2026 EENC Annual Conference: Full Schedule

2:30pm EDT

EENC Evaluation Clinic: Building Capacity & Relationships

Friday September 11, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT

Working on an evaluation project and need support? Just want to learn more about evaluation? Join this 90-minute session to workshop your ideas and join the conversation. Using resources like eeVAL and EENC’s Embracing Evaluations course, we will explore common themes before breaking into small groups. Connect with peers and experienced evaluators to discuss questions, navigate challenges, and find promising solutions.

Speakers

Monifa Beverly

Beverly Consulting Group, LLC

Principal of Beverly Consulting Group, LLC

Jen Gathings

ETR Services

Senior Research Associate

Lydia Sellers

NCSU

PhD Student

Kathryn Stevenson

NCSU

Associate Professor

Friday September 11, 2026 2:30pm - 4:00pm EDT
Room 8B

Leading the Charge

9:30am EDT

Connecting your Existing Adult Volunteers with Meaningful Community Science Projects for Real Data Collection at your Site

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Room 10

Adult volunteers can be a great resource for collecting data and completing tasks at your site but they can come with their own challenges. During this session, we will talk about how we have been working with our enthusiastic volunteers to improve our Community Science projects by providing meaningful applications for their data collection efforts. The NC Arboretum hosts five Community Science projects completely run by dedicated volunteers and some of these volunteers have been working with these projects for over 10 years. We will detail the steps we have taken to get to know each individual better and learn how to work with each unique group and their team dynamics. We will talk through challenges we have come across and the ways we have navigated them over the last two years.

Speakers

Shane Myers

The North Carolina Arboretum

Lauren Lampley

Adult Education Coordinator, The North Carolina Arboretum

Adult and Continuing Education Coordinator

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Room 10

Leading the Charge

9:30am EDT

From Programs to Leadership: The Business of EE

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT

Room 8B

This session will help nonformal and environmental educators prepare for leadership responsibilities rarely covered in traditional training. Led by Jonathan Marchal and Chip Freund, the session will explore practical approaches to skills such as marketing, hiring, budgeting, grant administration, supervision, and evaluation while helping participants identify peer expertise and conference connections that can support growth.

Speakers

Chip Freund

Owner and Artist, Chip Freund Photography

Chip is a former product marketing executive in the technology sector. In 2017 he began his encore carrer as a full-time fine art landscape and nature photographic artist and public speaker. Chip holds a BA with a double-major in environmental biology and computer science from Wittenberg... Read More →

Jonathan Marchal

Director of Education, The North Carolina Arboretum

Director of Education

Saturday September 12, 2026 9:30am - 10:30am EDT
Room 8B

Leading the Charge

2:30pm EDT

9:30am EDT

9:30am EDT

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