Camps & Community Programs Coordinator
Matt is a Millbrook native and an Auburn graduate with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife sciences. Growing up, Matt spent a lot of time outdoors exploring and fishing, he also spent a lot of his summers in the Florida panhandle fishing and looking for sea life. When not working, Matt spends most of his weekends fishing, camping, hunting, shooting, hiking, and exploring. Matt is in charge of the ANC’s camp and weekend programs. The best part is of working at the ANC is being able to combine his passions for the outdoors and education.
Susan Clark, a life-long resident of Montgomery, Alabama, retired from the Montgomery Public School System after dedicating 30 years to teaching children in grades 1-3. With a deep passion for science and conservation education, she engaged her students in a variety of projects designed to spark their interest in nature and environmental stewardship. Susan is happily married and has two beautiful and talented step-daughters. She is also the proud mother of two large-breed dogs adopted from local shelters in Montgomery and Elmore counties. Susan loves working with children at the Alabama Nature Center, and enjoys continuing her journey of discovery alongside them.
Robbie is a recent graduate from Huntingdon College where he earned a B.A. in Biology. He first joined the ANC team as an intern and then moved up to a Naturalist. He loves fishing, sports and the outdoors all of which he loves to share with and teach to the younger generation.
Susan is a retired teacher from the Montgomery Public School System. She has been married for almost 40 years, and has three beautiful (grown) children and two amazing grandsons. Her piece of Heaven on Earth is what she thinks when she enters the breathtaking grounds of the ANC. Being an ANC Naturalist combines her lifetime love of nature with a lifetime dedication of educating children.
Danna is truly exuberant to make the jump from 27 years in the INDOOR classroom (K4-8, Gifted, ESL along the way) to the OUTDOOR classroom at last! Born in Nashville, TN with an Auburn, AL childhood, she fondly notes that experiencing plentiful trails and critters alongside her educator parents (AU botany professor/AHS biology teacher) and younger brother fueled her lifelong fire to embrace the wonder of the majestic outdoors. Although AU and AUM equipped her well (1988/B.S./Elementary; 1998/M.S./Elementary), her greatest learning has come from her students of all ages. During her “indoor classroom” years, she sought to create, cultivate, and conserve outside spaces with her little learners, sharing the bounty and teaching them to also “bloom where they were planted.” Equipped with a heart for missions local and international, she has been blessed to travel the world with her family, Rev. Michael, Anna Caroline, and John Michael Beale. As Ireland and Japan are the current service-spots for their “big kids,” the opportunity is ripe for her new adventure. In addition to all of the above, she adores walking/hiking, birding, bicycling, meeting and encouraging people, learning new languages (“refining her Spanish”), gardening, reading/writing, and sharing her love of Creation and the Creator everywhere she goes. Having shepherded decades of memorable field trips to the beloved Alabama Nature Center, it is a dream come true to join the incredible team of her favorite “outdoor classroom” destination!
When it comes to sharing her heartfelt love for children and conservation education, Susan exemplifies a kind of sacrificial giving like none other. Susan not only gives the Lanark Field Days program her best during programs, she also works overtime to enhance program quality with new activity ideas. Known for her trail chants, treasure hunts and hands-on, educational games and crafts, Susan is a true treasure to the ANC team.
Danielle is a Hollins University graduate with a BA in Environmental Studies. As a military spouse, she has had the opportunity to see numerous types of landscapes and environments around the United States solidifying her love of nature. During her free time, Danielle enjoys camping with her family, hiking, and playing soccer with her kids. She is so excited to guide young minds to love nature and the animals in it at the Alabama Nature Center.
Samuel is a student at Auburn University at Montgomery, where he combines his interests in Computer Science and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) through an Interdisciplinary Studies major. A lifelong nature enthusiast, he loves spending his free time hiking, kayaking, climbing, camping, and much more. He is also passionate about teaching young people about the environment and their role in protecting it.
