Who We Are
Our Staff
Laurie Seeman
Founder/Director, Lead Artist/Educator
Through Strawtown Studio, Laurie trains educators today in the methods and principles behind engaging in nature, art and science discovery and mentoring youth outdoors. Her hope is for more children to experience all the joys and self discovery that come from being creative and nature-connected.
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Laurieâs efforts have resulted in raising a generation of youth knowledgeable about their surroundings, and forming citizen and government partnerships for change, dedicated to the health and well-being of our environment and communities.
Laurie Seeman
Founder/Director, Lead Artist/Educator
Laurie Seeman is an artist, naturalist and educator known for her pioneering work in the field of place-based art and environmental education. With founding Strawtown Studio in 2002 she combined her 20 years of experience as an artist, curator and creative entrepreneur in NYC with a passion for nature and spending time with children. She draws from her education in communications, experience in filmmaking, and ongoing study of the natural and ecological sciences with regional environmental experts, and time with indigenous peoples to work for environmental stewardship and justice.
Through Strawtown Studio, Laurie trains educators today in the methods and principles behind engaging in nature, art and science discovery and mentoring youth outdoors. Her hope is for more children to experience all the joys and self discovery that come from being creative and nature-connected.
Read More
Laurieâs efforts have resulted in raising a generation of youth knowledgeable about their surroundings, and forming citizen and government partnerships for change, dedicated to the health and well-being of our environment and communities.
Joanna Dickey
Program Director, Lead Artist / Educator
Joanna has 20 years of experience curating and installing local and regional art exhibitions. She has collaborated on many community art projects, including murals, printmaking, and environmental art. Her artwork has been shown in many exhibitions, locally, in New York City, and as far as Bucharest, Romania. In 2008, Joanna co-founded and served as Secretary of the Garner Arts Creekside Plant Committee, which formed to ensure sustainable restoration of the banks of the Minisceongo Creek that runs through the Garner complex. Since 2010, she has trained in aquatic science monitoring and has co-led citizen science projects on local waterways with youth and community members.
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Joanna Dickey
Program Director, Lead Artist / Educator
Joanna Dickey is a visual artist who joined Strawtown Studio as Summer Staff in 2003, and has been co-teaching programs ever since. Starting in 2013, she has been co-leading the organizational development of Strawtown since she and Founder Laurie Seeman formed the non-profit. Joanna has a studio art degree with concentrations in painting and printmaking, and has worked with children for over 20 years in a variety of settings. As an artist and naturalist she loves guiding youth to explore the natural world in creative ways. She is trained in botanical study and excels in teaching art skills related to nature.
Joanna has 20 years of experience curating and installing local and regional art exhibitions. She has collaborated on many community art projects, including murals, printmaking, and environmental art. Her artwork has been shown in many exhibitions, locally, in New York City, and as far as Bucharest, Romania. In 2008, Joanna co-founded and served as Secretary of the Garner Arts Creekside Plant Committee, which formed to ensure sustainable restoration of the banks of the Minisceongo Creek that runs through the Garner complex. Since 2010, she has trained in aquatic science monitoring and has co-led citizen science projects on local waterways with youth and community members.
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Katy Gennaro
Communications & Relationship Manager
Katy blends creativity and mindfulness seamlessly, merging her graphic design expertise with her passion for community building and teaching yoga. Every aspect of her work is infused with depth and intention.
With a strong foundation in design acquired at Pratt Institute, Katy embarked on a dual path, merging her design skills with her passion for community building and social good. First working for a media agency, then establishing her own design company, Receptive Giving LLC, Katy began collaborating with small businesses and entrepreneurs, offering expertise in branding and marketing strategies aimed at expanding their reach and optimizing their services.
Katy’s profound love for art has not only shaped her creative expression but also cultivated a unique lens through which she views the world, deeply connecting her to its beauty and instilling a fervent desire to preserve it for generations to come.
She stays updated on sustainability and conscious-awareness through following current thought leaders. A core effort for her sustainability practice is prioritizing slow fashion, opting for second-hand or recycled clothing, or environmentally-friendly brands. Since 2016, sheâs kept her wardrobe simple, and currently sources from a brand specializing in hand-dyed fabrics, custom-made clothing, low-batch production, and materials like bamboo and recycled fabrics.
Now serving as the Communications & Relationship Manager at Strawtown, Katy is dedicated to nurturing the community and network for future success. She is deeply touched by Strawtown’s mission and is eager to share the story with larger audiences. Whether working on design projects, leading yoga sessions, or simply engaging in meaningful conversations, Katy is driven by a desire to inspire and uplift others through her diverse skill set and unwavering passion.
Katy Gennaro
Communications & Relationship Manager
Katy blends creativity and mindfulness seamlessly, merging her graphic design expertise with her passion for community building and teaching yoga. Every aspect of her work is infused with depth and intention.
With a strong foundation in design acquired at Pratt Institute, Katy embarked on a dual path, merging her design skills with her passion for community building and social good. First working for a media agency, then establishing her own design company, Receptive Giving LLC, Katy began collaborating with small businesses and entrepreneurs, offering expertise in branding and marketing strategies aimed at expanding their reach and optimizing their services.
Katy’s profound love for art has not only shaped her creative expression but also cultivated a unique lens through which she views the world, deeply connecting her to its beauty and instilling a fervent desire to preserve it for generations to come.
She stays updated on sustainability and conscious-awareness through following current thought leaders. A core effort for her sustainability practice is prioritizing slow fashion, opting for second-hand or recycled clothing, or environmentally-friendly brands. Since 2016, sheâs kept her wardrobe simple, and currently sources from a brand specializing in hand-dyed fabrics, custom-made clothing, low-batch production, and materials like bamboo and recycled fabrics.
Now serving as the Communications & Relationship Manager at Strawtown, Katy is dedicated to nurturing the community and network for future success. She is deeply touched by Strawtown’s mission and is eager to share the story with larger audiences. Whether working on design projects, leading yoga sessions, or simply engaging in meaningful conversations, Katy is driven by a desire to inspire and uplift others through her diverse skill set and unwavering passion.
Ali Friel
Artist/Educator, Media Content Manager
Ali came to Strawtown in 2013 as an intern and is now developing and leading programs. She has a Masterâs degree in Applied Community Change focused on Conservation, along with a Bachelorâs degree from Amherst College in Psychology, with minors in Art and Education. Aliâs experience in the field includes working as a teaching assistant with children at Earthwork Wilderness Program in Massachusetts, and many years of experience trekking around the world, working on community service projects. She is currently a board member of the Peabody Preserve Outdoor Classroom in Sleepy Hollow, NY.
Ali Friel
Artist/Educator, Media Content Manager
Ali came to Strawtown in 2013 as an intern and is now developing and leading programs. She has a Masterâs degree in Applied Community Change focused on Conservation, along with a Bachelorâs degree from Amherst College in Psychology, with minors in Art and Education. Aliâs experience in the field includes working as a teaching assistant with children at Earthwork Wilderness Program in Massachusetts, and many years of experience trekking around the world, working on community service projects. She is currently a board member of the Peabody Preserve Outdoor Classroom in Sleepy Hollow, NY.
Lorraine Marden
Artist/Educator
Growing up in Vermont, Lorraine has always felt a deep connection to the natural world. She is a lifelong art maker and loves to work with children in deepening their connection to nature through art and science. It was through the experience of helping Laurie Seeman to launch a hiking club that she began to understand the urgency and importance in helping to connect all ages with the natural world. Lorraine has her undergraduate degree in Communications with a concentration in art, and a masters degree in Special education. During the school year she is a teacher at a small private progressive school. If asked of her favorite way to spend a day, doing art with children in nature would be her answer any season of the year.
Lorraine Marden
Artist/Educator
Growing up in Vermont, Lorraine has always felt a deep connection to the natural world. She is a lifelong art maker and loves to work with children in deepening their connection to nature through art and science. It was through the experience of helping Laurie Seeman to launch a hiking club that she began to understand the urgency and importance in helping to connect all ages with the natural world. Lorraine has her undergraduate degree in Communications with a concentration in art, and a masters degree in Special education. During the school year she is a teacher at a small private progressive school. If asked of her favorite way to spend a day, doing art with children in nature would be her answer any season of the year.
Jantell Perrault
Artist/Educator
Jantell Perrault is an aspiring artist who is passionate about illustration and videography. She spends most of her free time drawing what inspires her, whether it is her favorite cartoons or beautiful landscapes. She has worked with children for over ten years, and it is part of her life mission to encourage children to live out their authentic truth in order to become confident and happy adults.Â
Jentell Perrault
Artist/Educator
Natalie Russell
Artist/Educator
Natalie Russell
Artist/Educator
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Strawtown over the years. You have individually and collectively made so many contributions that have touched many lives and helped to build our community!
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