Jean Lennon

Assistant Director of Outreach

(she/her/hers)

• jeanlenn@iu.edu

Jean has a B.S. in biology from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY. Her work experience includes managing a forest ecology project with salamanders at the Huyck Preserve, protein purification optimization at Stryker Biotech, and cereal product development at Post Foods. She has also found ways to share her passions as a camp counselor, tour guide at a nature preserve, volleyball coach, and volunteer in preschool and elementary classrooms. She joined the Biology Outreach team in 2016.

Ellen Barker

Outreach Staff Member

(she/her/hers)

• ehbarker@iu.edu

Ellen received her B.S. in Education from the University of Louisiana in 2010. She has taught science in elementary and middle school and worked with adults seeking their GRE. Serving on the IU Biology Outreach staff since 2017, Ellen has focused on lesson planning, production of content-rich media, and in-person visits with local schools and the Bloomington community.

Amanda Kelly

Outreach Staff Member

(she/her/hers)

• amlkelly@iu.edu

Amanda graduated from Indiana University in 2014 with a B.A. in biology and criminal justice and with minors in Spanish and animal behavior. As an undergraduate student, Amanda volunteered with Biology Outreach for four years and after graduation joined the outreach staff in 2014 and again in 2018 after a three-year position as a family caseworker. Amanda also works as a professional pet sitter, volunteers at Uplands PEAK Animal Sanctuary, and serves as the Education Chair for the Sassafras Audubon Society, where she organizes bird counts with local schools.

Anna Knust

Outreach Staff Member

(she/her/hers)

• anmakows@iu.edu

Anna has a B.S. in environmental science from Indiana University and an M.S. in hydrogeology from the University of Nevada, Reno. Anna has worked as a research scientist, volleyball coach, environmental consultant, and fitness instructor. As both a parent and a preschool teacher, Anna loves sharing the wonders of the world with children through the lens of science. Anna joined the Biology Outreach team in 2018.

Diane Pikaard

Outreach Staff Member

• dpikaard@indiana.edu

Diane received a B.S. degree in horticulture from The Pennsylvania State University and an Associate Degree in early care and education. Diane’s work experiences include research in biology laboratories, teaching in preschool classrooms, serving as early childhood STEM outreach coordinator at IU’s School of Education’s P-16 Center, and collaborating with WonderLab Museum to develop preschool teacher science workshops. She began working with Biology Outreach in 2011 to help coordinate the kindergarten outreach program.

Rita Stephens

Outreach Staff Member

• ritastep@iu.edu

Rita received her B.A. in biology at Indiana University, M.S. in biology at Angelo State University in Texas, and M.Ed. in science education from University of Texas at Austin. Her emphasis in study has been with avian biology, ecology, and emphasizing the importance of evolutionary biology in all biology curricula. Rita’s teaching and curriculum experience includes teaching college biology, creating and instructing labs as a K-5 Science Specialist, coordinating revisions for high school AP biology textbooks, and lots of volunteer science teaching in K-12 classrooms and nature centers. She currently is a Sassafras Audubon Society board member, volunteers for the Human Origins and Primate Evolution lab at IU, and began working with Biology Outreach in 2018.

Jason Winters

Outreach Staff Member

(he/him/his)

• jawint@iu.edu

Jason received his B.B.A. from Western Michigan University in 1998. He worked in Information Technology leadership at Stryker, taught introductory programming courses at the community college level, and served on his local school board in Michigan. He has enjoyed volunteering in preschool and elementary classrooms and has a passion for encouraging children to explore and ask questions about the world around them.