Rooted in Place: Expanding Environmental Education Across New Hampshire
How do we build a more environmentally literate New Hampshire?
In 2025, New Hampshire Environmental Educators in partnership with UNH's Carsey School of Public Policy launched the first major update to the New Hampshire Environmental Literacy Plan (NH ELP) since 2016. Shaped by voices from across the state—including educators, nonprofits, state agencies, and community members—the updated plan offers a roadmap for expanding environmental learning opportunities for people of all ages.
In this Carsey Policy Hour, members of the NH ELP Committee and New Hampshire Listens discussed the statewide engagement process and the strategies that will guide environmental learning across New Hampshire.
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About the Speakers
Dr. Carrie Portrie
Research Assistant Professor & Associate Director, NH Listens, Carsey School of Public Policy, UNH
Dr. Carrie Portrie is a Research Assistant Professor and Associate Director of New Hampshire Listens at the UNH Carsey School of Public Policy. Her background spans cultural anthropology, inclusive education, and community-engaged research. She holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology and sociology from Roger Williams University, a master's degree in early childhood special education from UNH, and a PhD in Education with a focus on Children and Youth in Communities from UNH. Her work with NH Listens centers on designing participatory processes and grounding community engagement in inclusive, equitable practices. She played a key role in facilitating the stakeholder engagement process that shaped the updated NH Environmental Literacy Plan.
Dr. Maddie Smith
Research Scientist, Earth Sciences Research Center, Research and Engagement Fellow, NH Listens, Carsey School of Public Policy, UNH
Dr. Madeleine Smith is an interdisciplinary Research Scientist at the Earth Sciences Research Center and Research and Engagement Fellow with NH Listens at the UNH Carsey School of Public Policy. Maddie is a systems thinker and applied researcher with over a decade of experience connecting data, policy, and place to build more resilient communities and outdoor spaces. She holds a master’s degree in Outdoor Education and PhD in Natural Resources Environmental Studies from UNH, where her dissertation examined the impacts of climate change upon outdoor recreation in New Hampshire. At NH Listens, she has contributed to the forthcoming New Hampshire Comprehensive Climate Action Plan. Maddie served on the NH ELP Committee and contributed to the statewide engagement process and writing of the updated plan.
Dr. Judy Silverberg
Development Chair, New Hampshire Environmental Educators Board of Directors
Dr. Judy Silverberg has worked for over forty-five years in environmental education in Wisconsin, Connecticut, and New Hampshire—twenty-eight of those years as Wildlife Education Programs Supervisor for NH Fish and Game. She also served as the NH Project Learning Tree Coordinator. Judy holds a bachelor's degree in Wildlife Ecology and a master's degree in Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin, and a PhD in Natural Resources and Human Dimensions from UNH. She is a naturalist, author, and educational consultant who has taught students, teachers, and college students about the natural world and science process skills. Her awards include the Howard I. Wagner Award for Excellence in Science Education and the John Pearce Memorial Award from the Northeast Section of the Wildlife Society.
Leigh Ann Reynolds
Administrator, New Hampshire Environmental Educators
Leigh Ann Reynolds is the Administrator of New Hampshire Environmental Educators (NHEE), serving as the organization's first-ever paid staff member since 2023. In her role, she manages day-to-day operations and supports the organization's mission to inspire connection to the natural world through high-quality environmental education and advancing environmental literacy. Leigh Ann holds a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology with a minor in Wilderness Studies from the University of Montana and a master’s degree in Education specializing in Science and Environmental Education from Antioch University New England. She has been a visible leader in building NHEE's capacity to serve educators and communities across New Hampshire, including through the NHEE to Get Outside Grant program.
Kayla Stoll
NH ELP Committee Member; Environmental Science Student & Advocate
Kayla Stoll is a Bedford, NH, native and student at Southern New Hampshire University pursuing dual degrees in environmental science and environmental engineering. A passionate environmental educator and public speaker, she gave a TEDx talk on environmental education through TEDxSNHU in early 2025, advocating for environmental science to be mandated as a core subject in schools. Her commitment to environmental stewardship began at Joppa Hill Educational Farm, where she worked with community gardeners and taught students from diverse backgrounds. Kayla served on the NH ELP Committee, contributing a youth perspective to the plan's development.
