Beetles Project Core Team - Beetles Project

Craig Strang

Craig is Associate Director of the Hall and the Director of BaySci (The Bay Area Partnership for Science Education) and MARE (Marine Activities, Resources, and Education). He is also the BEETLES Principal Investigator. Craig started his career in education leading interpretive hikes to see elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Reserve and then as a naturalist teacher for the Orinda Residential Environmental Education “5th Grade Camp.” He conducted field research on elephant seals and humpback whales, and until 2002, led natural history eco-tours (residential outdoor ed for grownups) to East Africa, Baja California and Galapagos.

Jedda Foreman

Jedda is the Director of Environemntal Literacy Projects at the Lawrence Hall of Science. She divides her time between designing and leading professional learning sessions, consulting with educators and district-level leaders, writing curriculum, and wrangling the BEETLES team. A Bay Area native, Jedda got her start in outdoor education in the swamps and redwoods of West Marin. She holds a BA in Psychology and Education from Carleton College in Minnesota, a graduate certificate in place-based education and field studies from Teton Science Schools, and an MBA in Design Strategy from California College of the Arts. Jedda helps lead BEETLES. You can also find her working in partnership with BaySci, Justice Outside, Informing Change, and others and she co-directs the Working Towards Racial Equity workshop series for outdoor and environmental education organizations.

Cristina Edwards

Cristina is the Coordinator of Environmental Literacy for the BEETLES team. Before coming to the Lawrence Hall of Science, she worked at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), where she first led backpacking trips, then moved to a role developing partnerships to help NOLS build relationships in communities of color. Cristina studied Conservation and Resources at U.C. Berkeley, and focused much of her coursework on informal learning. She has also worked within the Asian American journalists community, civic service, and summer camp programs prior to coming to the Lawrence Hall of Science. She serves on the PGM ONE Leaders Council as the co-chair of the Virtual Programming Team.

Kevin Beals

Kevin is the Director Emeritus of BEETLES. He spent 7 years as an Outdoor Science School field instructor, 1 year as a classroom science teacher, and his entire adult life educating kids. Since joining Lawrence Hall of Science in 1988, he has authored more than 90 published curriculum guides, children’s books, and professional learning videos. He has conducted more than 250 professional learning workshops, institutes and keynote addresses locally, nationally and internationally. He designed and taught a UC Berkeley science education course for 14 years. He has recorded 2 science music albums with his band, Bungee Jumpin’ Cows, and authored such campfire classics as The Banana Slug Song and Gusano (co-authored with buddy and bandmate Mel McMurrin). Since joining Lawrence Hall of Science, he has dreamed of creating this program to bring quality resources to outdoor science school instructors.

Emilie Lygren

Emilie is a professional developer and curriculum specialist with BEETLES (and our resident poet). She developed a diverse set of naturalist and teaching skills as a leader in a variety of outdoor science programs and a student in many field science courses. For four years, Emilie worked as a field instructor in the Pescadero Valley and explored the central coast with students from all over the Bay Area. With artist, naturalist, and educator John Muir Laws, Emilie co-authored the field journaling curriculum, Opening the World through Nature Journaling, and collaborated and the book The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling. The Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education named her the 2014 Northern California Environmental Educator of the Year.

Former Staff & More Staff Pictures

Lynn Barakos

Lynn Barakos is a professional learning specialist. She contributed to many projects at the Lawrence Hall of Science over 20+ years. She co-developed and many BEETLES professional learning sessions and materials. She has extensive experience leading and developing professional learning experiences around inquiry-based science teaching and learning, and consults with teachers and districts about standards-based, science education reform. Lynn is a founding member of the Bungee Jumpin’ Cows and has performed science songs for kids and families since 1992. She is committed to bringing high quality science learning to students in outdoor educational settings.