Rebecca Minnick (She/Her)

Executive Director

rebecca@louisvillenaturecenter.org

About 20 years ago, Rebecca Minnick was home visiting Louisville and hiking in the Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve with her mom. She peered into the window of the LNC building and said, “Mom, I should work here some day!” Rebecca moved home in 2013 after spending almost 20 years in Maine, where she first fell in love with environmental education. In 2018 Rebecca joined LNC as Executive Director. In 2022, she earned the Outstanding New Leader Award from the Association of Nature Center Administrators. She has over 20 years of experience as an educator, both at nature centers and in schools. She holds an M.S. in Environmental Studies with focus on Environmental Education from Antioch University and a B.A. in Geology from Hanover College. Rebecca spends free time playing bluegrass guitar and hiking with her dog Hazel.

Olivia kaiser (She/Her)

Education Programs Manager

olivia@louisvillenaturecenter.org

Olivia graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She started her teaching career with a focus on ESL (English as a second language), taking her to Belize and South Korea. She began working in the field of EE in 2014 at the Parklands of Floyds Fork, and was awarded the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education’s Rising Star award in 2017. After working as an educator for the Louisville Nature Center in 2018, Olivia took a short break from teaching to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail. She has laid roots in Kentucky and is excited to be back working at the Louisville Nature Center. When she isn’t tromping through the woods, she spends her free time gardening and cooking.

Ingrid walters (She/Her)

Swallowtail Forest School Teacher

ingrid@louisvillenaturecenter.org

Ingrid graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor's in Secondary Education, but didn't realize how much she enjoyed early childhood education until she had a child of her own. The pandemic gave her the opportunity to homeschool her daughter, and she planned all her lessons, prioritizing environmental education and learning through creativity and play in nature. Ingrid is excited to bring that same joy and energy to other children as well! She believes we can change the world by providing our youngest generations a chance to build a sense of wonder and love for the earth. Ingrid also enjoys volunteering at the farmer's market, gardening, reading fantasy books, and exploring cultures through cooking!

Charlie Combs

EELCorps Member

Charlie went to Bellarmine University and received a B.S. in Environmental Science with a minor in History. Charlie's passion for the environment stems from a lot of time spent camping, fishing, and travelling with family all over the country. They are excited by the prospect of doing more work to expand educational opportunities and contribute to more accessible natural spaces in the community so that others are able to have these same experiences! As part of the EELCorps program they are here at LNC to increase capacity for environmental education programs, community outreach, and overall impact to Kentuckians environmental knowledge and behaviors. When not at the Louisville Nature Center you can find Charlie planting trees, hiking local trails, and reading a good book on a quiet bench.

Anella Noble (She/Her)

Administrative Assistant

Anella is a current student at the University of Louisville pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Psychology. After graduating with her Bachelors, Anella plans to further her education by earning her B.S. in Nursing. On campus, she is an active member of Xi Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which is an organization committed to public service. Outside of the Louisville Nature Center, you can find her spending time with her 2 year old son Alik, studying, or playing Scrabble with her family.

Board of Directors

Banner photo by Jeff Mattingly