Our Team
Directors
Nadav Sprague, M.P.H.
Founding CEO & President
Nadav Sprague holds a Masters in Public Heath and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Earth Science from Washington University in St. Louis. Nadav is pursuing his Ph.D. in Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. He has previously worked as a researcher at the National Cancer Institute, a canoe trip guide at Camp Tamakwa, and in the educational department of Missouri Botanical Garden. Nadav loves going on canoe trips, hiking, boxing, and walking his dog (Tova).
Lucca Ammann (Right)
Chicago City Director
Lucca recently graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Environmental Sustainability and Urban Planning. She has previously worked in a vector disease lab for mosquito abatement and as a personal assistant for disability needs. She loves working with kids and has a long career of babysitting. Her focus on environmental education stems from her passion for climate sustainability. While working with GGO, she is most excited about urban farming and exploring nature with the Chicago students. In her free time she enjoys playing with her dogs, walking along the Lake Michigan lakefront (and swimming in the summer), and enjoying good food with friends.
Daryl Rosen-Huitt
Director of Operations
Daryl holds a degree in psychology from Maryville University and has an extensive background working with profit and non-profit organizations. Specializing in development and marketing, Daryl brings over 30 years of experience to GGO with event planning, promotions, PR, community relations, fundraising, sales and professional development. Originally from New York and raised in St. Louis she attributes her love for the city and passion for equality to her parents. She, her husband Robert, and her son Shayfer reside in Dog Town and enjoy spending time hiking in the woods and jumping the waves in any ocean.
AmeriCorps Members
Jayden Shinsky - 2025 AmeriCorps member
Jayden Shinsky is from Erie, Pennsylvania. He has 5 older siblings, him being the youngest of 6, with three sisters and two brothers. He likes to read, crochet, knit, and play video games. He loves to take walks through nature, take hikes, go biking, and play volleyball, in the sand and on indoor courts. Jayden decided to serve as an AmeriCorps member because the mission to connect individuals to great organizations spoke to him. Being from a community where the education department is deteriorating, organizations like GGO specifically call to him and he thinks his elementary and middle school would have loved Gateway to the Great Outdoors.
Isabel Blumenhorst - 2025 AmeriCorps member
Isabel is from St. Louis and graduated in 2024 from DePaul University in Chicago with a degree in Film and Television. She has previously worked as a camp counselor in the Lake of the Ozarks, as well as a programming assistant at a film non profit in Chicago. She is super excited to take students on field trips and help them learn more about the outdoors. In her free time she enjoys camping, crocheting, embroidery, and spending time with family and friends.
Kailyn Alani - 2025 AmeriCorps member
Kailyn Alani graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in environmental science and a focus in ecology. She began her post-graduate career as an environmental scientist at an engineering firm, but soon discovered that her true passion lies in inspiring children to feel connected to the Earth. In her free time, she enjoys creating art, practicing yoga, hiking, and spending time with her family. She also takes pride in being a professional at playing outside. Kailyn is excited to see where her journey with GGO will lead!
Sudharshana Ganeshkumar - 2025 AmeriCorps member
Shana graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Engineering. After a brief stint as a Software Engineer, she is now looking to learn more about the non-profit space and give back to the community of the city she has called home for the past four years. In her free time, she loves to read, write and go to concerts. Working with GGO is a chance for her to engage with her love of nature and learn more about grant writing!
Aissa Avila - 2025 AmeriCorps member
Aissa graduated from DePaul University in 2023 with a degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainability. With a background working for various non profits across Chicago, she deeply understands the power of non profit work, and cannot wait to make an impact with GGO. In her free time, she enjoys playing with her dogs, biking, reading, playing video games, and watching the latest film.
Angie Paden - 2025 AmeriCorps Member
Angie holds an associate degree in Graphic Design and a Certificate of Graphic Arts. Originally from Ohio and calls South Carolina home for the last 30 years. She previously worked as an Art Director at one of the largest agencies in the southeast before becoming a full-time freelance graphic designer in 2014. She has worked on several local non-profits over her career and holds a special place for any company involving children and looks forward to helping GGO reach as many people as possible through marketing campaigns. In her free time, Angie is a total boy mom of her 3 sons. She’s a little league professional parent, keeps a small sports store in the trunk of her car, and participates in the local competitive adult volleyball leagues.
Summer AmeriCorps Members
Daniel Breuer - 2026 Summer AmeriCorps Member
Daniel is a fourth-year undergraduate at the University of Washington pursuing a double degree in Business Administration and Public Health–Global Health. His interests center on public health policy, environmental health, and improving community well-being. Through his work and studies, he is passionate about addressing health challenges that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Outside of school, Daniel enjoys going to movies with friends, playing card games, and learning about cars.
Saylor Luckow - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Saylor recently graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in Environmental Science and certificates in Science Communication and Education Policy. With previous work as an Ecological Restoration Technician and as the Education and Outreach Intern at a watershed district, he is passionate about addressing the intersection of environmental and social justice through education and outreach that fosters collective awareness and action. In his free time, he likes to play soccer, make music, and go camping!
Bella Lomet - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Bella recently graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, ME with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies. She has previously worked through Bates College as a research assistant for the LeFlore lab studying and collecting data from wildlife cameras about bobcat abundance, population dynamics, and habitat preferences in Maine. As a summer research fellow she conducted independent, community-based research towards an honors thesis on displacement, resilience, and placekeeping in the aftermath of the 2025 Eaton and Palisades wildfires. She also has previously worked with conservancies in the Southern California area. Bella is pursuing her J.D. from UCLA School of Law this fall. She enjoys getting outside, hiking, and going to the beach.
Anh-Thu Pham - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Anh-Thu recently graduated from Brandeis University with degrees in English and Sociology with minors in Legal Studies and Studio Art. With previous experience at sites of law and policy, she is excited for her summer with GGO. In her free time she enjoys climbing, reading, and painting.
Arthur Gauthier - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Arthur is originally from Jackson, MS and is a sophomore at Brown University. He is concentrating in Urban Studies and is interested in the intersection of public health and the built environment. In his free time, he enjoys going to concerts, climbing, and reading.
Ella Halanski - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Ella Halanski recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds degrees in Political Science, Philosophy, and American Indian Studies. Ella is currently pursuing a JD in Tribal and Environmental Law at Arizona State University. She has abundant experience working with children as an art teacher, camp counselor, and swim instructor. As and avid caver, Ella is passionate about land and ecosystemic conservation, foraging, intergenerational wilderness learning, backpacking, and outdoor climbing.
Halle Robinson - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Halle is from Puyallup, Washington and graduated in 2025 from the University of Washington (UW) with a degree in Public Health-Global Health. She is currently a graduate student at UW pursuing an MPH in Epidemiology, with interests in environmental health. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to concerts, and spending time in parks. Halle is excited for her time at GGO this summer, assessing the effects of extreme heat on health in Seattle.
Adina Cazacu - De Luca - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Adina Cazacu-De Luca is a MD-PhD student at Harvard Medical School interested in climate and health. She’s from St. Louis, studied biochemistry and anthropology at Columbia (CC ’24), and completed a Fulbright Spain predoctoral research fellowship studying heat and maternal health at ISGlobal. Around Boston, you can find her on her bike in the woods near Walden Pond or running on the Esplanade.
Cate Wassell - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Cate Wassell is a rising third-year undergraduate at the University of Washington from Ellensburg, Washington. She is studying Public Health and Neuroscience and is especially interested in exploring the intersections between environment and human health. In her free time, Cate loves all things outdoors, cooking, reading, traveling, and making and listening to music. She is so excited to join the Gateway to the Great Outdoors team and contribute to work that directly benefits—and connects—the Seattle community!
Keya Chanda-Rastogi - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Originally from Baton Rouge, Keya is a sophomore at Vanderbilt University. She is pursuing a degree in Political Science and Math and serves on Vanderbilt’s Environmental Affairs & Facilities Committee. She is interested in environmental policy, with a focus on eco-justice for underserved communities. In her spare time, she enjoys art, reading, and playing the New York Times games (although they tend to frustrate her). She can’t wait to help GGO make an impact across the nation this summer!
Zaniah Wheeler - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Zaniah is going into her fourth year at the University of Chicago, studying Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity and Chicago Studies. She is super invested in anything community-oriented and focused on bettering people's lives. Zaniah enjoys spending time outdoors and learning about how environmental justice intersects with other human rights issues. She is a manager at my campus thrift store, where we help reduce textile waste on campus and donate all our profits to environmental justice orgs. In her free time, Zaniah loves doing yoga, trying new foods, and watching movies. Fun fact: this picture is from her study abroad in Senegal! This is a baobab tree, hundreds of years old!
Dr. Theoda “Ted” E. Mills, Jr. - 2026 AmeriCorps Member
Dr. Ted Mills is a healthcare executive, public health professional, educator, and organizational strategist with more than 35 years of leadership experience in healthcare administration, public health, quality improvement, workforce development, and organizational transformation. Throughout his career, he has worked to strengthen healthcare systems, improve organizational performance, and advance community health outcomes through evidence-based leadership and strategic innovation.
Most recently, Dr. Mills served as Lead Healthcare Compliance Specialist with the City of St. Louis Department of Health, overseeing federal grant compliance and public health program accountability. He has also held leadership roles with Affinia Healthcare and the St. Louis County Department of Public Health. In addition to his professional work, Dr. Mills has spent more than a decade as an adjunct professor, mentoring future healthcare leaders. He is the creator of the 5-M Model of Cohesive Care & Compliance and author of the forthcoming book, The Journey of Becoming Seen and Heard in Practice.
Keira Yanez - 2026 AmeriCorps Member (Left)
Keira is a rising senior at Brown University double concentration in Environmental Science and Science Technology and Society. Her academic interests include marine science, environmental justice and the intersection of media and environmental research. In her free time she enjoys going to the movies, bouldering, spending time at the beach, and walks with her dog.
Special Program Staff
Alex Martyn - Grant Writer and Development VISTA
Alex recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in political science. He is passionate about environmental issues, expanding educational opportunities, and helping to facilitate outdoor experiences for youth. As a native of St. Louis, he enjoys living in his hometown while seeing a new side of the city every week. He enjoys regularly accessing nature and walking outdoors, and his other hobbies include music, reading, traveling, and following the news. He is excited to be part of the GGO team and looks forward to continuing his work through the remainder of this year.