naturalist
Join me in exploring new ways of connecting people to their environment. From LGBTQ+ hikes celebrating community to building toads out of cardboard, let's brainstorm creative ways to get excited about our native flora, fauna, and funga!
Out in the Parks
How do you bring pride to your parks? Out in the Parks, a programming series for Cleveland area LGBTQ+ friends, family, and allies, is proof that it's not only possible, but a successful endeavor.
Between June 2023 and the end of June 2024, I have helped build Out in the Parks into a twice-monthly series, coordinating across Cleveland Metroparks to provide 27 programs across 8 reservations, serving over 300 LGBTQ+ friends and allies.
From rainbow marshmallows to wildflower hikes, beach cleanups to kayaking, community building is not just possible but a vital part of long-lived, successful nature-based programming.
Nature-based STEAM
From summer camps to afterschool drop-bys, environmental education and engineering go hand in hand.
Be inspired by nature’s engineers during forest hikes and creek walking. Then try your hand at engineering challenges by designing and building your own shelters, rafts, and more!
By giving kids of all ages the tools, resources, and space to explore, research, try and fail and try again, you can empower them and give them ownership not just of their abilities, but of their experience and the parks at large.
librarian
I'm a trained librarian with a passion for digital cultural and natural heritage projects.
Training
In May 2020, I graduated with my Master of Library and Information Science from Kent State University with a focus in digital cultural and natural heritage.
My studies ranged from local history and genealogy database user research, zoos and nature centers within a museums and information science context, and digital preservation workflows that are viable for small institutions with limited resources.
Local History and Genealogy
My digitization and archival skills were honed in local history collections and collections with limited resources, focusing on photography and ephemera. These include Kenton County Public Library Local History and Genealogy, Cleveland State University Special Collections, International Women's Air and Space Museum, and most recently Bay Village Historical Society's Rose Hill Museum.
I also have extensive experience with genealogical research and leading one-on-one research sessions with library patrons to help find their family history. I enjoy teaching others how to combine information from the big names like Ancestry, Fold3, and FamilySearch with more obscure databases at the city and county level.
A Family History
For an example of both my digital heritage and genealogical work, feel free to visit my in-progress digital family tree of the Landgren and Collins families.
If you're looking for help finding your family's past, or are interested in building a site to showcase your family history, drop me a line!
designer
I design websites for small businesses, non-profits, and cultural and natural heritage projects.
Mary's Little Lambs
Warm woolies made from happy sheep raised in the Ozark Hills.
Visualizing Abolition
A collaborative digital history of the suppression of the African slave trade.
Scaphiopus solitarius
A charismatic illustration of an elusive toad gives us a glimpse into 19th century herpetology.
If you need a creative, interactive digital exhibit or a flexible and personal online shop that is scaled to your needs and resources I'd love to talk! Email me at kelsey@kelseymarierogers.com!