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.
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.
AmeriCorps Members
Skyler Davenport - 2024 AmeriCorps Member
Skyler graduated from SIU with a degree in Communication and Journalism. She enjoys writing poetry, playing video games and performing in plays or adaptations in her free time. She chose to work with GGO because she loves writing and has experience with kids in a classroom setting. This job helps her learn more about the environment and she is looking forward to working with GGO.
Caitlin McBride - 2024 AmeriCorps Member
Caitlin McBride is a nature lover originally from Milwaukee, WI. They have a degree in Communication and Creative Writing from The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. In their free time, Caitlin enjoys performing improv, going on bike rides, and watching movies! Caitlin has a great appreciation for local parks and other community oriented outdoor spaces and is really excited about sharing that with students in Chicago.
Jayden Shinsky - 2024 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.
Isaiah Tolbert - 2024 AmeriCorps Member
Isaiah recently graduated from Northwestern University with a BA in Environmental Sciences. With a background in peer-tutoring going back to high school, he pursued the study of critical pedagogy for Black students and is particularly interested in the ways we learn how to relate to our environment, ourselves, and our world, and pursuits such as food sovereignty and increasing access to nature within cities. While working with GGO, Isaiah is excited to better understand the methods and limitations of how we currently teach our young people about our world, including what it means to lead a class. In their free time Isaiah loves to play or listen to music, watch educational and entertaining videos, cook and enjoy food with friends, or spend quality time in environments we see as natural.
Joyewel Hudson - AmeriCorps Member
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.
Gabe Skinner - 2024 AmeriCorps Member
Originally from Minneapolis, Gabe graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2023, and spent a year living in Spain teaching English to elementary and middle schoolers. Now he is excited to learn about grant writing and contribute to GGO’s education and environmental missions.
Khay Ajayi - 2024 AmeriCorps Member
Khay Ajayi a social work graduate student at the University of Chicago. She is passionate about mental health awareness and social justice, and is driven to make a meaningful impact in these areas. Outside of school, she enjoys lifting weights and traveling whenever she gets the chance—it’s how she stays energized and grounded. Khay is serving as an AmeriCorps member with GGO in 2024 because she wants to gain hands-on experience in the field while in grad school and make a difference in her community. This role gives her the chance to connect with others, advocate for change, and put her values into action.
Sudharshana Ganeshkumar - 2024 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!
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.
Angie Paden - Graphics Coordinator
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.