Ruth Ann earned her BA in Outdoor Experiential Education and MSM studying deep nature and ancestral connection to increase well-being and a sense of belonging. She spent a year living in the woods, building her shelter, foraging, brain-tanning hides for clothing, weaving baskets, and practicing survival and tracking skills before teaching for nearly a decade at the Tracker School, mentoring students in the arts of survival, awareness, and tracking. Ruth Ann has designed programming and mentored wilderness skills for various venues and ages, for nearly thirty years. She is an outdoor adventurer, mountaineer, marathoner, midwife, and faculty at the Midwives College of Utah. She has lived for 25+ years on a homestead, homeschooling and raising three children and deeply values the process of learning and integrating skills through experience and mentoring, and the building of human relationships through cooperative learning.
Read MoreLuke grew up in rural upstate New York. He attended Colorado State University where he studied Natural Resource Management and Watershed Science. Luke has worked for several federal, tribal and non-profit organizations on river and forest habitat restoration projects. He currently resides in the Champlain Valley region where he works for the Ruffed Grouse Society in partnership with the Vermont Natural Resource Conservation Service. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking outdoors, fishing, hunting and working with various farms and watershed organizations.
Read MoreNa'im works at the Peoria Riverfront Museum as their Gallery Engagement Coordinator, and is an aspiring entomologist based in Peoria, Illinois. Na'im truly believes with every fiber of my being that through exploring the intricacies of the insect world, we can inspire tomorrow’s leaders of discovery, creativity, and innovation.
Read MoreSue graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Special Education. She holds a certificate in Sign Language Interpreting from Illinois Central College. She is a mom and a science lover. She currently lives in Nashville, TN and works as a freelance sign language interpreter.
Read MoreDamion spent most of his childhood outdoors, starting a lifelong passion for all things nature. Growing up, Damion's parents instilled in him not only rules of hunting, but the importance of wildlife control and general conservation knowledge. He also learned and started an obsession for fishing at a young age. Damion has been attending Sun Foundation for 20+ years from student, to TA, to instructor.
Read MoreAmy earned degrees in HDFS with a focus in Early Childhood Education and Art from University in Wisconsin-Stout. Amy is currently an educator for Head Start. Outside of her profession, Amy loves to hike, camp and travel with her husband and three children.
Read MoreOriginally from Central IL, she is a life-long ASIW camper, turned teacher, and credits camp for igniting her drive to follow her creative passions. Julia is a passionate fiber arts teacher whose work celebrates the beauty of sustainable, hands-on creativity. With a deep commitment to earth conservation and environmental stewardship, she integrates principles of recycling, upcycling, and mindful resource use into every aspect of her teaching. While guiding students through a range of fiber-based skills, Julia emphasizes the power of the slow arts—not just as a technique, but as a philosophy that fosters patience, connection, and mindfulness. Her approach encourages students to slow down, engage with their materials thoughtfully, and make something both beautiful and purposeful from the world around them. She often incorporates repurposed fabrics, natural dyes, and recycled materials into her lessons, reinforcing the message that creativity can coexist with sustainability. Through her classes, Julia aims to nurture not only the skills of her students but also their sense of responsibility as makers, instilling a love for both the craft and the planet. Through her practice, Julia believes that the slow, intentional act of creating with one's hands can help reconnect us with the earth, one stitch at a time.
Read MoreShannon has been an avid outdoor-girl since childhood. In her twenties she attended over 25 classes at Tom Brown’s Tracking Nature and Wilderness Survival School. She also spent a year and a half living semi-primitively as a caretaker at the school’s camp in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. She has worked in wilderness field programs, taught survival skills & bush craft, and lived semi-primitively for extended periods of time. She successfully completed the Naked & Afraid Challenge in 2013. Her episode, Mayan Misery, was filmed in Belize and aired in the second season. She brings her relationship with nature and the land into the heart of everything she does and is excited to share at ASIW.
Read MoreElisa teaches art at Northern Arizona University, School of Art + Design. She holds a MA in Sustainable Communities and an MFA, Fine Arts, Post Modern Practice. The Woodford County Native works to integrate science and creative writing across her curriculum. She was a student within the inaugural Sun Foundation Art and Science in the Woods program. Elisa loves teaching children and connecting with her Central Illinois Roots.
Read MoreDr. Wilcoxen is a Professor of Biology at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. He is the Chair of the Board for the Sun Foundation and also President of the Board for the Illinois Raptor Center. His current research focuses on immune defense and disease in Illinois songbirds, birds of prey, and amphibians. Travis is originally from Lewistown, IL and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Eureka College and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Memphis.
Read More(Dr. Z) is an associate professor of mechanical engineering and sustainability at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville. He earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University. He regularly teaches courses in Fluid Mechanics, Thermal Systems, and Renewable Energy Systems. He has performed a variety of research on polymers, two-phase flow and energy resilience for ANL, DOE and USGS.
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