About: Education Team
THE EDUCATION TEAM
Laura Lee Bahr is an author, filmmaker, and performer. She recently relocated from the City of Angels to the City of Champions (Brockton, MA). In addition to the eclectic “you name it, I’ve done it” artistic endeavors, she has spent years in education, teaching everything from mathematics to vocal performance. Her debut feature film as writer/director, BONED, is about a dogwalker/detective who ultimately discovers that the only “true love is a dog’s love.” But in real life, Laura’s obsession has always been with her cats.
Her mantra is “may all beings be happy and free, and may my actions contribute to the happiness and freedom of others.” You can learn more about her personal work at lauraleebahr.co. Laura is the author of NEPC’s The Case of the Disappearing Habitat: The Candy Culprit lessons and stars in the series’ videos.
Debra is New England Primate Conservancy’s founder. For 35 years, Debra developed and delivered presentations, workshops, and training seminars for professionals in multiple industries.
Well-versed in the plight of nonhuman primates in captivity and in the wild, coupled with her awareness of the worldwide habitat loss crisis, Debra launched New England Primate Conservancy’s outreach programs in 2004, developed the Conservancy’s original Education Center curriculum, and has spoken at a variety of venues on behalf of the Conservancy’s mission, including to students from elementary to university and post-graduate programs. Debra develops some of NEPC’s web-based education programs, continues to produce its educational videos, designs educational activities, and leads the talented and diverse Education Team that carries out the Conservancy’s mission to make knowledge a pathway to compassion and conservation… because education is the heart of wildlife protection.
Sylvie worked for 20 years in broadcasting and entertainment in Southern California. She is now focusing on writing, wildlife education, and art. She has been volunteering for wildlife conservation non-profits (including New England Primate Conservancy from 2017 through 2022, returning to us in 2025) for over 20 years and has been docenting for her local zoo for the last 3 years. Her specialties are hoofstock, elephants, primates, and carnivores.
Brenda Awuor is a Kenyan-based environmental researcher, writer & journalist who focuses on sustainability, nature/biodiversity, pollution and climate change topics to educate the public and mobilize action. Her journey began with a deep love for books, stealing every moment she could for a book, whether walking home through quiet thickets, running errands for her mother, or unwrapping items just to read the newspaper they were wrapped in. This lifelong passion for stories led her to freelance writing as she pursued her Bachelor’s degree in finance. Over time, she felt especially drawn to environmental topics and the quest for a more sustainable world upon which all life depends. She pursued training in environmental journalism and developed a strong commitment to leverage Solutions Journalism knowledge to highlight not only environmental problems but also the responses and efforts being made to address them.
Brandi is an advocate, writer, and passionate educator. Brandi received her Bachelors in Psychology from Boston University and her Masters in Education from Johns Hopkins. Brandi pursues work that has a meaningful, sustaining impact on our communities and world. She is currently an early childhood educator in Western Massachusetts. As part of her goal to continually improve our schools, Brandi hopes to bring engaging and empowering science lessons to young students to inspire the next generation of changemakers and advocates. In her free time Brandi enjoys running outdoors, yoga, watching rugby, and learning new things.
Hannah is a writer from California with a passion for nature conservation and elementary education. She is the founder of multiple Surf, Skate, and Yoga camps for San Diego youth, a project that started as a way of ensuring safe socialization and physical activity for children during the COVID-19 era. Her background in outdoor sports, including a successful career as a coxswain for The U.S. National Rowing team, fuels her drive to ensure that we protect our natural environments so we may enjoy them harmoniously through physical activity and recreation.
Acima was born in Dubai, studied in India, worked in South Africa, and is getting her Ph.D. on African civets at the University of Connecticut. After a B.Sc. in Zoology and M.Sc. in Environmental Science, Acima worked as a field guide in South Africa for multiple years where she lived on a reserve surrounded by antelopes, lions, rhinos, and elephants. Acima credits her ability to think laterally and solve problems to the many mishaps she has had during her adventures in strange places.
Acima is a lifelong learner, and her writing reflects her love and curiosity about natural history and ecology . Easily distracted by fascinating animals and their behavior, she loves traveling down rabbit holes of research. Breaking down complex ecological relations into simplified analogies is Acima’s favorite part of writing for NEPC. When she is not writing about primates, she is birding, trying to photograph birds, and working on wildlife research projects.
Courtney is a science writer and editor with a passion for the natural world. She studied the humanities at the University of Pennsylvania and King’s College London before pursuing a career in writing and editing. Courtney spent a decade working for the U.S. government, writing about ocean science at NOAA and editing science reports for NASA. In addition to writing about animals, she loves working with them. Courtney volunteered for seven years at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC. She helped care for a variety of animals, from Giant Pandas to saki monkeys. Courtney recently moved to the Pacific Northwest and works as a freelance writer/editor. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, long hikes with her rescue dog, and spotting marine life on Puget Sound.
Kathy is a lifelong animal protection advocate. At age 11, she successfully appealed to her town’s legislators for the preservation of a pet cemetery that was to be razed. As an adult, she’s participated in and helped organize several animal protection campaigns in Massachusetts, including the successful 1996 Ban the Steel-Jaw Leghold Trap; Grey2K campaigns, which succeeded in banning the abusive practice of greyhound racing in 2008; and a 2016 Massachusetts initiative, working with Citizens for Farm Animal Protection, to ban the cruelest of farm animal confinements.
As a journalist, Kathleen has worked as a correspondent for regional publications, profiling people in the community and writing feature articles—highlighting animal protection and environmental causes whenever the opportunity arose. For seven years, she wrote the newsletter and fundraising appeals for the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society (mrfrs.org), along with appeals for other animal rescue organizations. She also wrote a regional book, Legendary Locals of Newburyport, published in 2014, for Arcadia Publishing.
Kathleen has been writing NEPC primate profiles, editing our book and other educational content, and contributing her input to NEPC initiatives since early 2016.
Alyssa is a science writer, researcher, and analyst focused on improving the welfare of both domestic and wild animals by fostering a deeper human understanding of their perspectives. She holds a B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in Animal Behavior from The Pennsylvania State University and is currently pursuing graduate studies in ethology and animal welfare.
Her work spans multiple global animal welfare nonprofits, where she conducts research and data analysis to support policy change, corporate accountability, and evidence-based animal advocacy across international markets. In addition to writing for New England Primate Conservancy, she works as a seasonal Environmental Educator, educating children and adults about animals, with a special focus on helping them reconnect with their animal selves. By growing people’s knowledge, empathy, and connection to the natural world, Alyssa hopes to inspire protection in these times of ecological crisis.
Complementing her lifelong commitment to animals, she brings over a decade of hands-on animal care experience with both domestic and exotic species in farms, zoos, and rehab organizations, as well as skills she gained from the entertainment industry working as an operations manager.
She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two dogs, and two cats.
Nami is a research assistant on the East Coast with interests in nonhuman primates, science communication, and environmentalism. Ever since her first primatology class at the University of Michigan, coupled with her lifelong love for animals, Nami has been fascinated with nonhuman primate sociality and cognition. With her research interests, her love for teaching, and her passion for art, her goal is to make science accessible and engaging for everyone.
When Nami isn’t thinking about primates, she loves to paint, read, cook, and drink coffee on long walks.
Jiayu is a science writer in the Greater Boston area. She loves learning new things and sharing that knowledge with others. After earning a B.A. in science communications from Vanderbilt University, she spent several years working in nonprofit communications. Later, she earned an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University, where she specialized in audio and investigative reporting. Since then, Jiayu has been writing for university and nonprofit clients covering a range of topics, including natural history, public health, and climate science.
As an avid outdoors enthusiast, she hopes that helping people understand the natural world will inspire them to protect it. When she isn’t writing, Jiayu loves walking through the woods, biking through the city, and playing French horn in her community bands.
Brooklynne was born and raised in central Massachusetts in communities surrounded by forest and farmland. Inspired by her surroundings, from a very young age, she knew she wanted to pursue a career researching animals and the environment. In 2023, she graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a bachelor’s degree in conservation journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Since then, she has spent most of her time advocating for wildlife conservation and environmental awareness, most notably in Costa Rica working with sloths at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. When she is not writing, you can find her practicing yoga, reading, or spending time with friends at vintage stores.
As a graphic designer, Kelly has a passion for creating innovative designs that communicate important information. After completing her degree in Illustration in 2018, she started using her artistic skills to help enhance the Healthcare industry’s communication and awareness in her area. Kelly is also committed to delivering effective messages that inspire, educate, and inform the public about promoting and protecting animal welfare to help species now and in the years to come. She has previously created artwork for conservation purposes and is enthusiastic to jump on board and help to create additional visual content for NEPC. When she’s not designing, she likes to explore the outdoors with her rescue dog, soaking up the beauty in the Southwest of England, where she lives.
Lina’s love of animal behavior began by watching backyard wildlife in her native southern Mississippi, and continued into her undergraduate education at The University of Southern Mississippi where she majored in biology. While the ecology of Mississippi will always hold a special place in her heart, since graduating with her bachelor’s degree Lina has lived out her lifelong dream of traveling the world to study animals. Her travels began close to home with an internship at Dallas Zoo where she worked with a variety of animals, and continued with her master’s program at York University in Toronto, Canada. For her master’s thesis on female reproductive strategies in vervet monkeys, Lina also had the opportunity to travel to Uganda to study vervets in the wild. After completing her master’s, Lina hopes to apply the knowledge she’s gained working with animals to conservation efforts, including through contributing to accessible education on primates and conservation by writing for NEPC.
Sienna Weinstein is a wildlife photographer, zoologist, and lifelong advocate for the conservation of wildlife across the globe. She earned her B.S. in Zoology from the University of Vermont, followed by a M.S. degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Conservation Biology from Antioch University New England. While earning her Bachelor’s degree, Sienna participated in a study abroad program in South Africa and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), taking part in fieldwork involving species abundance and diversity in the southern African ecosystem. She is also an official member of the Upsilon Tau chapter of the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society.
Deciding at the end of her college career that she wanted to grow her hobby of photography into something more, Sienna dedicated herself to the field of wildlife photography as a means to promote the conservation of wildlife. Her photography has been credited by organizations including The Nature Conservancy, Zoo New England, and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. She was also an invited reviewer of an elephant ethology lesson plan for Picture Perfect STEM Lessons (May 2017) by NSTA Press. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, watching nature and animal documentaries, and photographing nature and wildlife, and posting her work on her LinkedIn profile. She hopes to create a more professional profile in the near future.
Stephanie is a London born, Oxford bred, country girl who’s always had an affinity for nature. Her love for animals led her to study Animal Management and Care at college to better understand their behaviour. A few years later, she decided to go back to school and study Ecology and Wildlife Conservation at Bournemouth University. Says Stephanie, “It changed my life, how I viewed the world, appreciating how extraordinary and complex our planet is.”
After university she traveled in Asia to experience what the rest of the world had to offer and it wasn’t long before she found her calling. On a small island in Cambodia, she founded, funded, and coordinated her own wildlife project, The Wonderful Wildlife of Samloem, documenting over 400 terrestrial and marine species. The project created PADI Open Water Diver course material, local school lessons, and advised businesses and tourists. She stood as ambassador for diving schools during the establishment of Cambodia’s largest MPA (Marine Protected Area) and used her research to assist Flora and Fauna International with zoning for the MPA and deploy trawler net defenses. Since the project, she has never looked back and finds herself drawn to environmental education. “By understanding the forces of mother-nature, we can live sustainably with her. I believe we all have a duty to leave the world in a better state than we found it. Working with NEPC is a great place to start.” Stephanie is the author of the New England Primate Conservancy’s What is Nature? lesson series.
Jacob is a field primatologist who has seen free-ranging non-human primates in Florida, Gibraltar, Costa Rica, Uganda, and Madagascar. After completing his B.S. in Zoology and Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022, he served as the on-site resident intern at Primates Incorporated, where he conducted behavioral observations and learned proper husbandry techniques for former laboratory macaques and other monkeys kept as pets. Then, he completed his M.A. in Anthropology at Stony Brook University under the direction of Dr. Patricia Wright. There, he completed a master’s thesis investigating the effects of habitat disturbance on the diet and behavior of Milne-Edwards’ sifaka in Ranomafana National Park. After the completion of his M.A. in 2025, he returned to Madagascar to mount an expedition to the Ivohiboro NAP to study the only known population of rainforest-dwelling ring-tailed lemurs. He plans to enroll in a PhD program in the fall of 2026 to continue investigating this unique population. He is also an avid birder and mammal-watcher who hopes to travel the world to photograph as many species as possible.