DECATUR — Sarah Livesay is a rock star in the world of environmental education.
The Mattoon native found her niche working among others in the field through the Environmental Education Association of Illinois. She eventually expanded her career past the state and into the rest of the country.
“And then going back,” she said about her life’s path. “Now I’m working in Charleston.”
Livesay, 47, was the keynote speaker for the EEAI conference this weekend at the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel. Along with working at the state level, she also held a position nationally with the Council for Environmental Education.
Currently the Grand Prairie Friends executive director, Livesay and her staff operate the Warbler Ridge Conservation Area in Charleston, among other sites in Coles and Shelby counties.
People are also reading…
“I’m still working with the networks and the businesses in the community where I grew up,” she said.
Livesay’s love for the environment began in her backyard and with her father’s love for birds, specifically purple martins.
“You have to take care of them,” she said. “That was kind of my inspiration.”
Livesay had a dream as a child to be wildlife biologist. Her first job was at Fox Ridge in Charleston. She soon learned sitting alone among nature didn’t fit her personality.
“I hated it. I needed people,” she said. “When I went into environmental education, it was the best of both worlds.”
Livesay continues to engage with various crowds, a character trait she learned through many stages of her life, discussing the importance of the environment.
“It wasn’t a straight path,” she said. “But I think I learned so much from this organization. EEAI helped me along the way.”
The conference brought together environmental educators from throughout Illinois, including formal educators, such as classroom teachers, and non-formal educators, who are those working in nature centers, zoos and museums.
“We have two groups, bringing them together, trying to offer things that are relevant to both audiences,” said Savannah Donovan, president of the EEAI. “We’re really trying to equip teachers of all kinds with the tools that they need to engage youth in learning about the environment in a hands-on way.”
Organizers invited Livesay to be the keynote speaker because of her reputation.
“She is a wonderful leader in environmental education,” Donovan said. “She was the person in charge of training people on the statewide education curriculum. She has been an amazing rock star.”
After several paths taken, some planned, some not, Livesay transitioned into land conservation and is now executive director of the nonprofit land trust organization, Grand Prairie Friends.
“But she’s always continued to be involved or adjacent to this organization,” Donovan said about the keynote speaker's connection with EEAI. “The conference is a time for us to re-energize, but what our members get the most out of is the connections that we build.”
This year was the first EEAI conference for Brenda Missele. Livesay’s story sounded like the beginning of her story. “She was awesome,” Missele said.
Missele works as the nature program coordinator at Hawthorne Hill Nature Center in Elgin. She also taught in the middle and high school levels for approximately 20 years.
“I took that scary step of leaving education, because I knew it was my time to be done. But I just started the new job in August,” Missile said. “This gives me hope that I can start some new connections.”