SCIENCE ADVENTURE SCHOOL - Key Persons
A Morgantown, WV native, Abe Johnson is Program Manager for Science Adventure School. He supports the overall management, operations and growth of SAS through hands-on support of programming and Science Behind the Sport curriculum. Johnson graduated from West Virginia University with a with a degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources. Throughout his tenure at WVU and after graduation, he worked on developing and running mountain bike programs for the BSA. Abe loves exploring the great outdoors to discover new activities and find new passions. In his free time, you can find him mountain biking (of course!), backpacking, and caving.
Ali began her journey in experiential and outdoor education in 2008 while pursuing her BA degrees at WVU in Environmental Geoscience and International Studies. Since, Ali has worked as a geologist, guide, and educator while pursuing her MA in secondary science education completed in 2018. Ali enjoys a variety of outdoor pursuits, but her favorites are backpacking and canoeing. Her passions include using the outdoors to empower and inspire inquiry in young people and teaching science through experiential learning. She firmly believes that there is a scientist in everyone, and she's determined to help our WV children discover this within themselves.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director, Programming and Research
Alice has been working as an outdoor educator since her freshman year of college at Berry College. After earning a Masters degree from the University of Edinburgh, she worked for Shenandoah University directing their outdoor and sustainability program. She earned a PhD in WVU's Recreation Parks & Tourism program, where she loves learning about new ways to get people excited about nature. When she's not working for the Science Adventure School, Alice enjoys spending time outdoors, knitting, baking, and gardening.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Science Behind
- Director, Science Behind the Sport & SAS Associate Director, STEM Programming
Andrew Hoover is the Director of the Science Behind the Sport program. Andrew, a native of Bridgeport WV, is a graduate of the WVU Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Andrew has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor is Business Administration. He has been working in the field of STEM education and adventure programming since 2012 as the Program Director of the WVU Science Behind the Sport. In his free time, Andrew enjoys cycling (both mountain and road) and hiking with his wife Cheyenne and their dogs Kyra and Axel.
A lifelong lover of the outdoors, Annie studied Biology and Spanish at Denison University before embarking on a varied career of teaching and researching. Highlights included managing a tropical reserve, training birds of prey, and running high ropes challenges, before she discovered that outdoor education was her real passion. Annie joined SAS as a STEM Instructor in 2021. She loves giving students from her home state the chance to explore the science and math hidden in outdoor adventures. Annie spends her free days birdwatching, rock climbing, and playing music.
Job Titles:
- Lead Operations Supervisor
Aurora Wiegand is the Lead Operations Supervisor, she works on administrative duties as well as helping manage operations. Originally from Illinois, Aurora graduated with a BS in Human Development and Family Sciences From Illinois State University. She found a passion for informal and outdoor education while working at a Children's museum throughout College, and continued her passion through her internship at a Nature Center in Illinois. Aurora joined SAS as an education guide in 2021, and again in 2022. In her off-time, Aurora enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and generally being outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative
- Member of the National Association of State Boards
- Project Advisor
Donna Peduto currently serves as Executive Director of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative. The WVPEC is a non-partisan collaborative of diverse state and national leaders championing awareness and support of public schools through outreach, innovation, and convening of stakeholders.Under Peduto's leadership, the WVPEC has convened three Legislators' Forums on Education and the Economy and the inaugural Focus Forward: Preparing Today for the West Virginia of Tomorrow summit. Peduto brings a vast background and extensive expertise in education to the Science Adventure School team. Please click on her name above to see her Full Bio.
Donna Peduto currently serves as Executive Director of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative. WVPEC is composed of various educators from West Virginia and the national arena who have come together to champion public education from early childhood to post-secondary levels at a time when it faces significant challenges but remains critically important to the nation's future. Under Peduto's leadership, the WVPEC has convened three Legislators' Forums on Education and the Economy and the inaugural Focus Forward: Preparing Today for the West Virginia of Tomorrow summit, with plans for a fourth Forum and a second annual Focus Forward summit, among other outreach events, in 2019.
Ms. Peduto recently served as Director of Operations for the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE), Ms. Peduto was a key liaison to the WVBE members, the West Virginia Department of Education executive leadership, Governor's Office, chairs of the legislative education committees, as well as other leaders and organizations around the state. In positions at both the WV State Board of Education and WV Department of Education she has had experience in drafting policy and code, i.e. School Innovation Zones Act. Through her affiliation with national organizations such as the National School Boards Association and the Council of Chief State of School Organization, she is also familiar with drafting national education policy.
Prior to coming to the WV Board of Education, Ms. Peduto served as Director of the Learning Lab Network Sites for the Stupski Foundation; a San Francisco based educational foundation, where she established a national network of six high schools in various states to incubate effective and innovative practice within the K12 environment.
While with the West Virginia Department of Education, Ms. Peduto served in leadership roles in the Offices of Organizational Effectiveness, Professional Preparation, and 21st Century Leadership. She was named the first West Virginia State Coordinator of the first Innovation Zones Initiative and later served as director of the 21st Century Community After School Learning Centers and Schools of Excellence.
Ms. Peduto was also Director of K-12 Initiatives at the EdVenture Group, where she supported the development and execution of projects related to K-12 technology training, curriculum, and research and consulting. As director, she led multiple educational research and technology-based programs in collaborations with organizations such as the National Science Foundation, the US Department of Education, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Ms. Peduto is a member of The National Association of State Boards of Education Executives (NASBE) serving as President of the National School in 2016, a board member of the Regional Education Lab, a member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and was inducted into the June Harless Hall of Fame in May 2016. In recognition of her work on behalf of public education she was awarded the NASBE (National Association of State Boards of Education) 2017 David Kysilko award in November 2017, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated a steadfast determination to state boards of education and their important work.
Ms. Peduto is a graduate of West Virginia University with both a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts in Reading.
Job Titles:
- GRADUATE SERVICE ASSISTANT
Erika serves as the Graduate Service Assistant for Science Adventure School. She attended the University of Georgia for her Undergraduate degree where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She now attends West Virginia University as a Graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. She hopes to pursue a future career as a Play Therapist, with the intentions of helping young children work through their mental health struggles. Erika has always been fond of the outdoors, but she really fell in love with being outside after attending Dawg Camp Adventure at UGA, which is a wilderness-oriented program for first-year college students. Since then, she has gone on many more adventures such as the one she just went on this past July, hiking all throughout the five national parks in Utah!
Job Titles:
- Environmental Education Coordinator
Jessica serves Science Adventure School as the Environmental Education Coordinator where she works to connect youth to nature through hands-on, inquiry-based programming. Originally from Pennsylvania, Jess fell in love with the Mountain State while completing her master's in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources at WVU. Before joining Science Adventure School, Jess worked at various non-profits such as Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh and the West Virginia Botanic Garden. She loves connecting with nature because it keeps her grounded and loves to explore new places and learn the natural history of the area. Outside of work, you can find Jess hiking, trail running or rowing.
As the Outdoor Education Nurse JoAn brings many years of varied nursing experience to the team. JoAn graduated from WVU with her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She was a Girl Scout as a youth and has volunteered over the years in Cub and Boy Scout camping programs. With a love of nature and the outdoors, JoAn strongly believes that youth being present in nature and participating in an outdoor learning environment, provides multiple benefits for them academically, as well as improvement in physical and mental health. In her spare time, JoAn enjoys spending time with her three sons, in her perennial butterfly garden, bird watching, genealogy researching, and reading while sitting with her three dogs.
Job Titles:
- Experiential Education Coordinator
Nick Thompson is the Experiential Education Coordinator for Science Adventure School. He oversees the design, operation and staffing for programming, as well as the development of our seasonal guide team, program leads and training operations. Born in Wheeling, WV, Nick graduated from WVU with a BS in Recreation, Parks and Tourism while working for Adventure WV as a trip leader and in the Outdoor Recreation Center. Since graduating, he's been working in outdoor education as an instructor, taking explorers on multi-day expeditions throughout the US. From paddling to backpacking, Nick specializes in outdoor adventure and loves the opportunity the outdoors provide for connection and new experiences. He can't wait to create meaning and transference between Science Adventure School and the students' day-to-day lives.