Talia Schmitt is an environmental educator with over a decade of experience connecting people to the natural world. She currently serves as a Park Naturalist for the East Bay Regional Park District in California, where she leads educational programs at Coyote Hills Regional Park. Schmitt holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from The College of William & Mary. In 2022, she joined Virginia Tech as a Research Associate to study factors that contribute to best outcomes in environmental education programs.
Throughout her career, Schmitt has held various roles in outdoor and environmental education. As a high school student, she co-founded an after-school program to teach kids about ecology in her hometown of Fairfax, Virginia. She went on to work as an Instructor at IslandWood, the North Cascades Institute, and NatureBridge. During the pandemic, she launched "NatureWalks with Talia," a small business focused on connecting kids with nature.
Schmitt also served as the Coalition Manager for the Washington Outdoor Schools Coalition, where she worked to expand equitable access to outdoor education. Her dedication to the field has earned her recognition, including being named to the North American Association for Environmental Education’s "30 Under 30" and receiving the Udall Scholarship for her commitment to environmental and tribal public policy.