Register today for our upcoming Conference on Thursday, March 26th!
Conference
The COEEA Conference brings together thought-provoking and engaging opportunities to share with, learn from, and water the seeds of inspiration with other outdoor and environmental education leaders and nature enthusiasts from across the state. With quality workshops and ample networking opportunities, COEEA’s conference is a great place to connect with old friends and new. Previous conference attendees include non-formal educators, classroom teachers, administrators, students, and leaders advancing EE and Environmental Justice across Connecticut.
Workshop Proposals
COEEA is seeking 60- and 90-minute workshop proposals for our annual conference being held this year on March 26, 2026 at Indian Rock Nature Preserve in Bristol, CT. Our theme this year is “Reconnect & Re-imagine: Building Sustainable Communities and Solutions."
The DEADLINE to submit a workshop proposal is MONDAY, February 9, 2026. Thank you for sharing your expertise! If you have any questions, please contact us at conference@coeea.org
We welcome proposals on the following topics:
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Green and Emerging Tools and Technologies
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Strengthening Community Engagement and Partnerships
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Connecting People to Place through Environmental Education
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Future Stewards: Youth Involvement in Environmental Solutions
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Healing, Hope, & Resiliency
You can help
If you enjoy learning, listening, and sharing experiences with EE friends and colleagues and want to contribute in making our Conference more engaging and inclusive, please contact us at conference@coeea.org. We are always looking for creative and passionate folks to assist our Conference Action Team with:
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Planning and coordinating the event
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Identifying and securing sponsors
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Advertising and promoting the conference
- Collaborating and having fun with like-minded professionals
Jessica LeClair
Executive Director
SustainableCT
Jessica is the Executive Director of Sustainable CT. She has been with Sustainable CT since its launch in 2017, helping develop the program with municipalities and partners. In her early roles with Sustainable CT, Jessica developed and implemented the organization’s municipal engagement and support programming. She also oversaw the Sustainable CT Fellowship and identified and cultivated strategic partnerships with outside organizations. Prior to joining the Sustainable CT, Jessica was highly engaged in the State of Connecticut’s climate change efforts, serving as a program manager at the CT Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA), and as an environmental analyst at the State of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). In these roles, Jessica supported efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and prepare municipalities of the state for the impacts of climate change. Jessica holds a BA from Connecticut College in Environmental Studies and International Relations and an MSc from Bard College in Climate Science and Politics.
Dr. Mayra Rodríguez González
Assistant Extension Educator in Urban and Community Forestry
University of Connecticut
Dr. Rodríguez is an urban social ecologist who holds a Ph.D. in forestry and natural resources from Purdue University. She helps city agencies and organizations improve natural resource management and address environmental injustice in their communities. Before coming to UConn, Mayra was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Gund Institute for Environment and the Spatial Analysis Laboratory at the Rubenstein School for Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont.
Sponsors
COEEA has always been able to keep our programs free and our conferences affordable due to our funders and sponsors.
If you are interested in supporting COEEA's work in promoting advancements in environmental literacy for all residents of Connecticut, please consider becoming a sponsor today and contact us at info@coeea.org!
Your sponsorship will help COEEA keep:
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Supporting Green LEAF schools across the state to achieve every day environmental improvements in their school grounds and with their students
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Offering network opportunities and free training and resources to students and environmental education professionals
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Providing funds through Mini-Grants to locally relevant, meaningful, experiential learning projects that advance diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in environmental education initiatives aligned with the goals of the Connecticut's Environmental Literacy Plan
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Recognizing the hard work and dedication of deserving environmental educators and organizations with our Awards
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Organizing our affordable Annual Conference, a great opportunity for anyone interested in environmental education to attend workshops, learn from and be inspired by environmental education leaders, listen and share experiences and projects with like-minded, motivated professionals