Taylor Eagan, MS
Executive Director
Taylor joined The Nature Connection team as Program Manager in 2017 and now serves as Executive Director. With a Masters degree in Animals and Public Policy from Tufts University, and a BS in Biology with a minor in Classical Civilizations from UMass Amherst, Taylor brings a wealth of knowledge related to animal care and best practices to our programing. Previously, Taylor has worked with children and animals in a variety of educational settings from schools to zoos. She has hiked barefoot in Australia, attended policy meetings in Washington D.C., and has been published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science. While she’s not working, Taylor spends her time with her dog in the garden, on the beach, or in the mountains.
Bethany Burke
Volunteer Coordinator
Bethany started at the Nature Connection as a program volunteer and then joined the staff as the Volunteer Coordinator in April 2023. She received a BS in Biochemistry with a minor in Psychological Sciences from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Health degree at Umass Lowell. Bethany believes in the therapeutic power of nature and is excited to help others volunteer and engage with the organization and participants. In her free time, Bethany enjoys running, playing soccer, traveling and spending time with friends and family.
Carol Hani, MS, LICSW
Program Coordinator
Carol began as a program volunteer with The Nature Connection in 2015 and joined the staff as Program Coordinator in 2018. She has a passion for working with elders and values their insights and wisdom. Carol received her Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and has over 20 years of experience in geriatric social work. She enjoys the creative and enthusiastic responses that nature evokes in the participants and staff/volunteers alike! In her free time, Carol likes being outdoors with her 12-year-old son (especially fishing and ice skating), visiting with her parents, walking or running in Concord, and (when there isn't any snow) swimming in Walden Pond.
Autumn Cutting
Program Coordinator
Autumn came to The Nature Connection in May 2019 with 10 years of experience leading outdoor and educational youth programs, and 6 years of experience as a farm-based educator. She has worked with preschools and summer day camps, completed a year of service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Camden, NJ, volunteered on the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, and led rustic programs for youth on the west coast of Scotland. She is excited to focus more on the therapeutic aspects of nature while helping others find inner wholeness and healing through connecting with the earth.
Autumn spent part of her childhood in southern New York, though she primarily grew up among the unique deserts, mountains, and coastline of Oregon. She has a BA in Religion and Hispanic Studies from St. Olaf College in Minnesota. She loves camping and hiking, cooking and growing food, making music, and exploring historic sites.
Deborah Krause, B.S, HTM
Program Coordinator
Deborah joined The Nature Connection in August of 2021. She is a Registered Horticultural Therapist and received her B.S. in Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture with a minor in education from Cornell University. She has served on the board of directors and as chairperson of the Core Curriculum/Competency Test committee with the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA). Deborah co-founded the Northeast Horticultural Therapy Network (NEHTN) and served as President, Vice-President, New England Spring Flower Show chairperson, fundraising coordinator, and is currently on the Board of Directors. She created and developed the horticultural therapy program at Perkins School for the Blind and was the horticultural therapist and coordinator of the horticulture center there for 40 years dedicated to working with students with blindness, visual impairments, and multiple disabilities. Deborah is the horticulture educator at the Memorial Spaulding Elementary School Garden where students renovated a garden and grew produce to donate to the Newton food pantry. She is also an instructor at Tower Hill Botanic Garden where her popular adult education classes focus on relaxation, stress reduction, and positive thinking through creating sensory-rich seasonal flower arrangements, wreaths, and herbal activities. Deborah has led virtual horticulture programs for Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters during the pandemic. She consults with non-profit organizations, day programs, Mass Audubon, and park and recreation departments to design and facilitate therapeutic and educational indoor and outdoor horticulture programs. Deborah is passionate about wellness and the therapeutic benefits of horticulture and nature for people of all ages and abilities. She is happy to join The Nature Connection team to support people with limited access to nature so they can enjoy and experience the amazing healing power of connecting with the natural world.
When not working, Deborah volunteers with Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters in the Friend2Friend program as a mentor for adults with developmental disabilities and with the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired to assist clients with errands. She enjoys her temple community and volunteers there on the social justice committee, in the choir, and as a Torah reader. Deborah loves spending time with her daughter, close friends, and their two rescue dogs which they adopted. She plays piano and found it was especially rewarding to accompany students on the piano at Perkins School for the Blind. Deborah is enthusiastic about music and gardening to grow produce herbs and flowers for cooking and sharing with others. She refreshes her soul on Cape Cod by the ocean and in the Berkshires at Tanglewood and on nature walks with waterfalls and scenic views.
Jude Aronstein
Program Consultant
Jude has been involved with the Nature Connection since 1998. Jude started as a volunteer, then worked as Program Coordinator for eight years. Currently she serves as an advisor, supervising our program coordinators. Jude has a Masters in Expressive Arts Therapy (movement/dance) from Lesley University. For over 30 years, she has blended psychology and physical experiential exploration in work and volunteer endeavors with adults living with mental illness, elders, pregnant teens, and court-involved youth. Jude recently began a four-year Feldenkrais practitioner training. She is passionate about healthy and sustainable living. When she isn’t working or volunteering she can be found hiking, swimming, or skiing.
