Virtual Biophilia: Pittsburgh January Meeting

### Virtual Biophilia: The Sustainability in Prisons Project’s Ecological Conservation & Environmental Education Programs

Register to Attend

Join us Thurs., Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. for our virtual session that will focus on an overview of Sustainability in Prisons Project’s (SPP) programs and the social and environmental impacts of ecological conservation programs in prisons of Washington state. The overview will describe incarceration in Washington and SPP's model and will then discuss ecological conservation and environmental education programs. Program managers will then discuss the positive benefits for incarcerated individuals and ecosystems; and they briefly share select program models, education and training components and collaboration strategies.

Register in advance for the meeting here. The Zoom meeting will begin promptly at 6 p.m. (EST), 3 p.m. (PST). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Meet the Speakers:

Emily Passarelli, MES | Program and Outreach Manager
Emily Passarelli began her work in prison education in 2015 as an environmental education coordinator at SPP. While in the coordinator position, she helped develop SPP’s beekeeping program and expand peer-led education programs. During this time, Emily wrote her master's thesis on the impacts of SPP programs on formerly incarcerated individuals. After completing her graduate degree in 2017, she was the Education Program Manager for Centralia College at Washington Corrections Center (WCC) in Shelton, WA. While at WCC, Emily supported the GED, associate degree and other education programs. In 2021, Emily rejoined the SPP team as the Program and Outreach Manager and a member of the Evergreen Prison Education Project.

Sarah Larson, MES | Education Development Manager
Sarah Larson joined SPP in 2020 as the operations coordinator during her second year of graduate school. This position allowed her to assist in several of SPP’s programs where she eventually took on the role of sagebrush conservation nursery coordinator. After completing her master’s thesis on invasive plants in 2021, Sarah began teaching environmental science to incarcerated students at a juvenile facility in Chehalis, WA. In discovering a love of teaching, she added geology courses to her rotation and now teaches at three different facilities. In 2022, Sarah transitioned to a staff position as the Education Development Manager supporting SPP’s efforts in creating new educational content internally and with outside partners. She is also a member of the Evergreen Prison Education Project whose mission is to build bachelor's degree programs in Washington state prisons.

Meetings are free to attend; however**, advance registration is required. To R.S.V.P., please use this link.**