Press Release

National Geographic Society and Lindblad Expeditions Announce 15th Annual Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship Cohort

50 Educators to Embark on Expeditions Around the World for Professional Learning and Educational Experience of a Lifetime
Credit: Alexandra Daley-Clark, Lindblad Expeditions

Photograph by Credit: Alexandra Daley-Clark, Lindblad Expeditions

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):

  1. Aidé Villalobos, Evergreen Elementary, Shelton, Washington
  2. Alison Katzko, Edgemont School, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  3. A’ndrea Fisher, Pieper Ranch Middle School, San Antonio, Texas
  4. Bradley Quentin, Sinclair Elementary, Houston, Texas
  5. Brandy Hill, Twality Middle School, Tigard, Oregon
  6. Brittany Berry, Helen Tyson Middle School, Springdale, Arkansas
  7. Caitlyn Homol, Brooklyn Prospect High School, Brooklyn, New York
  8. Carrie Antoniazzi, École les Aiglons, Squamish, British Columbia, Canada
  9. Cat Walker, Dimond High, Anchorage, Alaska
  10. Catherine Fuller, ‘Iolani School, Honolulu, Hawaii
  11. Chris Speck, Garfield STEM School, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  12. Christina Gauss, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, Rumson, New Jersey
  13. Elizabeth Gordon, The Academy for College and Career Exploration, Baltimore, Maryland
  14. Erin Schmidt, Totino-Grace High School, Fridley, Minnesota
  15. Evan Smith, West Philadelphia High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  16. Helen Corveleyn, Hopewell Elementary School, Pennington, New Jersey
  17. Isabella Liu, University of Toronto Schools, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  18. Jander Talen, Cochrane High School, Cochrane, Alberta, Canada
  19. Jean Chen-Wu, Cypress School District, Cypress, California
  20. Jenna Forslund, Elmwood High, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  21. Jennifer Anderson, El Camino Real Academy, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  22. Jennifer Carter, Roosevelt Middle School, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  23. Jennifer Reiter, Gilman School, Baltimore, Maryland
  24. Jill McNabnay, Lakeshore High School, Stevensville, Michigan
  25. Joe Muise, St. Thomas More Collegiate, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
  26. Julie Klipfel, Howe-Manning Elementary School, Middleton, Massachusetts
  27. Kate Mochon, Noble High School, North Berwick, Maine
  28. Kathleen Wilson, Gates Middle School, Scituate, Massachusetts
  29. Katie Doyle, Flour Bluffs Independent School District, Corpus Christi, Texas
  30. Katie Lodes, St. Joseph’s Academy, St. Louis, Missouri
  31. Katrin Beinroth Micus, Southwestern Educational Society (SESO), Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
  32. Laura Hageman, Jeffers Pond Elementary School, Prior Lake, Minnesota
  33. Lisa Farrand, Pawling Central High School, Pawling, New York
  34. Maimona Afzal Berta, Santa Clara County Office of Education, San Jose, California
  35. Maria Morris, Morse High School, Bath, Maine
  36. Matthew Holden, Fayetteville High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
  37. Mervyn Barenie, Griffith Junior High School, Griffith, Indiana
  38. Misha Smith, Hawthorne Elementary, Boise, Idaho
  39. Monika Moorman, Central Park Elementary, Broward County, Florida
  40. Nikia Garland, Arsenal Technical High School, Indianapolis, Indiana
  41. Olivia Miller, East Kentwood High School, Kentwood, Michigan
  42. Owen Kinney, Darlington School, Rome, Georgia
  43. Rhonda O’Keefe, Mary Emily Bryan Middle School, Weldon Spring, Missouri
  44. Sandra Makielski, Davisville Middle School, North Kingstown, Rhode Island
  45. Sandra Reed, New Albany Plain Local Schools, New Albany, Ohio
  46. Shannon McLeod, Vanscoy School, Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, Canada
  47. Susan Tate, Whitehall Middle School, Whitehall, Michigan
  48. Susannah Remillard, Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter Public School, East Harwich, Massachusetts
  49. Tina Zacherl, Knoch Primary School, Saxonburg, Pennsylvania
  50. 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. Learn more about the 2023 Grosvenor Teacher Fellows on the National Geographic Education Blog.

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.

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General Media Contact
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Bradley Norman
Lindblad Expeditions
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About National Geographic Society

The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content. To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.