Wild Ideas for Getting Outside

At Wild Ideas for Getting Outside we explored different ways people can connect to nature by getting outside. Fast-paced presentations covered 5 outdoor activities and where to do them in the Triangle. Afterwards the Outdoor Expo organizations offered information and specific opportunities to get outside and connect with nature in a new place, way or with new people! This event took place May 8 at the Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh.

View photos from the event on our Facebook page.

Presentations:

Dale Threatt-Taylor (Emcee)

Dale Threatt-Taylor is the Director of the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District and Wake County’s Soil and Water Conservation Department. She received a B.S. in Conservation from NC State University in 1991 and a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University in 2011.

Her daily goal is to make sure that Soil and Water Conservation is the most effective department in Wake County Government, helping both land and landowner. Dale’s long range goal is that Wake will be the best Soil and Water Conservation District in the nation.

Kari Wouk, Senior Manager of Educational Collaborations, NC Museum of Natural Science

Kari Wouk is the Senior Manager of Educational Collaborations at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh NC, where she has been part of the staff since 2008. She coordinates the Museum’s large-scale events, including BugFest, Astronomy Days and Reptile and Amphibian Day. In addition to events, she also coordinates Finally Fridays: Where Science Meets the Cinema. develops programs for current science events and is the chair of the Museum’s Greener Futures Committee.

Debra “Latte” Rezeli and Jeff “Sketchy Guy” Rezeli, Mountains to Sea Trail Thru-Hikers

Debra “Latte” Rezeli and Jeff “Sketchy Guy” Rezeli are empty nest 40-somethings with desk jobs by day – Jeff with an architecture firm and Debra with a higher education based non-profit. In the evenings and on the weekends, however, they fill their time with outdoor activities and adventure races. In 2018 they checked out for a couple of months to become the 97th and 98th completers of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, finishing in October after 77 days of hiking, biking, and paddling. Continuing the adventures, they will celebrate their 24th wedding anniversary this month.

Sarah King, Development Director, North Carolina Coastal Federation

Sarah King is Development Director at the NC Coastal Federation where she’s worked more than 10 years to protect and restore coastal habitats and water quality. Based out of the Triangle, Sarah is also an avid outdoor enthusiast, with interests ranging from trail running, triathlons, mountain biking, and more.

Chris Fowler and Casey Therrien, Communications Manager and Development Manager, Triangle Land Conservancy

Chris Fowler and Casey Therrien head up the Communications and Development programs at TLC to accelerate the pace of conservation. If you are signed up to receive TLC’s monthly emails (and you should be), you’ve probably seen their names in your inbox. As dog owners, they both are passionate about pet etiquette at TLC Nature Preserves and beyond.