Staff Naturalists
Wallowa Resources – Wallowa Mountain Institute is very fortunate to have excellent local naturalists working with us on our programs. Many of our naturalists instruct with both our youth and adult programs and have a range of backgrounds and talents. One thing they all have in common- they are wonderful and inspiring teachers...and just good folks.
Troy Nave has a degree in Natural Resource Management from University of California at Santa Barbara. WMI is very fortunate to have him join us as the Field Trips and Heritage Program Coordinator. Troy has extensive experience as a naturalist backcountry guide and guide manager in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic. The rest of his bio can be read on Wallowa Resources' Staff Page.
Penny Arentsen has a B.A. in Geology from Colorado College and an M.S. in Watershed Science from Utah State University and Environmental Education from the Teton Science School. She is the coordinator for WMI's K-12 Youth Stewardship Education Programs, as well as a naturalist with the Field Trips program. The rest of her bio can be read on Wallowa Resources' Staff Page.
David Duncan has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from University of Idaho. He taught high school biology for a number of years and is currently a pastor for a local church. He and his wife, Stefanie, have 3 children and, as if that isn't enough work, they are building their house, which is 100% off the grid and self-sufficient. David's love for the outdoors, science, and teaching is contagious.
Janet Hohmann has worked with wildlife and outdoor education programs for over 30 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana in 1976 and has worked as a field biologist for the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Nature Conservancy. Her main focus as a wildlife biologist has been on non-game species, including various amphibians, small mammals, neotropical songbirds, forest and prairie grouse, hawks, and owls. She has worked as an outdoor educator for 25 years: as an interpretive guide on llama treks for 17 years, an on-call guest speaker for elementary and high school classes, and a trip leader for Elderhostel International classes for 11 years. Janet has worked with Wallowa Resources as a both a biologist and an educator since 2000.
Andie Lueders is a nature fan and seasonal avian biologist living in Enterprise, OR. She has lived in Wallowa County for three years, and is beginning her fourth year studying grassland songbirds of the Zumwalt Prairie with Oregon State University. Grassland songbirds have become her taxon of interest over the years, with research studies taking her to Colorado and North Dakota. She has also studied shorebirds and forest songbirds in California, the Dakotas, Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia. But in all of these places, she’s always looking at and enjoying other taxa as well. Andie holds an M.S. in Ecology and a B.S. in Biology. In the winter she manages the local ice skating rink in Wallowa County, and has been thrilled to discover the supreme joy of playing ice hockey.
David Mildrexler graduated from Portland State University in 1999 with a B.S. in Environmental Science and Resources. An interest in biodiversity attracted him to travels and work in tropical forests before completing a Masters in Forest Science at the University of Montana's School of Forestry and Conservation under the direction of Dr. Steve Running, whom he continues to work for as a research assistant. David is an avid naturalist who enjoys hiking in the beautiful wildlands and rafting down the winding rivers of Wallowa County.
Andrea Mildrexler has a background in Social Work and Environmental Education, with a B.S. in Social Work. Her experience in leading groups and teaching as a naturalist has come from the North Cascades Institute, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Montana Youth Conservation Corps., Montana Natural History Center, Galena Ridge Wilderness Program, and currently with the Learning Tree Montessori School in Joseph. Andrea's interests are in traditional uses of native plants, and connecting people with our natural environments.
Cheri Miller has a BS in Wildlife Science from Oregon State University. She’s spent 9 years working as an Eagle Cap Wilderness Ranger and 11 years as a Wildlife Biologist for the US Forest Service in Enterprise and John Day, OR. She is currently working with conservation easements for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and on raptor surveys on local timber lands. She resides in Wallowa where she and her family raise hay, cattle and hair sheep. Cheri spends her free time running two daughters around and horse back riding with the family.