Biography

Olivia Griset is the Executive Director of the Maine Environmental Education Association (MEEA) and a cofounder of the Maine Environmental Changemakers Network. Changemakers is a youth-led, intergenerational statewide network connecting diverse young leaders with each other, mentors, and the training and support they need to lead environmental action in their schools and communities. Changemakers was awarded the UL Innovation Education Award in 2019 and was selected as a national case study highlighted in the North American Association for Environmental Education's (NAAEE) equity and inclusion online learning module. Through a systems-thinking approach and the power of network weaving, Olivia works in collaboration to innovate solutions that result in more equitable, sustainable, and healthy communities. Olivia serves on the Affiliate Network Steering Committee for the NAAEE and coordinates the equity and inclusion subcommittee for the NAAEE Affiliate Network. Olivia is deeply engaged in movement building in Maine, serving as chair of the steering committee for the Maine Nature-based Education Consortium whose vision is to create systems change that will result in ALL Maine youth having access to powerful outdoor learning opportunities. Olivia's childhood growing up in rural Utah, experiences as a fisheries biologist, and as a rural public high school environmental and life science teacher in Maine and informal environmental educator lend a unique perspective on environmental education movement-building. While a classroom teacher Olivia was recognized as a National Project Learning Tree Outstanding Educator, one of only 5 in the country in 2009. When not working on environmental education projects you can find Olivia playing music or exploring the woods with her partner Todd and their daughters Lucy and Charlotte.