Indian Creek Nature Center staff is excited to lead tomorrow’s Champions of Nature on adventures through our wetlands, prairies and woodlands this summer.
Before our Creek Camp families stock up on their sunscreen and bug spray, we want to introduce the staff members who will be leading camps this year.
Introducing the 2023 Creek Camp Staff
Senior Naturalist Emily Roediger and Education Manager Andria Cossolotto have been developing, planning and leading outdoor educational programs at Indian Creek Nature Center for years. They both delight in the moments of joy and discovery that children find along the trail, in the pond or among the trees during their programs.
Both look forward to another year of nearly sold out Creek Camps, where they can share their passion for nature with the next generation of environmental stewards.
Senior Naturalist Emily Roediger is originally from Rochester, Minnesota. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with majors in Biology and Environmental Studies and minors in Geology and Music, and has an environmental education graduate certificate from Hamline University. She has over 4 years of experience with multiple environmental education organizations and has been a Naturalist at the Nature Center since 2016. Emily enjoys being outside whether she’s hiking and exploring new places, camping, playing tennis, bike riding or even just sitting!Education Manager Andria Cossolotto, a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, came to Indian Creek Nature Center in May of 2016 having previously been a naturalist in western Iowa. As a staff Naturalist at ICNC, Andria leads school field trips and camps, helping to instill the love of nature in future generations. In her spare time, Andria works to help improve pollinator habitats and enjoys getting outdoors with her husband and two children whenever possible.
Summer Naturalists
Summer Naturalists work alongside our full-time, year-round Naturalists to plan and lead programs and activities for Indian Creek Nature Center Creek Camps.
Haven Diehl is a Cedar Rapids native in the Parks and Natural Resources program at Kirkwood Community College. Haven is passionate about the environment and opening others’ eyes to the wonders of the natural world. In her spare time, she likes to read, hike and spend time with family! Haven is eager to learn, teach, and get connected with her community this summer at Indian Creek!
Alyssa Guritz is originally from northwest Indiana and graduated from Earlham College in 2020 with a degree in Environmental Sustainability, focusing on environmental culture and justice. She also minored in Public Policy and German. Alyssa initially moved to Iowa in 2021 to serve with Green Iowa AmeriCorps. In her free time, Alyssa enjoys traveling, playing video games, watching movies with her partner, and spending time with their dog and four cats.
Melissa Brecht first joined the staff of the Indian Creek Nature Center as a program assistant. Her love of nature came from spending every summer camping and boating with her family, which instilled a great love for the outdoors. She enjoys spending her time teaching others and getting to work with all of us here at ICNC. Her favorite hobbies are kayaking, hiking, and mountain biking.
Have a child registered for Creek Camp? Find all the details, including what your child should bring, at the Summer Camps webpage.
