MEGAN GESSLER

Little Explorers Curriculum Director and Lead Teacher

Megan received her Masters Degree in Education and Certificate of Nature Based Early Childhood Education from Antioch University New England. She is a Certified Master Naturalist and Certified NatureStart educator. Megan founded the Northern Illinois Nature Preschool Association (NINPA), the first regional association of nature-based educators in the USA, and member of the Executive Leadership Team of the Natural Start Alliance. She is an Internationally recognized administrator, educator, and naturalist with a proven track record of innovation in nature-based early outdoor education programs. She was a mentor for Prescott College's Center for Nature- and Place-based Early Childhood Education Summer Institute in 2019 and 2020. She has created and organized large scale community events and projects, including Kendall County’s first nature play space, fire safety festival, and service dog fundraisers by utilizing local and regional media.

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Megan presented at each 2014-2023 Nature-Based Preschool National Conference, at each 2015-2019 Inspiring Nature Play Professional Development Conference at the Chicago Botanic Gardens, and at the 2019 Vaskebjorn Conference. She co-organized and supported the 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2022 Midwest Early Childhood Educator Symposium at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill, and also co-organized the 2018 World of Wonder: An International Nature-Based Early Learning Conference in Chicago that had 400 attendees.

Megan is a co-author of the Children's Environmental Kinship Guide and founding member of Environmental Kinship International, and co-author of Nature-based Early Childhood Program Assessment & Guidebook.