I am a business entrepreneur and author of several technology and business books.

In 1981 I founded Delphi Internet Services Corporation. In 1986, I launched a spin-off, Global Villages to serve magazine publishers with private-label online services. Global's hosting business was sold in 1998 to WingNet and is now a part of Verio.

Chris Blank

President

When not working on Family Nature Summits I am private practice attorney based in Newport Beach, California. My firm's focus is business litigation, business law, and bankruptcy. In addition to my law practice I sit on the board of a local educational non-profit organization and recently founded a political action committee to support local candidates.

I've been coming to the Nature Summits since 1994. This is the highlight of the year for my sons and me. I've been a committed environmentalist since the 1970s. I'm excited about continuing the Summit mission.

Michael Shelby

Technology

My family's relationship with NWF Family Summits started in North Carolina. We have attended every Family Summit since 2000. I attend the Summit annually with my wife Sabina and children Nika (13) and Ryan (11). My children always look forward to the next summit as much as we do. We all have made wonderful friends all over the country that we stay in touch with between the summits and always look forward seeing them every summer.

For the last 11 years I've resided in West Hartford, CT. I am owner of Shall Be, LLC – a premier regional technology consulting firm.

Kathleen Tollaksen

Treasurer, Compliance

My husband, daughter and I have attended summits since 1989. My daughter loved the teen program and we enjoyed everything we learned and the new places we visited. The past two years our 6 year old granddaughter started attending and she just loves it.

I'm a CPA in public accounting in Illinois. I work both professionally and as a volunteer with not for profit entities.

John Kullmann

Marketing

My family's involvement with NWF Family Summits began five years ago in Montana. After reading an advertisement in Ranger Rick, we suggested my in-laws attend with our son. After hearing their enthusiastic reviews, we agreed to all attend in Maine. Since then our full family has been forever hooked. I attend the Summit annually with my wife Emily and children Becky (16) and Dean (13). Our participation always includes my in-laws and has included my brother in-law's family.

Back at home in New Jersey, I am Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Macrosoft, a technology consulting firm.

Rosanne Mistretta

Secretary, Volunteer Coordinator

Rosanne has been coming to Summits with her family for the past 8 years. She has been a science teacher at Abington Friends School in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania for the past 10 years. She was also an attorney for the US Environmental Protection Agency in Philadelphia for 10 years before going back to school for a Master's Degree in Environmental Education and becoming a science teacher. She is the Summer Programs Coordinator for the Mokoma Conservancy, a nonprofit land conservancy group in Northcentral Pennsylvania, running educational outdoor programming every summer for the community.

Steve Houser

Faculty

Steve Houser is a Talent Development teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System. He has a master's degree in Elementary Education as well as a graduate degree in Counseling. Steve is also certified in gifted education, social sciences, geography, and is certified as an Environmental Educator by the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. His work as an educator of young people for over 30 years has been recognized through numerous awards, including receiving The President's Award for Excellence in Science Teaching (sponsored by the White House and the National Science Foundation), receiving the North Carolina Governor's Award as the NC Environmental Educator of the Year, receiving Outstanding Educator Award for Contributions to the Arts by the Mecklenburg County Arts and Science Council, and receiving the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System's Wachovia Ben Craig Teacher of the Year Award. He has been a presenter numerous times at national, state, and local educational conferences. In addition, Steve is a professional storyteller with over 25 years experience in telling old North Carolina tales and international stories that inspire and educate the listener. He has worked the past twenty summers as a National Wildlife Federation Family Summit youth faculty member at locations all over North America. Recognized as an “Educator of Excellence” with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, Steve has participated in their educator institutes in Belize, Ecuador, the Amazon Rain Forest in Peru, and in Yellowstone National Park.

Dave Linthicum

Faculty

Dave Egan

Faculty

Carla Brown

Faculty, Website,
E-newsletters

I'm originally from Atlantic Canada - I was born in Newfoundland and my parents live in Nova Scotia. I became acquainted with Family Nature Summits when they were run by the National Wildlife Federation, where I have worked on the internet team since 2000. I taught at the Summits in Montana, Maine, Colorado, New Brunswick and Oregon. I taught crafts such as hand quilting, crazy quilting and rug hooking, as well as classes in green lifestyles, global warming solutions and raising children as global citizens. My daughter said her first "word" at a Summit (a bear's roar in Colorado) and now my parents come to Summits as well.

I highly recommend Family Nature Summits because you just show up and you are guaranteed to try new things, make new friends and see new places. As a parent, my vacation planning time is minimal. It's great when others show me the gems across North America. The programs are customized for all age levels, which means everyone in my family looks forward to Summit.

Dawn Schroeder

Young Adult