Symposium Speaker Bios

Sam Kocurek is a second-year graduate student at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability specializing in Sustainability & Development and Geospatial Data Science. Prior to coming to Michigan, Sam attended the University of Connecticut for his bachelor's degrees, and it is there he learned about and embraced Nature Rx. Sam joined the UM Nature Rx project team when he began school here in Fall 2023 and since then, he came up with the idea of this symposium. Through multiple grants, co-sponsorship requests, and generous people at the university, the symposium is now a reality! Sam also works at the Office of Campus Sustainability primarily working with sustainable labs programming and assisting the Waste Reduction and Engagement team where he can. Otherwise, Sam enjoys running, many of the local breweries, and cooking chicken pot pie.

Katie Stannard serves as Behavioral Health Project Coordinator, Health and Well-Being Services, supporting mental health strategy, planning, and program development. Her career includes outreach work in student affairs, alumni relations, and visitor experience. She leads the multidisciplinary Nature Rx Project Team of engaged, generous, creative people which has developed the Nature Rx app, outreach, and symposium to expand awareness of the healing benefits of nature. She is a facilitator for the Voices of the Staff Facilitate Flexible Work network team. 

Kelcey Stratton serves as Chief Behavioral Health Strategist at the University of Michigan and is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School. Her career has focused on “helping the helpers,” by providing mental health support for military veterans, healthcare workers, educators, and international development volunteers. In her current role, she develops collaborative and strategic initiatives to promote mental health for the university and academic medical center staff and faculty at the University of Michigan. She is a licensed clinical psychologist and has interests in the areas of stress and resilience, trauma-informed care, mindfulness, and the use of reflective practices to cultivate compassion and wisdom.

Anthony Kolenic serves as the Director of the University of Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, where stewardship and environmental justice catalyze more sustainable futures. In addition to his directorial role, Kolenic also serves as Faculty Associate in American Culture, Faculty Affiliate in the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG), and on the Executive Committees of the Arts Initiative, the Well-being Collective, and the Office of Research’s Council of Centers and Institutes. Kolenic returned to the University of Michigan after serving as Associate Dean for Research + Strategic Initiatives and Associate Professor of Digital Arts + Sciences at the University of Florida. 

Julie Piazza has led and collaborated with many multidisciplinary teams facilitating compassionate connected care and creating healing environments with patient-family centered engagement across the care continuum. She leads with compassion, evidence-based experience, and intentional inclusion. A seasoned Certified Child Life Specialist for 30+ years, serving pediatric patients, and families in Dallas, Boston, and Ann Arbor, Julie leverages her clinical skills as she leads and manages engagement projects, supports and coaches providing innovative foundational learning opportunities locally and nationally. Many of these engagement initiatives are related to reducing pain and anxiety through healthcare experiences. These individualized comfort tools originated in pediatrics have now expanded to adult care areas. Piazza is the lead investigator of a multidisciplinary team studying the impact of an adapted child life role applied to adult care settings focusing on anxiety, pain, procedural preparation/education, wellbeing, and overall human experience. An interprofessional educator, Julie earned her MS in Child Life/Healthcare Administration at Wheelock College and her BS in Child Development at Iowa State University.

Dr. Kathryn Schertz is a postdoctoral research fellow in the Psychology department at the University of Michigan, working in the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory. Her research focuses on how our surrounding physical environment influences how we think and feel, with a particular interest in how natural environments can improve various measures of mental health, cognition, and wellbeing. Drawing on approaches from social, cognitive, and environmental psychology, she investigates how nature exposures can shift self-referential processing, or how one thinks about themself, in the service of emotion regulation and improved interpersonal relations. A second line of work explores how neighborhood physical and social characteristics are associated with social behavior and mental health outcomes. She is interested in how natural spaces can contribute to healthier and more equitable communities. Dr. Schertz received her PhD in Psychology in 2022 from the University of Chicago.

Chris Eagle is an IT Strategist and Enterprise Architect for the University of Michigan. In this role, he provides strategic planning and directional guidance for technology throughout the U-Mich campus. Chris is a key member of the team that created Michigan's first campus-wide IT strategic plan and is continually working on bridging the gaps between IT strategy, IT architecture, and IT projects. Chris is a former vice-chair for the EDUCAUSE IT Architects Constituent Group (Itana) and continues to participate and influence IT architecture throughout academia. Before coming to U-Mich, Chris spent 30 years in private industry, much of it in executive leadership roles, with companies such as Borders Books, Saturn/GM, and Unisys, and co-founded two venture funded start-up companies, Entyre Doc Prep, and JustTalk. 

Nate Phipps is the managing director of the Marsal Family School of Education’s Center for Education Design, Evaluation, and Research (CEDER). In his role, he oversees all of CEDER’s design, evaluation, and educational programs, including collaborating with project leads, fielding requests for new projects, and supporting projects throughout their lifecycle. He serves as director for CEDER’s program offerings, including the Dow Innovation Teacher Fellowship, Bosch Eco and STEM Teacher (BEST) Grant Program, and a student innovation competition, the James A. Kelly Learning Lever Prize Program. Nate works with CEDER colleagues to set the vision for CEDER’s work and to ensure CEDER is a positive organization. At the Marsal School, Nate is active in serving and building community. He has served as a member of the Staff Development Committee, where he has led efforts to engage with the topics of positive leadership, “deep work,” focus, and work-life balance.

Marsha Benz serves as Assistant Director at Wolverine Wellness, Student Life. She manages Wellness Coaching for students and motivational interviewing trainings for the university as well as internal projects. She’s working to get the word out about Nature Rx, Art Rx and Movement Rx through Wellness Coaching as these are stellar ways to support mental health. Here I am working on the community garden in the library parking lot downtown Ann Arbor.

I am a lover of the outdoors and nature! Michigan is my place, especially the lakes and rivers. I enjoy travel, music, birdwatching and fishing, foraging and wildcrafting, homesteading projects and taking care of my chickens and dogs. I am an Eastern Michigan graduate, with a degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. I also hold a Nature Based Teacher Certification from Association for Nature Based Education. I am passionate about child development and nature connection, originally inspired by a close relationship with my three nephews. I also love to sing and tell stories, which is often my way of connecting with young children. 

Christian Boyer is a lead teacher at University of Michigan Health System Children’s Center in the Red Tailed Hawks Room. He holds a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education and a bachelor of science degree in elementary teaching from Eastern Michigan University. He also holds a State of Michigan teaching certificate with an early childhood education endorsement. In 2018, he was on the team that piloted the first forest classroom for the University of Michigan Children’s Centers. His classroom traveled daily to Nichols Arboretum where they focused on play and place-based experiences. Christian has presented on topics ranging from risk taking, challenging behaviors, teacher relationships, and nature connectedness. This fall, he had the opportunity to cultivate a new outdoor classroom at the university's Health System location. 

Kallie England, LMSW, is an adventure therapist, university instructor, yogi, occasionally-successful-gardener, & facilitator from Ann Arbor, MI. She teaches Adventure Therapy at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, where she invites students to develop and share their own connections with nature with their (future) therapy clients to deepen the therapeutic process (and protect themselves against burnout). She co-founded the Adventure Wellness Program at UM Adventure Leadership, which invites participants into mindful relationship with themselves and the natural world. She supervises MSW field placement students at Adventure Leadership, where they learn experiential facilitation, adventure therapy, and how to craft creative, fulfilling social work careers. In 2018 Kallie founded Akasha Wellness, a nature based experiential psychotherapy practice that was the first adventure therapy private practice in the Midwest. She adores spending her work days immersed in the local forests. She founded Great Lakes Adventure Therapists (a fun-loving professional group) in 2023 to bring together practitioners of outdoor therapy for mutual support and professional development. You can learn more about her work at www.akashawellness.org. 

Jason Duvall is a lecturer in the Program in the Environment at the University of Michigan. He is broadly interested in understanding how environments impact people’s ability to function effectively and how health-related beliefs and motivations interact with and influence pro-environmental behavior. His research has focused on the use of nearby nature and environmental engagement to support well-being and encourage more physically active lifestyles. These efforts have included work with the Sierra Club to explore the impact that group-based nature recreation experiences have on military veterans. Jason also regularly teaches a first-year seminar called Prescription Nature that explores the theories and empirical evidence behind the benefits of nature exposure.

Robert W. Marans is research professor emeritus at U-M’s Institute for Social Research and professor emeritus of architecture and urban planning in the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Throughout his career, Dr. Marans has conducted research dealing with various aspects of communities, neighborhoods, housing, and parks and recreational facilities. His research has focused on attributes of the physical and sociocultural environments and their influence on individual and group behavior, well-being, and quality of life. His current work deals with cultural issues of sustainability and climate change in institutional settings including universities and the impact of place on quality of life. His most recent co-edited book, Handbook of Quality of Life Research: Place and Space Perspectives was published by Edward Elgar this past spring. Marans is also involved in recreation policy. He is a member of the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the county’s representative on the board of the Huron- Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA). He also serves as a trustee of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy.

Alex (he/him) previously worked as a primary care psychologist. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and has provided clinical services in community-based clinics and large medical centers, including the VA Healthcare System. He approaches his clinical work with a collaborative, culturally responsive, and LGBTQIA+ affirming lens. Alex draws from evidence-based therapies including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, motivational interviewing, and problem-solving training. He has supported people in addressing experiences of anxiety, depression, race-related stress, life transitions, stress management, and behavioral change. Elsewhere, Alex has instructed university courses, mentored students, published original research, and engaged extensively in diversity, equity, and inclusion work. For example, Alex has chaired DEI committees and provided educational and clinically focused DEI trainings.

Lisa Shea, the Associate Director of Programs for Recreational Sports and a member of the Well-Being Collective Steering Committee, is passionate about helping people find their motivation to stay active and engaged. When she’s not at work, Lisa leads fitness classes, encouraging others to move. Whether it’s walking, biking, or enjoying the outdoors, she believes that life is best lived with plenty of fresh air and physical activity! 

Colleen Greene is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Colleen joined the UM as a staff member in 1996 as a Wellness Coordinator for MHealthy, the University of Michigan’s Wellness and Risk Reduction Program. She has been quoted in several national, as well as local, publications on employee wellness, as well as being interviewed on “Good Morning America”. She has spoken at several nationwide conferences on stress management, physical activity, and wellness programming. Her current responsibilities as Senior Wellness Coordinator include teaching exercise classes (Zumba, body sculpting, muscular fitness, etc.), leading population-based programs such as “Active U”, and the “Be Well in the Big House” event, and presenting seminars on all areas of well-being.

Leah Crosby is a multimedia artist using sound, performance, machines, and text to make work about paid caregiver relationships, memory loss, and human connection. They are currently a Creative Careers Fellow at the Arts Initiative and their MFA is from the Penny Stamps School of Art and Design. Leah is the front person of Iconic Chronic, a band you've never heard of. 

View a selection of their creative work at leahcrosby.cargo.site

Connor B. Crawford is in his second year as a Post-Master of Social Work Fellow at the University of Michigan's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where he offers mental health counseling to both undergraduate and graduate students through individual, relationship, and group sessions. He co-founded the first ever CAPS Nature Therapy Group, reflecting his commitment to exploring the relationship between mental health and the natural world.

Connor earned his Master of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. Before transitioning into a career in mental health, he spent nearly a decade in the music industry, working in New York City and Nashville. Originally from Memphis, he completed his undergraduate studies at Tulane University in New Orleans, majoring in Spanish and English Creative Writing. Connor is especially passionate about men’s mental health and fostering wellness through nature-based approaches.

Lee is deeply curious about the intersections of human learning, health and wellbeing, and nature connection; her curiosity continually points her to the value of nature-based, outdoor play. As UM MBGNA’s Nature Play Advocate, Lee is responsible for Gaffield Children's Garden where she creates dynamic outdoor environments for nature-based play, seeking to build joyful community partnerships to increase childhood nature access and play equity. Drawing on scholarly evidence as well as professional experience, Lee knows outdoor play is essential, healthy human development, a pathway to pro-Earth behavior, a powerful practice of self-directed learning. 

Kaylynn Budreau is a junior at the University of Michigan, majoring in Program in the Environment with a focus on Business and Sustainability. Driven by her commitment to sustainability, Kaylynn is actively involved in several campus organizations, including ECO-UM. She is an Erb Undergraduate Fellow, serves on the Dean of Students Advisory Board under Laura Blake-Jones, and works as a peer advisor for the Program in the Environment. Additionally, she interns with the Planet Blue Ambassador Program at the Graham Sustainability Institute. In her free time, Kaylynn enjoys spending time outdoors and capturing nature through photography.

Joe Trumpey is a Professor of Art, Environment, and Natural Resources. He is also the director of the Sustainable Living Experience, soon to become the Michigan Sustainability Community. He lives and works on a farmstead where he grows over half his annual food and lives in a strawbale home he designed and built. He has lived off the power grid using solar power since 2007. His work focuses on natural building materials and designs projects that connect humans to place. He has worked extensively on UM campus-based sustainability projects.

Annissa Sisson is a junior at the University of Michigan, majoring in Biomolecular science with a minor in Biophysics. On campus, Annissa is involved in many different activities ranging from volunteering at the East Ann Arbor Health Center to leading a project team for ECO-UM. She also works as an Auxiliary Facilities Supervisor for recreational sports and does research for the department of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes. In her free time, Annissa loves running in the arboretum and going to the Michigan Football games with her friends. 

Shire Sheahan is in their second year as a Post-Master of Social Work Fellow at the University of Michigan's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), where they offer mental health counseling to both undergraduate and graduate students through individual, relationship, and group sessions. Shire co-founded the first CAPS Nature Therapy Group with Connor Crawford.

Shire earned their Master of Social Work from the University of Denver where they concentrated in experiential therapy modalities, particularly utilizing nature-based group and individual therapy interventions. They also had a first career in theatre as an educational director of a Queer youth ensemble in Chicago and studied Drama at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. They specialize in creative and experiential care, peer support, crisis interventions, grief & loss work, and gender-affirming care for college students.