For those who were unable to join us at the early childhood focused programing during the Nature Everywhere Conference this spring, we will host a follow-up webinar. The benefits of nature on the body and brain start early – real early.

Meet Our Speakers:

– Joan Lombardi Ph.D, Co-Founder of the Georgetown Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues, and adjunct faculty at Stanford University. For more than 50 years, Joan has dedicated her work to assuring the healthy development of young children and support for their families in the US and around the world.   She is a strong believer in multigenerational programs and the importance of communities and supportive early childhood and family support policies to achieve sustainable development. Currently, she serves as a Senior Advisor and Adjunct Professor at the Center on Early Childhood, Graduate School of Education at Stanford University, and a Senior Scholar and Adjunct Professor, Thrive Center on Children, Families and Communities, Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University. She is the co-founder of the Georgetown Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues. In addition, since 2011 she has been directing Early Opportunities, serving as an advisor to a range of international organizations and philanthropy, including, among others, the Buffett Early Childhood Fund and the Bainum Family Foundation. Over the years, Joan has served in several positions in the public sector including as the first Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development (2009-2011) in the Obama Administration, and as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs in Administration for Children and Families, USDHHS and the first Commissioner of the Child Care Bureau among other positions (l993-1998) during the Clinton Administration.

– Kathleen Belk Doffermyre, George B. Storer Foundation. Kathleen Doffermyre is the Senior Program Officer at the George B. Storer Foundation. Since 2009, Kathleen has developed and overseen all grantmaking strategy and processes, for almost $50 million in grants. Kathleen is passionate about promoting children’s health through well-designed early childhood outdoor learning environments. Prior to joining the Storer Foundation she worked at the Murie Center in Grand Teton National Park. Kathleen has a BA in English and Elementary Education from William and Mary. She is a founding board member of Blue Sky Funders Forum and the President of the Jackson Hole chapter of Trout Unlimited. Kathleen is a retired soccer player and avid angler and enjoys biking with her husband, two young redheaded kids, and two adventurous dogs.

– Dr. Sheila Williams Ridge, Child Development Laboratory School at the University of Minnesota. As an expert on nature-based learning, early childhood education and the benefits of outdoor play for young children, she also serves as a facilitator for the NAEYC Young Children and Nature Interest Forum, on the Voices and Choices coalition, a board member for the Minneapolis Nature Preschool, a board member for Monarch Joint Venture, a board member for Dodge Nature Center, and a member of the Natural Start Alliance Leadership Team. She is a co-author of the book, Nature-Based Learning for Young Children: Anytime, Anywhere, on Any Budget, published by Redleaf Press. She is passionate about encouraging nature-based play and the lasting developmental benefits of a relationship between children and nature.

– Wande Okunoren-Meadows, Heart Hand, and Soul Project. Wande Okunoren-Meadows is an award-winning change agent widely recognized for her passion for designing holistic strategies for community change. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Hand, Heart, + Soul Project and the former Director of Community, Quality, and Engagement at Little Ones Learning Center in Forest Park, GA, where she oversaw the operations of her family-operated early childhood center. Her success spearheading a community garden at the center prompted a visit from former Georgia’s First Lady, Sandra Deal, to promote nutrition and wellness among young people as keys to early childhood education. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the Nikki Randall Servant Leadership Award presented by the Georgia Women’s Legislative Caucus and the 2023 Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. Advisory Council’s Rita Jackson Samuels Founder’s Award, and in 2023, received a U.S. Senate Commendation by the Office of Senator Ossoff. She is a graduate of Emory University and the proud mom of three thoughtful, civically disruptive children.

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Each year, the Children & Nature Network hosts its annual Nature Everywhere Conference – the largest gathering of children and nature experts in the world – to advance evidence-based programs and policies for connecting children to the benefits of nature. The conference is attended by more than 600 cross-sector leaders in early childhood and K-12 education; youth development; environmental justice; climate resilience; family services; public agencies; healthcare and mental health; outdoor recreation and conservation; nonprofits, and philanthropy. 

The 2025 conference included a focus on the nexus between early childhood (prenatal to age five) and nature. In addition to a site visit to a nature preschool, the conference opened on May 14 in Saint Paul, MN, with a panel of national early childhood experts discussing, “Nature and Climate in Early Childhood: The profound power of nature for the developing brain.” Panelists included: 

• Leah Austin, President & CEO, National Black Child Development Institute
• Diana Rauner, President, Start Early  
• Abigail Stewart-Kahn, Managing Director, Stanford Center on Early Childhood
• Sheila Williams-Ridge, Director, Child Development Laboratory School, University of Minnesota, Institute of Child Development
• David Beard, Director of Policy & Government Affairs, Children & Nature Network (Panel Facilitator)

The discussion highlighted the benefits and importance of nature experiences and outdoor learning in early childhood. The Outdoor and Nature-Based Early Care and Education (ONB ECE) approach aims to ensure that all children receive the developmental benefits of nature through regular access to outdoor learning environments in early childhood settings. Building opportunities for our youngest learners and their families to learn from and engage in nature takes various forms; from nature play spaces in parks and public spaces to nature-based programming in traditional child care centers to nature preschools to engaging families and caregivers to support early childhood nature connection. Additionally, early learning spaces play a role in mitigating the impacts of climate change, and those spaces need to be buffered from extreme weather events.

To increase these opportunities and embed nature in traditional early childhood programming, it is imperative to build the capacity of the early childhood workforce to facilitate nature-based experiences and build partnerships and collaborations between nature spaces, governments, and non-profit partners to inform and improve related local, state, and federal public policies.

The Blue Sky Funders Forum would like to invite you to a follow-up webinar on October 29th to learn about Outdoor and Nature-Based Early Care and Education. The benefits of nature on the body and brain start early – real early. Join us to learn more!