BEN RICH
Ben Rich is an AP Environmental Science and Physics teacher at the Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) in Montclair, NJ. After earning a BA in Physics at Colgate University he earned a MEd at the University of Maryland. As the Sustainability Coordinator and Green Roof Director at MKA, he leads both students and faculty in making the school more environmentally friendly and led the school to earn the Green Flag Award from Eco-Schools USA twice. During each summer from 2013-2018 he traversed the US on an electric motorcycle making Youtube videos to encourage quicker EV adoption. Now he drives a Tesla Model 3 across the US, with his latest trip traveling 21,000 miles in 2 months. He is the Co-Chair of the Montclair Environmental Commission, leading projects to reduce the carbon footprint of the town. In his free time he hikes mountains, paddle boards on rivers, and swing dances in NYC.
BEN RICH
Ben Rich is an AP Environmental Science and Physics teacher at the Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) in Montclair, NJ. After earning a BA in Physics at Colgate University he earned a MEd at the University of Maryland. As the Sustainability Coordinator and Green Roof Director at MKA, he leads both students and faculty in making the school more environmentally friendly and led the school to earn the Green Flag Award from Eco-Schools USA twice. During each summer from 2013-2018 he traversed the US on an electric motorcycle making Youtube videos to encourage quicker EV adoption. Now he drives a Tesla Model 3 across the US, with his latest trip traveling 21,000 miles in 2 months. He is the Co-Chair of the Montclair Environmental Commission, leading projects to reduce the carbon footprint of the town. In his free time he hikes mountains, paddle boards on rivers, and swing dances in NYC.
Lauren Novorska is majoring in Ecosystem Science and Policy and Anthropology and minoring in Sustainable Business and Climate Science and Policy at the University of Miami. She is pursuing a career in environmental policy and education and is passionate about human-wildlife conflict, climate change, and educating students about ecological issues. She is an Everglades Coalition Conference scholarship recipient, serves as the President for the Pi Epsilon National Environmental Science Honor Society, works with the University of Miami Law School Environmental Justice Clinic Shifting Power Course, and is a Lead Educator and Mentor Volunteer for the Humane Society of Tampa Bay. Lauren’s  experience as a delegate, intern, and JFA at WYSE has been life-changing, and she hopes to make the conference an incredible experience for other delegates!
Allen Yuan (he/him) is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, where he is a recent graduate of the Design, Cultures, and Creativity Living Learning Program in the Honors College. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy with a concentration in Wildlife Ecology and Management, which he hopes to use to aid in creating a sustainable future that is not only environmentally-sound but also successfully serves every demographic. His interest in environmental science began with a childhood obsession with cetaceans, which has unwaveringly transferred to the present. Allen’s hobbies include baking, figure skating, sitting out in the sun, and hanging out with friends. He attended WYSE in 2021 and served on the Youth Advisory Board after the program. He returned as a Junior Faculty Advisor in 2023 and is excited to do it again this summer! He hopes to help make WYSE 2024 as special and valuable of an experience as it was for him.
Ashley attended the Washington Journalism and Media Conference as a correspondent in 2018, returned as an intern in 2019, and has worked in various roles on the Advance Team for the last three summers! Ashley earned her B.S. in Sport and Performance Psychology from Grand Canyon University in 2024 and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Applied Social Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. In her free time, Ashley enjoys watching the Denver Broncos, listening to Taylor Swift, and reading.
Stephen Taglieri is a 2017 alumni of the Washington Scholars Program. He is currently the CEO & Founder of Kingdom Multimedia, an agency working with impact-driven organizations to tell their story. As a photographer and cinematographer, Stephen has collaborated with the Smithsonian National Zoo, the Washington Post, The Nature Conservancy, and a host of other change-makers. Most recently, he has been working with Tribal and Indigenous communities across the United States to produce award-winning short films discussing Indigenous stewardship and the intersection between conservation and culture.
Laura attended MIT where she earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. She worked for 7 years at Lockheed Martin as a Mechanical Test Engineer, building, testing and launching commercial satellites. During that time, she earned an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology. In 1999, Laura started a Lean Sigma consulting business with clients in the appliances, automotive, advertising and healthcare industries. During that time, Laura also started teaching Physics at the local Purdue University campus. She found a love teaching high school and obtained her teaching license. She loves teaching Aviation, Engineering, Physics and Environmental Science and will be at Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, KY this fall.