About
I founded Educate Regenerate in 2020 with the mission of making sustainability education more accessible and approachable for K-12 educators. My organization provides resources, training, and support to empower educators to equip youth with the knowledge they need to tackle tomorrow's social and environmental issues. My aim is to help teachers feel confident teaching sustainability concepts in their classrooms and empower students with the knowledge they need to live more sustainable lives.
I am committed to making sustainability an integral part of every student’s education. I have been helping businesses, schools, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations design and implement sustainability education for thousands of youth every year.
All materials provided by Educate Regenerate are aligned with national and/or Oregon academic standards. I can also incorporate additional benchmarks and frameworks, such as Oregon’s Environmental Literacy Plan, the Education for Sustainability Standards, and CASEL Social-Emotional Learning Competencies.
Mission & Philosophy
At Educate Regenerate, my mission is to transform K-12 education by preparing students to understand the world and have the skills to live in it. I believe that in our complex world facing climate change and environmental injustice, sustainability education is essential. My approach weaves together Physical Science, Social Studies, and Outdoor Education to create a transformative K-12 education experience. This integrated and holistic perspective allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the environment and our world while addressing environmental and social challenges.
As the world evolves, so do the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in it. That's why at Educate Regenerate, I explore complex sustainability topics in science and social studies to help students develop vital skills in critical thinking, creativity, empathy, and problem-solving. By empowering students with these skills, they can become agents of change and create a sustainable future for all.
Meet Dana
Hi, I'm Dana, a sustainability educator, curriculum developer, and teacher trainer. I've been teaching children and youth for over a decade, both as a traditional public school teacher and as an informal educator. I hold an MS in Leadership for Sustainability Education, a BA in Sociology and Education, and an active Oregon teaching license.
My work focuses on the intersection of social studies and natural science, exploring how people impact--and are impacted by--the natural world. I'm committed to inquiry-based teaching, critical thinking, reflection, and empathy, and I always encourage students to make real-world connections to what they are learning. I'm also dedicated to trauma-informed, decolonized, and anti-racist pedagogy, which fosters community-building and multicultural inclusion.
My passion for sustainability education began over a decade ago when I worked as a park ranger in my hometown in the Columbia River Gorge. I fell in love with the landscape and the intimate connection that visitors had with it. After earning my teaching license, I taught K-12 classes with an emphasis on social justice, globalization, and consumerism, but I felt limited by conventional teaching methods. That's when I discovered regenerative education, and its radical approach resonated with me. It allowed me to teach with my full self and focus on the how and why of learning as well as the what. Regenerative education gives me hope for the future, knowing that the compassionate, inquisitive, and fearless learners I work with will one day be in charge.
