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Bio for Karen Lanier, KALA Creative, LLC
Karen has 25 years experience facilitating nature connection through outdoor exploration, gardening, visual arts and writing. Her passion is to promote understanding, appreciation and compassion for misunderstood wildlife. Karen’s published books include Wildlife in Your Garden: Planting and Landscaping to Create a Backyard Sanctuary and The Woman Hobby Farmer: Female Guidance for Growing Food, Raising Livestock and Building a Farm-Based Business. She has contributed more than 100 articles about ecological gardening practices to Hobby Farms magazine and other publications.
With degrees in photography, foreign language, conservation and documentary studies, Karen has served as a park ranger, an educator and an administrator with environmental non-profits. She holds a professional certification in interpretive planning from the National Association for Interpretation, a master level certification as an environmental educator from Kentucky Environmental Education Council, and is trained as a community scholar through the Kentucky Arts Council.
Karen is grateful for generous support provided through personal and professional development grants from The Kentucky Foundation for Women, South Arts and the National Association for Interpretation.
This Year's Events:
Saturday, March 15, 2025 - Keynote presentation at Woodford County Extension Office, Spring Gardening Workshop
PREVIOUS COLLABORATORS and WORKSHOP HOSTS for MINDFUL NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY
Josephine Sculpture Park, Frankfort, KY
The Carnegie Center for Learning and Literacy, Lexington, KY
Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY
San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio, TX
The Whippoorwhill Festival, KY
YesArts, Frankfort, KY
Tates Creek Middle School, 21st Century Learning Resource Center, Lexington, KY
Access Roaring Fork, Glenwood Springs and Carbondale, CO
The Child's Eye, Carbondale, CO
EDUCATIONAL CURRICULA, LESSON PLANS, UNITS OF STUDY
Project Manager: managed project creation, writers and teacher contributors, edited and leveled lesson plans for The Chronicle of African Americans in the Horse Industry
Editor and Production Assistant: edited video and lesson plans for PBS Black history unit
Mindful Nature Photography: designed and led nine-month after-school curriculum with STEAM and SEL focus for a 21st Century Community Learning Center
Gardening and Cooking Curriculum: wrote and coordinated seasonal activities for after-school and alternative learning environments
School Garden Unit of Study: wrote and trained educators and community partners in outdoor learning curriculum
Art in Nature Camp Curriculum: designed and taught fundamentals of art in the natural world with in-person, online and community service options
Land Class Curriculum: wrote and taught project-based, student-driven, seasonal curriculum for Montessori Middle School including design and installation of rain garden
Arts and Science Educator: developed, prepared and taught summer camps for grades 3-12
Interpretive Ranger in National and State Parks: in 7 parks nationwide, researched, developed and conducted interpretive tours, multimedia programs and presentations for all ages
Editor and Production Assistant: edited video and lesson plans for PBS Black history unit
Mindful Nature Photography: designed and led nine-month after-school curriculum with STEAM and SEL focus for a 21st Century Community Learning Center
Gardening and Cooking Curriculum: wrote and coordinated seasonal activities for after-school and alternative learning environments
School Garden Unit of Study: wrote and trained educators and community partners in outdoor learning curriculum
Art in Nature Camp Curriculum: designed and taught fundamentals of art in the natural world with in-person, online and community service options
Land Class Curriculum: wrote and taught project-based, student-driven, seasonal curriculum for Montessori Middle School including design and installation of rain garden
Arts and Science Educator: developed, prepared and taught summer camps for grades 3-12
Interpretive Ranger in National and State Parks: in 7 parks nationwide, researched, developed and conducted interpretive tours, multimedia programs and presentations for all ages