Meet the OECE Team

Breck Foster, social studies and Spanish teacher at Lake Oswego High School and Oregon State Lead for SubjectTo-Climate, supports statewide climate education through lesson plan development, outreach and advocacy work with OECE, the Oregon Climate Education Hub, the Eastern Oregon Climate Change Coalition, and Oregon Green Schools. She engages in whole school sustainability efforts with her Green Team and local sustainability organizations (LOSN, OLWC). Breck’s work has been recognized with an OEA Presidential Citation (2024), an Oregon Teacher of the Year nomination (2023), and an LO Rotary Excellence in Education Award (2021).

Darin Henry is a founding member of OECE and a retired campus supervisor—affectionately known as the "Professional Uncle"—at Sheldon High School. During his time there, he served as the faculty advisor to the school’s high-achieving Environmental Club. Under his guidance, students in the club independently recognized that climate change education should extend beyond physical science, touching on its connections to all areas of human activity, from its causes to its solutions.

Jenoge Sora Khatter has worked on district, REN/ESD, OEA, and ODE projects as a secondary social studies curriculum specialist, education systems interventionist, and professional development provider. From 2019-2023, he shepherded a $1.5m bond for a materials adoption and provided districtwide PD for teachers and administrators on best practices, implementing shifts in legislation and standards, UDL-differentiating for students of diverse cultural backgrounds and skill-sets, and addressing bias in school systems and curriculum. At present, he's back in the classroom, broadening his skill-set.

Sarah Kirby is the Secondary STEM Specialist for Eugene 4J School District. She is a founding member of Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE). She is President of the Oregon Science Teacher Association (OSTA), co-chair of the Oregon Education Association (OEA) Climate Caucus, serves on the Leadership Team of Oregon Science Leaders (OSL), and part of the Oregon Clean Energy Workforce Coalition, developing a statewide Clean Energy CTE pathway. She has taught 6-12 science for 25 years, 12 of which were spent teaching in a Natural Resource Management CTE program.  She received the OEA Excellence in Education Award for Statewide Leadership on Climate Education.

Tana Shepard, a founding member of Oregon Educators for Climate Education, is a lifelong Oregonian, first-generation college graduate, and public school teacher of 22 years. She leads place-based climate education projects to build resilience and inspire change. At César Chávez Elementary, she launched green initiatives and created the Dolores Huerta garden. Now a Climate, Energy, and Conservation teacher, she supports K–12 students through the 4J/EWEB Education Partnership with salmon field trips, renewable energy projects, and earth-honoring art. In 2024, she received the Oregon Science Teacher Association’s Distinguished Service to Science Award for her impactful, enduring contributions.

Nicole Butler

Niels Pasternik

Sarah Stapleton

Casey Tieman