50 Educators to Embark on Expeditions Around the World for Professional Learning and Educational Experience of a Lifetime

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 25, 2023)—In recognition of their commitment to geographic education, 50 highly respected educators have been selected as the 15th cohort of Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Society Grosvenor Teacher Fellows.

The 2023 Fellows will embark on expeditions around the world, including far-flung destinations such as Antarctica, the Galápagos Islands, Australia’s Wild Northwest Kimberley region, the Arctic, and beyond, on board Lindblad Expeditions’ state-of-the-art expedition vessels to enhance their geographic knowledge with hands-on, field-based experiences that they will bring back to their classrooms, communities, and professional networks.

The 2023 cohort of Grosvenor Teacher Fellows—consisting of educators from 24 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, and the first-ever Fellow from Puerto Rico—features a diverse group of formal and informal educators, representing an array of grade levels and subject areas including social studies, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), second-language programs and art, to name a few.

The Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship is named in honor of Gilbert M. Grosvenor, chairman emeritus of the National Geographic Society, in recognition of his decades-long work supporting pre-K–12 teachers and promoting geography education across the United States and Canada. The expeditions were donated in perpetuity to the Society by Sven-Olof Lindblad and Lindblad Expeditions in 2006 to mark Grosvenor’s 75th birthday and honor his service to the enhancement and advancement of geographic education.

"We are very pleased to be honoring this year's Grosvenor Teacher Fellows as they prepare to embark on their global expeditions," said National Geographic Society Chief Education Officer Deborah Grayson. "These passionate, deserving educators will have the opportunity to bring real-world experiences back to their classrooms as engaging resources and tools to inspire the next generation of planetary stewards."

“We are so incredibly honored to welcome our 15th cohort of Grosvenor Teacher Fellows on board with us,” added Amy Berquist, Vice President of Conservation, Education, and Sustainability at Lindblad Expeditions. “This once-in-a-lifetime expedition experience will help inform these exemplary educators’ understanding of some of the world’s most complex, diverse, and unique ecosystems, which will positively influence their curricula for years to come and play a vital role in shaping and inspiring countless students into stewards for our planet.”

The 2023 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows are (in alphabetical order):

    • Aidé Villalobos, Evergreen Elementary, Shelton, Washington
    • Alison Katzko, Edgemont School, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
    • A’ndrea Fisher, Pieper Ranch Middle School, San Antonio, Texas
    • Bradley Quentin, Sinclair Elementary, Houston, Texas
    • Brandy Hill, Twality Middle School, Tigard, Oregon
    • Brittany Berry, Helen Tyson Middle School, Springdale, Arkansas
    • Caitlyn Homol, Brooklyn Prospect High School, Brooklyn, New York
    • Carrie Antoniazzi, École les Aiglons, Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
    • Cat Walker, Dimond High, Anchorage, Alaska
    • Catherine Fuller, ‘Iolani School, Honolulu, Hawaii
    • Chris Speck, Garfield STEM School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
    • Christina Gauss, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Rumson, New Jersey
    • Elizabeth Gordon, The Academy for College and Career Exploration, Baltimore, Maryland
    • Erin Schmidt, Totino-Grace High School, Fridley, Minnesota
    • Evan Smith, West Philadelphia High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    • Helen Corveleyn, Hopewell Elementary School, Pennington, New Jersey
    • Isabella Liu, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    • Jander Talen, Cochrane High School, Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
    • Jean Chen-Wu, Cypress School District, Cypress, California
    • Jenna Forslund, Elmwood High, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    • Jennifer Anderson, El Camino Real Academy, Santa Fe, New Mexico
    • Jennifer Carter, Roosevelt Middle School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
    • Jennifer Reiter, Gilman School, Baltimore, Maryland
    • Jill McNabnay, Lakeshore High School, Stevensville, Michigan
    • Joe Muise, St. Thomas More Collegiate, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
    • Julie Klipfel, Howe-Manning Elementary School, Middleton, Massachusetts
    • Kate Mochon, Noble High School, North Berwick, Maine
    • Kathleen Wilson, Gates Middle School, Scituate, Massachusetts
    • Katie Doyle, Flour Bluffs Independent School District, Corpus Christi, Texas
    • Katie Lodes, St. Joseph’s Academy, St. Louis, Missouri
    • Katrin Beinroth Micus, Southwestern Educational Society (SESO), Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
    • Laura Hageman, Jeffers Pond Elementary School, Prior Lake, Minnesota
    • Lisa Farrand, Pawling Central High School, Pawling, New York
    • Maimona Afzal Berta, Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose, California
    • Maria Morris, Morse High School, Bath, Maine
    • Matthew Holden, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
    • Mervyn Barenie, Griffith Junior High School, Griffith, Indiana
    • Misha Smith, Hawthorne Elementary, Boise, Idaho
    • Monika Moorman, Central Park Elementary, Broward County, Florida
    • Nikia Garland, Arsenal Technical High School, Indianapolis, Indiana
    • Olivia Miller, East Kentwood High School, Kentwood, Michigan
    • Owen Kinney, Darlington School, Rome, Georgia
    • Rhonda O’Keefe, Mary Emily Bryan Middle School, Weldon Spring, Missouri
    • Sandra Makielski, Davisville Middle School, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
    • Sandra Reed, New Albany Plain Local Schools, New Albany, Ohio
    • Shannon McLeod, Vanscoy School, Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, Canada
    • Susan Tate, Whitehall Middle School, Whitehall, Michigan
    • Susannah Remillard, Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter Public School, East Harwich, Massachusetts
    • Tina Zacherl, Knoch Primary School, Saxonburg, Pennsylvania
    • Willie Buford, Flint & Genesee Group YouthQuest, Flint, Michigan

Starting later this year, the 2023 Fellows will begin their 8- to 24-day expeditions aboard several Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic vessels, including National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Orion, and National Geographic Venture, as well as the company’s two newest polar class vessels, National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution, to destinations across six continents, including four regions new to the program in 2023, Australia and New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, and Patagonia. While on board, the Fellows will have the unique opportunity to experience landscapes, cultures, and wildlife endemic to some of the world’s most remote regions. They will be accompanied by Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic experts, including knowledgeable naturalists, undersea specialists, and National Geographic photographers.

The Fellowship is open to pre-K–12 educators, who apply and are selected through a competitive application process. Fellows take on a two-year leadership commitment to support National Geographic’s education initiatives and, in addition to being hosted aboard the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic fleet for a life-changing field-based experience, may be asked to conduct webinars, co-design resources, participate in meetups, and serve as mentors to other educators.  

About the National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate the wonder of the world, define critical challenges and catalyze action to protect our planet. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 14,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature convenings and content. To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

About Lindblad Expeditions

Lindblad Expeditions is a pioneer and global leader in journeys of deep discovery, providing immersive and authentic ship expeditions to the world's most remarkable destinations. Lindblad offers 100% carbon neutral trips that highlight nature, preserve culture and support local communities and artisans. In partnership with National Geographic, Lindblad delivers unmatched expertise, bringing together leading scientists, naturalists and researchers to inspire travelers, highlighting moments that elevate the soul, fostering a lifelong passion for the planet and its people. For more information, visit www.expeditions.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

NOTE: Interviews with Fellows and Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic representatives, high-res photographs and broadcast-quality b-roll are available upon request. More press information is available at www.expeditions.com/about/press-room or www.natgeo.org/newsroom.