Kaitlyn Sproles

Originally from Missouri, Kaitlyn graduated from the University of Missouri in 2013 with a double major in Forestry Management and Fisheries & Wildlife Sciences. Kaitlyn then served in the Peace Corps in rural Paraguay as an environmental educator. After working with youth in environmentally sustainable activities and building local partnerships for two years in Paraguay, she arrived at Merry Lea as a student in the Master of Arts in Environmental Education in 2016.

After graduating with her master’s degree, Kaitlyn stayed at Merry Lea for a few months as an environmental educator before starting her job with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. As the Interpretive Naturalist at Chain O’Lakes State Park, she oversaw interpretive programming, natural resource management, volunteer coordination, communications and more at the park.

She returned to Merry Lea in 2021 as our Environmental Education Outreach Coordinator and in 2023 additionally took on the role of Volunteer Coordinator. Then in 2024 Kaitlyn took on the role of Director of Environmental Education Outreach overseeing the Public & PreK-12 Environmental Education programs.  In addition she helps direct the volunteers of Merry Lea and is instructing the Practicum Course in the Master of Arts in Environmental Education program.  She has also co-led the international course in the graduate program to Andros Island, Bahamas.