky to be able to do what she loves most, working with children outdoors.
MADISON ALDERMAN
MEET MADISON
Madison is a born and raised Vermonter who grew up playing in the woods and exploring nature. As a child, she visited VINS on school field trips and has always loved the mission of VINS, connecting people with the importance and beauty of the natural world. This will be her fourth year working at VINS Nature Camp.
She earned her B.S in Biology from Castleton University where she worked as a tutor and lab TA for several courses in the Castleton Natural Sciences Department. She studied a wide variety of wildlife including insects, arachnids, salamanders, birds and mammals. In her spare time, Madison explores and volunteers at Merck Forest in Rupert, Vermont. Along with loving the outdoors, she spends her time photographing and documenting the wildlife she comes across.
During the rest of the year, Madison works as a science teacher at Fair Haven Union Middle School. She hopes to grow her career in education by inspiring others at nature centers like VINS and in middle school science classrooms. This summer, she looks forward to sharing her passion and excitement for nature with campers and hopes to teach them something new while bolstering their love for nature and wildlife.
LIBBY WATERFALL
MEET LIBBY
Brenna McClellan
MEET BRENNA
Brenna is thrilled to be joining the VINS team as a Lead Nature Camp Instructor. Brenna is a seasoned environmental educator, spending the last four summers preparing and leading summer camps with McHenry County Conservation District in Illinois. This past autumn, Brenna expanded her environmental education capacities to public programming, school outreach-field trips, and guest speaking.
Brenna recently earned her Master’s in Environment, Culture, and Communication from the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Those studies reinforced Brenna's understanding of the importance of and need for holistic environmental education. With this knowledge, Brenna enjoys and strives to create fun and engaging lessons and activities that explore a variety of natural history topics while inspiring character traits and behaviors necessary for environmental stewardship.
New to New England, Brenna is excited to learn more about Vermont’s environment and community through some of her favorite activities, like hiking, creative projects, kayaking, wildlife viewing, and cooking. Most of all, Brenna looks forward to making lasting memories with this year’s campers.
BRIGID ARMBRUST
MEET BRIGID
Brigid is a long-time resident of West Hartford, VT, and recently graduated from Middlebury College, where she studied anthropology, linguistics, and Arabic. In high school, Brigid volunteered as a baby bird feeder at VINS' Center for Wild Bird Rehabilitation during the summers and developed a deep love for the VINS Nature Center. VINS' mission of education and conservation aligns with Brigid's passions, as education (specifically language education) is one of several potential career paths she is considering post-graduation.
In her free time, Brigid enjoys reading, modern dance, and cooking with her family. This is Brigid's third year working at VINS Nature Camp, and she can't wait for another summer filled with fun and adventure!
TYLER ODELL
MEET TYLER
Tyler grew up in Norwich, VT. During high school, he worked as a camp counselor for Norwich Rec and as a ski instructor at the Dartmouth Skiway, and as a Nature Camp Instructor at VINS in 2023. Since graduating, Tyler has held a wide variety of jobs, including as a lobster fisherman and ice cream scooper. He loves music and art of all kinds.
Tyler is a lifelong lover of the outdoors. Last year, his passion for rock and ice climbing has taken him on a 25,000 mile journey around the country from Maine to Hawaii and everywhere in between, in pursuit of the natural beauty that the country has to offer. Tyler will be attending Portland State University in Oregon in the fall to pursue a degree in filmmaking.
As a child, Tyler attended many camps at VINS and has a lot of fond memories from those weeks of camp. He is very excited to return to VINS Nature Camp and looks forward to a great summer!
EAMON ODELL
MEET EAMON
Eamon is an Upper Valley native, having grown up in Norwich. He is very familiar with VINS and can even remember attending VINS Nature camp when he was young. Eamon spent his first year of college at the University of Hawaii studying Hawaiian studies, but transferred to the University of Vermont last year to be back on the East Coast. For five years, Eamon was a camp counselor for the Norwich Recreation Department and last summer worked at a residential camp.
Eamon loves spending time outdoors hiking and climbing as well as reading and playing the guitar. He is incredibly passionate about Vermont’s natural beauty and wildlife and is excited to return to VINS Nature Camp after a summer away. Eamon looks forward to bringing his love of nature to VINS this summer and building connections with campers.
SHELBY WOOD
MEET SHELBY
Shelby's passion for wildlife on land and in water has been a constant in her life. From her early years growing up in New York in the Adirondack Park, where her love for and curiosity about all animals and plants was born, to her college years at the University of Tampa where her eyes were opened to a whole new world in the ocean, Shelby knew she wanted to share her love for these amazing animals, plants and habitats with others.
For the past 10 years, Shelby has turned that passion into a career working with and teaching about wildlife that has taken her from Massachusetts to Texas, all the way to Costa Rica and Belize, and most recently, back to Florida. In her last job, she was an education coordinator for a nature center in Florida teaching people of all ages about native wildlife. In her free time, Shelby enjoys birdwatching, drawing, listening to music, reading, hiking, swimming, kayaking, playing volleyball, crocheting, and crafting.
Shelby is excited to be a part of VINS Nature Camp and join a community as passionate about nature as she is. She looks forward to a great summer meeting campers and sharing nature experiences with them.
ADELE TILDEN
MEET ADELE
Adele is an Upper Valley native and recently graduated from Eckerd College with a degree in environmental studies. Last summer, she worked at The Squam Lake Science Center in Holderness, NH, as both a camp counselor and outreach educator. There, she planned and led camp activities for children ranging in age from four to twelve. Adele was also trained to handle live animals, including a porcupine and Eastern Screech Owl, and would take those wildlife ambassadors around the state for live animal programs.
Adele is excited to be joining VINS Nature Camp this summer as she continues to both teach and learn from others. She looks forward to creating meaningful connections with campers and fellow staff that will last well beyond her time at VINS!
SARAH CHRISTOPHERSON
MEET SARAH
Sarah is a recent graduate of Vermont Law School, where she earned both a JD degree and a Master’s in Environmental Law and Policy. She will begin her legal career this fall and is excited to spend the summer at VINS enjoying her passions for the great outdoors and inspiring children to connect with nature and engage in conservation efforts.
Before law school, Sarah worked as an environmental educator at a lagoon island nature center on the coast of Florida for over 5 years, where she created environmental curricula, implemented programs for learners of all ages, and cared for marine animals as an aquarist. She has also served as a summer camp instructor at locations in South Dakota, Georgia, and Florida. Her passions include bird watching, snowboarding, hiking, gardening and mushroom foraging, playing with her dogs, Spanish language, traveling, and all things Vermonty. Additionally, much of her work and education in law school focused on biodiversity protection.
Sarah is eager to spend the summer guiding children in discovering the wonders of the natural world while helping cultivate lifelong commitments to environmental stewardship.
TUCKER SANVILLE
MEET TUCKER
Tucker is from Wellesley, Massachusetts, and has summered in Quechee, his entire childhood. He has always enjoyed studying science and frequently visited VINS prior to joining VINS Nature Camp first as a Leader-In-Training and then as an Instructor in 2022.
Back home in his free time, Tucker plays club lacrosse and he likes to ski and golf. Tucker will be a junior at Stonehill College this fall, where he is majoring in environmental studies and education studies.
Tucker is looking forward to returning to VINS to welcome everyone back from last summer and meet all the new campers.
ASHLEY CYBRUCH
MEET ASHLEY
BROOKES BRADSHAW
MEET BROOKES
ALETHEA BOUTON
MEET ALETHEA
Thea is completing her first year of college at Paul Smith’s College in NY,
pursuing a degree in Fish and Wildlife Science, and minoring in Botany. She grew up in
Vermont, learning all there is to know about trees, bugs, and animals. She spends
her time drawing, birdwatching, and kayaking, and enjoying nature anywhere she
can.
This winter, Thea picked up cross-country skiing in the Adirondacks and loves to be outdoors in all seasons, whether that is skiing, hiking or just walking the trails near her college campus. The bogs and swamps of the Adirondack region are her favorite places – just ask her about larches and sphagnum moss! She hasn’t seen a moose yet but hopes to catch a glimpse during her time in NY.
Thea has volunteered at VINS as a baby bird feeder every summer since she was
twelve. Joining the VINS Nature Camp staff four years ago allowed Thea to share what she loves with others. Thea has never looked forward to a summer at VINS Nature Camp more than this year. She can’t wait to greet new and returning campers and share in a summer of adventures!
JOHN TAYLOR
MEET JOHN
John lives in Norwich, VT, and is currently a Junior at Hanover High School. Sports are an important part of John's life. He plays on his school's lacrosse team, is captain of his football team, and ski races. Growing up in Vermont, winter sports are one of John's passions. He raced at Quechee Ski Hill beginning at age 7. This past winter, he stepped into a coaching role for that team. John also loves to fly fish, hike, and camp all around Vermont. He is looking forward to his senior year and all the opportunities that college presents.
John served as a Leader-In-Training with VINS Nature Camp last summer and loved the program and the people. This summer, John will join VINS Nature Camp in a new role as a Nature Camp Instructor. He is excited to meet everyone and get involved in teaching children about nature.
MINJI MOEYKENS
MEET MINJI
Minji lives in Plainfield, NH, and is currently a Junior at Lebanon High School. Wildlife is Minji’s main passion; all her life, she has loved learning about the natural world. She is excited for her senior year in high school and everything that awaits her in the near future.
In her free time, Minji enjoys wildlife photography, drawing, hiking, and camping. She is also on the cross-country ski team at her high school and picked up skijoring with her dog, Archer, this past winter. Minji loves spending time with all her pets as they are her pride and joy.
Minji began attending VINS Nature Camp in 2nd grade and has grown up in the VINS camp community, where she was able to pursue her passion for natural sciences. She has been a Leader-In-Training since 2022 and is excited to join the VINS team in a new role this year as a Nature Camp Instructor.
ADAM KULAS KLOPCHIN
MEET ADAM
MIRANDA ROGERS
MEET MIRANDA
Miranda grew up in Vermont and graduated last year from Hartford High School. She is currently working her way to earning her bachelor's degree in business at CCV College.
As a child, Miranda remembers visiting VINS often on school trips and with her family. She loves to play in the woods and loves to play basketball and softball. In her free time, Miranda enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Miranda loves being around kids, and she shares their spontaneous, happy energy. In addition to working at VINS Nature Camp, Miranda works at Fit Kids Child Care and loves bringing fun into children's lives. Miranda is very excited to return to VINS Nature Camp for her 5th summer in a row!
LIAM MANGIERI
MEET LIAM
Liam will be graduating from Hartford High School this year and looks forward to attending Ithaca College in the fall to study biology and social justice. In high school, Liam was involved in several leadership roles, such as the student representative on the HHS district equity committee and assisting at the HACTC summer camp.
Art is an important part of Liam's life. They create in many forms, including music, poetry, physical art, animation, and much more.
Liam attended VINS summer camps throughout their childhood and learned so much about animals, enjoying the outdoors, and respecting nature. Liam hopes to make campers feel welcome and to create an environment at camp where everyone can learn about and love nature. They are also excited to find out what they can learn from campers and peers this summer!