Alumni Spotlight: Whitney Mowll

The journey from Huntington Beach, CA to Jackson Hole, WY—where Whitney currently lives—started as many NatureBridge experiences do. Whitney and her AP Environmental Science class from Edison High School were conducting biostream tests as part of her NatureBridge program when she had a “Eureka!” moment. Whitney recalls, “At first, I was just doing science to check a box and get a grade. Science and the science world seemed so one-dimensional then, but this direct connection to understanding nature [with NatureBridge] helped me realize that this IS science... It was the moment when I realized that science didn’t have to take place indoors with lab coats and test tubes. I realized that the tests we were conducting would be used by actual scientists and impact actual field science studies. It was so empowering!” That set Whitney on a path that included earning a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Policy and a Master’s degree studying the impact of climate change on grassland ecosystems. After earning her teaching degree, Whitney became an Instructor at the Haub School at the University of Wyoming where she developed an outdoor guide certification program, focusing on connecting people with a sense of place and beyond.

Soon Whitney found herself working at the Teton Science Schools (TSS), another partner of the National Park Service. Having held roles as an outdoor educator, teacher and, eventually, the Director of Naturalist Programs at TSS, Whitney is able to reflect on why her NatureBridge experience was so formative for her and so many students like her. “NatureBridge touches on a sense of curiosity and engagement, which is often not fostered as young people get older. It’s important to reignite that wonder,” she explains. “Going to a place like NatureBridge provides the ‘why’ for students—why does it matter and why should I care? How and why does it apply to me and my life?” Whitney’s professional roles in environmental science and education also allow her to view these experiences from the perspective of teachers, particularly ones who might feel intimidated by the prospect of coordinating science-driven programs. She reinforces that “organizations like NatureBridge make it easy. Teachers don’t have to be experts in environmental science, and their students will be led by experts in the field. They also have the potential to reignite a teacher’s ‘why’ by reminding them why they teach!”

Whitney’s personal mission has always been to connect people with their sense of place. She hopes to instill the idea that everyone is invited and belongs to the public lands and vice versa, which in turn inspires a sense of stewardship and responsibility to that land. In Whitney’s role as Executive Coordinator for the National Park Service (NPS) Friends Alliance, she connects partners of the NPS such as NatureBridge to other like-minded organizations so that we can work together to best serve everyone who wants to experience our national parks. That connectivity all stems from her original question of “Why.” Whitney reminds us: “Just know that transformations are taking place. Lives are being changed and your hard work is paying dividends. I am just one example of that.”