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).
Patrick Powers
St. Louis City Director
Patrick graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Geological Science and a minor in Archaeology. With a profound passion for the Earth and the outdoors, Patrick aspires to effect positive change in the environment through community-based initiatives. Bringing a wealth of experience in urban agriculture, forestry, and outdoor education to the table, he is poised to make a lasting impact through his work with GGO. Patrick is a self-proclaimed nerd and an avid enthusiast of science, climate solutions, and sports. In his leisure time, he indulges in various physical outdoor activities, cooking, basketball, anime, and reading.
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.
Bridget Grabowski
Chicago City Director
Bridget graduated from the University of Michigan this past May with a degree in History and minors in Global Media Studies and Bosnian, Croatian, and Serbian Literature and Culture. She previously worked at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp as a camp counselor and teaching assistant, which instilled in her a passion for education and working with kids. She has also worked for the Ann Arbor Ecology Center, where she was able to see the large impact that a non-profit can have on a community. She is excited to move to Chicago and start working with GGO to support the goal of providing engaging environmental education to underserved students. In her free time, Bridget enjoys watching movies, reading books, and cooking good food for her loved ones.
Full Time VISTAS
Joyewel Hudson - VISTA Leader
Joyewel received her BA in Arts with a focus on Management and Administration from Governor’s State University. Before joining GGO in the summer of 2021, she had been a Branch Manager. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, meditation, long walks, and spending time with her daughter.
Lucca Ammann - External Partnerships and Development Coordinator
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.
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.
Angie Paden - PR and Development VISTA
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.
Victoria Reidenbach - Chicago External Partnership and Development Coordinator VISTA
Victoria recently graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign this past May with a degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. She concentrated on Human Dimensions of the Environment to focus on her passions of environmental justice and racial equity in urban areas. Victoria was an intern on U of I's sustainable student farm which opened her eyes to food deserts in urban areas and the impact that whole and fresh foods can have on a community. She has also worked on U of I's sustainability team in the Land & Water sector to encourage sustainable development on university campuses! Although she really enjoyed these roles, Victoria wanted to have a hands-on impact within her community by working with low income communities in urban areas. GGO was the perfect organization for her to combine her passions for environmental science and equality, and for that reason she hopes to continue her work with non-profits long into the future! In her free time, she enjoys cooking vegetarian dishes, baking bread, and making coffee as a part-time barista!
2023 Summer VISTAS
June-August 2023
Elmilca Thermidor - St. Louis Development Summer VISTA
Elmilca is a rising junior studying to receive her bachelor's in Global Health and the Environment from Washington University in St. Louis. Elmilca is originally from Fort Lauderdale, Fl and is excited with the work that will be accomplished this summer with GGO. As a volunteer for Campus Y and Circle K at WashU, she also serves the St. Louis community through community service projects. Elmilca is interested in addressing health disparities on a global scale and recognizing the connection between environmental health, social determinants of health, and overall well-being. She looks forward to working with GGO to raise awareness through fundraising events this summer. During leisure she enjoys karaoke nights, spending quiet time in God's word, and watching movies with friends.
Gabby Abato - St. Louis Development Summer VISTA
Gabby is a rising junior at Washington University in St. Louis majoring in mathematics with a minor in environmental analysis. She is passionate about education and works as a peer-led team learning leader for calculus at WashU. Gabby is originally from New York but loves going to school in St. Louis, especially getting to be so close to Forest Park! As a lover of the outdoors, she's excited to work with GGO to help expand environmental education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, baking, and hanging out in Forest Park with her friends.
Kendall Williams - St. Louis Development Summer VISTA
Kendall studies journalism at the university of Missouri-Columbia and plans to minor in marketing and advertising. She has also worked with a number of students as a camp counselor and tutor. She is excited to be apart of GGO to support St. Louis students. She is excited to help GGO grow their presence on social media platforms with her advertising and marketing background. Outside of school and work, Kendall loves going to parks, expressing creativity through painting and up cycling, and a reading adventure and mysterious stories.
Chris Bozzo - Chicago Curriculum Development Summer VISTA
Chris is currently a second-year law student at the University of Minnesota Law. In 2018, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s in Biology where he was a Teaching Assistant for the first year Psychology course. Later, he graduated from the University of Michigan with a Master of Management degree in Business where he represented the business school’s community values committee. Chris is passionate about youth education and runs a college mentoring service for first generation and minority students to assist them with test taking, college applications and general questions about the process. In his free time, Chris spends time going on runs, teaching people to fish and enjoys cooking Italian cuisine. If Chris is not in the office or back at school, find him in his happy place anywhere on a beach!
Melinda Jara - Chicago Curriculum Development Summer VISTA
Melinda is a rising junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign studying Speech and Hearing Science with a minor in Child Health and Well-Being. In the future she hopes to achieve a Masters in Speech and Hearing Science to pursue a career in Speech Pathology. Melinda is originally from Chicago and is looking forward to working for her own community alongside GGO to expand access to STEAM education. She is passionate about providing equitable education opportunities to underserved communities and hopes to continue to work with non-profit organizations in the future. In her free time she enjoys reading, watching movies, and crocheting.