Our Team
The Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center’s programs are managed and implemented by an experienced staff of nonprofit professionals, environmental educators, and wildlife rehabilitators. You can find members of our team at either the River Campus or Mountain Campus throughout the year, whether on the job or just enjoying the great outdoors. Keep up with our programming and updates in the monthly Ranger Ramblings newsletter and the seasonal Nature Journal.
NWDC is governed by a Board of Directors which makes policy-level decisions that guide operations to ensure the fulfillment of NWDC’s mission. All of NWDC’s Board of Directors volunteer their time and contribute their talents in ways that best help NWDC connect the Southern Colorado Community to Nature.
Please visit our jobs page if you are interested in joining our team.
Meet Our Staff
Administrative Staff
Taylor Driver, Executive Director
As Executive Director, Taylor (She/Her/Hers) brings the board of directors, staff, and key stakeholders together to create collaborative and innovative solutions to ensure the continued success of NWDC in promoting environmental stewardship and community health. Taylor’s passion for nature education, ability to build rapport with people of all backgrounds, and deep commitment to NWDC’s mission guides the organization to achieve annual and strategic goals. When not working, you’ll find Taylor exploring trails with her dogs in Beulah, untangling her fly line in the Arkansas River, or planning her next international adventure.
Contact: taylor@hikeandlearn.org
Jenn de Groot, Sales & Marketing Director
As Sales & Marketing Director, Jenn (She/Her/Hers) is responsible for developing and implementing the sales and marketing strategies that assist NWDC in achieving its mission, as well as raising awareness of the facility rentals, organization initiatives, and program offerings. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from CSU Pueblo. Before working for NWDC, Jenn spent 5 years working in communications positions at various Pueblo organizations. She also organized the Fall 2020 Volunteer River Campus Clean-Up Days, and collaborated with the Mountain Park Environmental Center to perform volunteer marketing and event planning duties for the 2018 Beulah Challenge Run. When she is not working at NWDC, Jenn is photographing concerts, hitting the trails with her dog Mayday, and stand-up paddle boarding at the Lake Pueblo reservoir.
Contact: salesandmarketing@hikeandlearn.org
Lynette Gerow, Accounting & Payroll Manager
Lynette is a native Texan and moved to Colorado in 2014 to be close to her grandchildren. She discovered the Pueblo Mountain Park while attending a Zuke’s Dog Hike and fell in love with it. As an avid gardener and lover of nature, Lynette feels right at home working for NWDC. Lynette brings over 30 years of accounting experience to her position. You can find her in the office at the Horseshoe Lodge, or along one of the many Mountain Park hiking trails with her husband and one of her three poodles. Lynette will always greet you with a warm welcome and a big Texas smile.
Contact: office@hikeandlearn.org
Education & Program Staff
Tami Montoya, Earthkeeper Nature School Director
Tami (aka “Ranger Tami”) has 20+ years of experience as a teacher in both local public school districts and over five years as an Environmental Educator with NWDC. She is the director and a co-founder of NWDC’s Earthkeeper Nature School. She is a member of the Forest Kindergarten Association and has trained with naturalists, environmental educators, and the Healthy Women Healthy Earth environmental leadership organization. Tami holds an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education, has a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, and is a state-licensed Educator and Early Childhood Director. Teaching kids and helping them connect to nature has been Tami’s dream for many years, as she is a strong advocate of outdoor, play-based education for children.
Contact: tami@hikeandlearn.org
Gia Montoya, Earthkeeper Nature School Early Childhood Teacher
Gia (aka “Ranger Gia”) brings years of outdoor education experience to our Earthkeeper Nature School program. With a strong background in health promotion through athletics, she works to promote wellness through physical activity and outdoor recreation in her position at NWDC. With a Bachelor of Science in exercise science, outdoor recreation, and health promotion, as well as experience as a camp counselor for youth camps, Gia’s skills and enthusiasm are a perfect match for the energy and eagerness of our Earthkeeper Nature School students.
Contact: gia@hikeandlearn.org
Noel Zant, Program Director
As Program Director, Noel (aka “Ranger Zant”) is responsible for the development and implementation of NWDC’s youth and community programs, including Earth Studies and our day/summer camps. Noel is a Pueblo native and she spent most of her free time outdoors during her childhood. She has a passion for nature and enjoys helping others find inspiration to discover the wonders of the outdoors. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology from Colorado State University Fort Collins. She brings experience from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Pueblo Zoo to her position with NWDC. When she is not wandering through the pines of our Mountain Campus or trekking through the prairie of our River Campus, Noel stays busy with her husband, twin boys, two dogs, eight chickens, two ducks, and one turtle.
Contact: programs@hikeandlearn.org
Elise Lokey, Program Manager
Elise (she/her/hers), aka “Ranger Lokey”, manages our Outdoor Explorations Program (OEP), which is a tuition-free program designed to supplement homeschool curriculum with natural science, experiential learning, community-building, and self-discovery. Elise also supports a variety of other outdoor educational programs at NWDC. Before she joined the team at NWDC, she gained experience in field research, wildlife handling, conservation, ecology, and public speaking as a college student and research intern at CSU Pueblo. After presenting her research to a large group of curious kids at a number of symposiums, she fell in love with the idea of inspiring young minds. Before coming to NWDC, Elise worked for Lake Pueblo State Park as a naturalist. She strives to make a difference in the world by sharing her experiences with others in stewardship, outdoor recreation, and wildlife. In her spare time, Elise likes to spend time with her dogs, and kayak, hike, shoot archery, and travel.
Contact: elise@hikeandlearn.org
Environmental Educators/Rangers
Guest Services Staff
Lori Youngren, Guest Services Manager
Lori Youngren is a Pueblo, Colorado native and has been a Beulah resident for over 26 years. As our Guest Services Manager, Lori brings hospitality, hard work, and commitment to her position. Lori’s creative interests include sewing and quilting, and her formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. After taking time away from her career to raise her four children full-time, Lori now brings her high work ethic to NWDC. She and her husband Jay live on a Beulah family ranch, and together they enjoy hunting, fishing and camping.
Contact: lori@hikeandlearn.org
Guest Services Team
Sandy Shure
Cathy Amendola
Lizzy Colucci
Maintenance Staff
Tony Pemberton, Maintenance Director
Tony (He/Him/His) is our Maintenance Director at NWDC. Tony oversees the care, management, and maintenance of NWDC lands and facilities. Tony also coordinates NWDC’s volunteer efforts, fire mitigation, and partnerships with the City of Pueblo and Pueblo Parks and Recreation to preserve and improve our buildings. Tony went to Crown College Minneapolis, Minnesota. He enjoys adventuring in the outdoors, working hard and playing hard, traveling, riding his motorcycle, and spending time with his wife, four children, and nine grandchildren.
Contact: tony@hikeandlearn.org
Zane Groom, Maintenance and Facilities Manager
Zane (He/Him/His) is the Maintenance and Facilities Manager at NWDC. Zane primarily tends to the land and facilities of our mountain campus. Zane also assists in coordinating NWDC’s park projects with volunteers. Zane spent 6 years as a diesel mechanic and looks forward to applying, demonstrating, and learning new skills with NWDC. He enjoys loading his free time with anything outdoors, including backpacking, fishing, and camping all the while being accompanied by his many four-legged friends.
Contact: zane@hikeandlearn.org
Luis Ortiz, Maintenance Technician
Contact: luis@hikeandlearn.org
Nate Timme, Maintenance Technician
Nate (He/Him/His) brings a passion for the outdoors and a commitment to preserving the environment to his position as NWDC’s Maintenance Technician. With his demonstrated working knowledge of maintenance tasks, experience in volunteer management, skill in operating trucks, tractors, and equipment for various projects, and previous experience working on a trail crew, he is a valuable member of our team.
Contact: nate@hikeandlearn.org
Raptor Center Staff
Diana Miller, Raptor Center Director
Diana Miller (She/Her/Hers) became fascinated in birds of prey the day that she met Buddy the Great Horned Owl. It was August, 1985, and she had just arrived at the Greenway & Nature Center of Pueblo (now known as the Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center) to do an internship in environmental education. Since then, she has dedicated her 30+ year career to the pursuit of quality rehabilitation care for wildlife, especially birds of prey. As our Raptor Center Director, Diana puts equal energy into educating the public about our native raptors as she does providing education about wildlife in general. She considers the greatest rewards in her career to be experiencing the joy of returning an animal to its home, seeing children’s faces when they meet a raptor ambassador in their classroom, and the meeting others who share her passion for all things wild. In her spare time, Diana enjoys hanging with her pawkids, sewing, and wildlife watching.
Contact: diana@hikeandlearn.org
Autumn Waylan, Raptor Rehabilitation Manager
Autumn Waylan (She/Her/Hers) came on board in the summer of 2024 with at least 10 years of experience in wildlife handling and a background in vet clinic operations, animal handling, public education, community outreach, and specifically, raptor programs! Autumn has a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University in Wildlife & Fisheries. She recently moved to Colorado from Texas with her dogs, Indi and Wicket, and her lizard, Yoshi. Autumn is excited to embark on new adventures all around our beautiful state. She is especially looking forward to forming connections with our raptor ambassadors, and tapping into her educational background by teaching our community about these majestic creatures through our public programs and raptor presentations. In her position as our full-time Raptor Rehabilitation Manager, she will gain unique skills in the practice of rehabilitation for birds of prey, as well as support our Raptor Center Director in the administration duties of the Raptor Center, animal care and management, and medication and treatment plans. When she is not working at NWDC, Autumn enjoys reading fiction, camping, hiking, spending time with her dogs, and connecting with nature.
Contact: autumn@hikeandlearn.org
Meet Our Board
We are proud to have an experienced Board of Directors promoting environmental stewardship and community health through nature education, wildlife rehabilitation, and outdoor recreation.
Board Officers:
- Chair: Lisa Wachtel
- Vice Chair: Caren Ermel
- Secretary: David Cockrell
- Treasurer: Jim Stuart
Board Members:
- April Bojorquez
- Adam Davidson
- Monique Marez
- Peg Rooney
- Amanda Weidner
