Who is Nature Abounds

Melinda Hughes-Wert
President and Board Chair

Before leading Nature Abounds™, Melinda most recently worked for the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), managing several community programs across the nation as well as NWF's award-winning Coastal Louisiana Habitat Restoration Initiative.

Just prior to working for NWF, Melinda was the National Programs Director at the Environmental Alliance for Senior Involvement (EASI), another environmental international volunteer non-profit (EASI) that focused on involving seniors in improving the environment. While at EASI, Melinda also had the privilege of being part of the US delegation to the World Water Forum 2003 in Kyoto, Japan.

Melinda currently serves on the Advisory Committee for Conservation USA, a program of the Department of Interior and sister program to USA Freedom Corps and Take Pride in America. 

James "Jim" Wert
Vice President of Operations 

Over the past 20+ years, Jim has obtained extensive experience in retail and restaurant management. In addition he spent 5 years working for a direct mail company learning the postal regulations, doing some data programming, and creating mailing documents for clients including large corporations.

Jim also worked on a fully functioning psychosocial rehabilitation program in western Massachusetts.  In addition, Jim has volunteered for several causes over many years, and has been an active advocate involved with Climate Change, Industrial Hemp, Wildlife Preservation Causes, and proper Land Use. Jim is a native of Winchester, MA.

James Mason

James Mason is a retired educator and a former U.S. Air Force Member. He graduated with a BS in Science and Mathematics from the Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1958; achieved his Master's in Educational Administration from Auburn University in 1961, and earned his Doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision from Auburn University in 1973. His school related roles included: Elementary and Secondary teacher in Science and Mathematics, Elementary Principal, Headmaster, and Director of Adult and Community Education.

Sue Sturges

With a Bachelors Degree and a Masters Degree in Biology and Secondary Education respectively,  Sue has a long history of educating and inspiring citizens to protect the planet. Over the course of her career, Sue taught high school and college classes in New Hampshire and Florida. She also coordinated water quality monitoring programs for the Merrimack River Watershed Council in New Hampshire. Sue also served as the Director of Environmental Education at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, and she served as the Southeast Regional Manager of Education Programs for the National Wildlife Federation.  Sue currently works for the Georgia Dept. of Environmental Resources as a State Coordinator for Project WET. During her career, she and her teams have received several awards, and Sue was once the runner up for NH Environmental Educator of the Year.

 
Sue is a published author and award winning nature photographer, passionate about the world in which we live and dedicated to saving it for her children’s children. Her favorite moments are spent exploring nature and sharing it with those interested in learning.

Robyn Scrafford

Robyn started her career in Washington, D.C. working for the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and obtaining an insider’s look at informing environmental policy-making. Once the commission’s objectives were accomplished, she left to work for the environmental nonprofit, Environmental Defense Fund, at its D.C. and Boston offices. Working primarily in its Corporate Partnership program, she gained experience in financial management, grant writing, human resources, project management, and strategic planning. Her work supported the efforts to find not only policy solutions but also business solutions for a variety of environmental issues including vehicle pollution, climate change, sustainable seafood, and energy efficiency. Robyn moved to Denver in August 2010 to earn a Masters in Public Administration with a focus in nonprofit management from the School of Public Affairs at University of Colorado Denver. Her coursework includes strategic management for nonprofit managers, organizational change, and public finance and economics, among others. Working as a graduate assistant, she is developing the school’s new Environmental Affairs Working Group website. The site is intended to be a “one-stop-shop” for the school’s environmentally related events, news, resources, research and curriculum. She is also researching the public, private, and nonprofit sector roles in systems of care for children with special health care and developmental needs using network analysis and theory.   

Robyn has a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science from the State University of New York, College at Geneseo. Her interests lie in public and private partnerships, environmental advocacy and policy, and nonprofit management. In her free time, she regularly takes advantage of the proximity to the Rocky Mountains with a variety of outdoor adventures.

Lance Still

With over 15 years in entertainment marketing and integrations experience, Lance has made a top priority of bringing charitable organizations together with promotional marketing campaigns. Some of her recent efforts include a worldwide global warming awareness program for the film The Golden Compass in partnership with the WWF, and a fundraising program tied to Project Runway’s weekly original design auction in support of the Robin Hood Foundation.

Currently serving as The Weinstein Company’s Executive Vice President of Integrated Marketing, Lance works with Fortune 500 companies, creating lucrative brand and licensing partnerships. Prior to being at The Weinstein Company, Lance served as New Line Cinema’s Executive VP of National Promotions where she was instrumental in expanding the company’s relationships with a broad range of blue chip partners. Lance began her career in promotions at DC Comics. Prior to that she worked in New York City as a freelance writer.

Noticing the daily loss of the 'emerald' in the Emerald City title of the City of Seattle has been the driving force for Cathleen to take stock of her surroundings and pinpoint energy as the primary change to be made that she can affect in the world today. This lead to acquiring a certificate in Energy Management and a change in both her personal and professional lives, making changes every day that have resulted in less carbon emissions, more energy cost savings, and a sense that energy education should be a required subject. After managing a busy medical clinic, Cathleen pursues her educations interests in Energy Management.

Elizabeth "Beth" Grove

Elizabeth Grove is Nature Abounds representative for the Mid-Atlantic region. With her, Beth brings experience in many areas that are an asset to Nature Abounds including volunteer management, non-profit management, human resources, program development and management, grant writing, as well as planning. Beth is also a wife, mother, and grandmother.

Richard "Dick" Stephenson 

Mostly involved with higher education and consulting, Richard has a vast amount of experience in the following areas: environmental geology, coastal and fluvial geomorphic processes, soils, slope failure, physical geography, and hydrology; environmental planning and management, urban development, water resources and land use planning; flood frequency and magnitude analysis, hazard mitigation planning, and land capability classification; coastal area planning and management, wetlands designation, and parks, recreation and protected area design; and, maritime history and nautical archaeology. Administratively, he organized and initially directed the urban and regional planning program at East Carolina University, organized the Institute for Regional Development, as well as the Institute for Coastal and Marine Resources, serving as its first director. Dick also served as an Ambassador and coordinator of a Senior Environment Corps (SEC) in central Florida.