The Worldwide Movement
SOUTH AMERICA
Sharing Nature sparked a worldwide revolution in nature education
—National Association for Interpretation
—National Association for Interpretation
Here are the full bio's of our best Sharing Nature country representatives. Each one is deeply experienced.
Sharing Nature representatives are exceptional individuals who love nature and people, and can bring them beautifully together.
Sharing Nature representatives are exceptional individuals who love nature and people, and can bring them beautifully together.
Rita Mendonca: Country Coordinator for Brazil
When Rita read the book Sharing Nature with Children for the first time, a simple sentence caught her attention: “Don’t feel bad about not knowing names”. As a biologist, she knew many scientific names but felt that naming plants and animals in this way distanced her students from direct, sensitive and profound experience with the natural world. At that moment she understood that she had finally found what she was looking for: a simple, practical and inspiring approach to experiential environmental education.
Since then she engaged both in practices with her groups and in the translation of Sharing Nature with Children and Sharing the Joy of Nature. When she invited Joseph to come to Brazil for the book launch in 1996, he invited her to coordinate Sharing Nature activities in her country.
Initially, she was concerned with proposing Sharing Nature Experience programs as an educator, and in 2004 she formed the “Instituto Romã of Nature Experiences”, which today offers several programs that include Sharing Nature in addition to the Sharing Nature training, where participants learn how to practice Flow Learning with their groups.
These programs have already taken place in almost all Brazilian states, in addition to courses that have been held in Argentina and Venezuela. The Romã Institute produced a new translation of Joseph Cornell's books in 2005 and 2008, which are currently circulating throughout the country. She and her team invited Joseph to come to Brazil twice more, in 1999 and in 2006.
Rita wrote 5 books on various topics related to philosophies of Nature, based on her interest in stimulating in-depth reflections after a period of direct experiences with Nature based on Sharing Nature. Besides her activities in Sharing Nature Programs she is an Associate Professor at Escola Schumacher Brazil and coordinator of the graduate course “The Nature We Are.”
Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences, Specialization in Environmental Planning, Master's Degree in Sociology of Development
Rita is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. Rita is available to travel and give programs.
Contact: [email protected]
Since then she engaged both in practices with her groups and in the translation of Sharing Nature with Children and Sharing the Joy of Nature. When she invited Joseph to come to Brazil for the book launch in 1996, he invited her to coordinate Sharing Nature activities in her country.
Initially, she was concerned with proposing Sharing Nature Experience programs as an educator, and in 2004 she formed the “Instituto Romã of Nature Experiences”, which today offers several programs that include Sharing Nature in addition to the Sharing Nature training, where participants learn how to practice Flow Learning with their groups.
These programs have already taken place in almost all Brazilian states, in addition to courses that have been held in Argentina and Venezuela. The Romã Institute produced a new translation of Joseph Cornell's books in 2005 and 2008, which are currently circulating throughout the country. She and her team invited Joseph to come to Brazil twice more, in 1999 and in 2006.
Rita wrote 5 books on various topics related to philosophies of Nature, based on her interest in stimulating in-depth reflections after a period of direct experiences with Nature based on Sharing Nature. Besides her activities in Sharing Nature Programs she is an Associate Professor at Escola Schumacher Brazil and coordinator of the graduate course “The Nature We Are.”
Degrees: Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences, Specialization in Environmental Planning, Master's Degree in Sociology of Development
Rita is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. Rita is available to travel and give programs.
Contact: [email protected]
Camila Caceres: Country Coordinator for Chile
Camila is an Environmental Educator, certificated by North Wales Outdoor Learning, UK. Currently she runs the Chaski Escuela in which she seeks to bring people closer to nature. Working as an environmental educator on a variety of projects, she trains preschool educators in outdoor learning methodologies and sustainability.
Camila found Sharing Nature in 2021 when she began searching for outdoor environmental education initiatives. After discovering Joseph Cornell’s book, Sharing Nature, she began to incorporate these engaging nature activities in her outdoor education programs. She took her first Sharing Nature course with Brazil’s Country Coordinator, Rita Mendonca in 2022, and then went to Patagonia Argentina to take the in person course. There, two full days of Sharing Nature and Flow Learning transformed her experience into a more dynamic way of living environmental education. Camila was always a nature sensitive, but the Sharing Nature activities and philosophy opened her to an even deeper experience.
Camila’s Chaski project promotes the rights of children to live in a healthy and clean environment, the right to free play, movement and rest, and to encourage imagination.
Camila holds a Masters in Eco-regional Development in International Cooperation University from Costa Rica. She is a member of the research Center for Early Childhood and Public Policies through the Department of Education, Universidad de Chile.
Other Positions: Coordinator for Vice Versa Project of the Green Please for Kids Foundation; Specialist at the Spain-Peru Accessibility Institute; Certified by Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute of Guatemala.
Camila speaks Spanish, French, English and Portuguese, and is available to travel and give programs.
Contact: [email protected]
Camila found Sharing Nature in 2021 when she began searching for outdoor environmental education initiatives. After discovering Joseph Cornell’s book, Sharing Nature, she began to incorporate these engaging nature activities in her outdoor education programs. She took her first Sharing Nature course with Brazil’s Country Coordinator, Rita Mendonca in 2022, and then went to Patagonia Argentina to take the in person course. There, two full days of Sharing Nature and Flow Learning transformed her experience into a more dynamic way of living environmental education. Camila was always a nature sensitive, but the Sharing Nature activities and philosophy opened her to an even deeper experience.
Camila’s Chaski project promotes the rights of children to live in a healthy and clean environment, the right to free play, movement and rest, and to encourage imagination.
Camila holds a Masters in Eco-regional Development in International Cooperation University from Costa Rica. She is a member of the research Center for Early Childhood and Public Policies through the Department of Education, Universidad de Chile.
Other Positions: Coordinator for Vice Versa Project of the Green Please for Kids Foundation; Specialist at the Spain-Peru Accessibility Institute; Certified by Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute of Guatemala.
Camila speaks Spanish, French, English and Portuguese, and is available to travel and give programs.
Contact: [email protected]
Cynthia Dubal: Country Coordinator for Argentina
Cynthia Dabul lives in Tigre, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with her family. She holds a degree in Environmental Sciences and a postgraduate degree in University Teaching.
For the past 11 years, she has served as the Director and Academic Coordinator of a School of Environmental Education, offering both virtual and in-person courses. The school’s mission is to empower individuals to become change agents capable of leading local socio-environmental initiatives.
The courses cover key topics such as Environmental Education, Nature Conservation, Educational Camps, Project Development, “Buen Vivir” Education, Protected Natural Areas, and Heritage Interpretation. Over 2,500 students and professionals from diverse fields—including Biology, Park Ranger Services, Veterinary Medicine, Education, Social Communication, Environmental Sciences, and Journalism—have completed the school’s programs.
Cynthia has led an Environmental Education consultancy for over 20 years, collaborating with NGOs, governments, and corporations. Her team designs transformative learning experiences, coordinates environmental education campaigns, and develops content, including environmental education manuals and conservation projects for species such as the Andean condor, jaguar, and marsh deer.
In 2005, one of her environmental education professors gave her the book Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell, saying, "You're going to love this!"—and he was right. That was when she realized that many of the activities she had been practicing or had been taught to use with groups in nature had been designed by Joseph.
Later, she acquired Sharing the Joy of Nature and Listening to Nature, which at the time were only available in English. These three books introduced her to the wonderful world of Flow Learning and demonstrated the power of this educational methodology to deepen people’s connection with nature and create unforgettable experiences.
Joseph’s teachings through these books provided her with invaluable tools to strengthen her work in nature, increased her confidence in designing educational processes, and even helped her train other educators seeking to reconnect people with nature.
For more information about Cynthia’s work in environmental education, nature conservation, and her publications, please visit:
www.proyectoambiental.com
https://www.instagram.com/proyectoambientalescuela/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiadabul
Contact: [email protected]
For the past 11 years, she has served as the Director and Academic Coordinator of a School of Environmental Education, offering both virtual and in-person courses. The school’s mission is to empower individuals to become change agents capable of leading local socio-environmental initiatives.
The courses cover key topics such as Environmental Education, Nature Conservation, Educational Camps, Project Development, “Buen Vivir” Education, Protected Natural Areas, and Heritage Interpretation. Over 2,500 students and professionals from diverse fields—including Biology, Park Ranger Services, Veterinary Medicine, Education, Social Communication, Environmental Sciences, and Journalism—have completed the school’s programs.
Cynthia has led an Environmental Education consultancy for over 20 years, collaborating with NGOs, governments, and corporations. Her team designs transformative learning experiences, coordinates environmental education campaigns, and develops content, including environmental education manuals and conservation projects for species such as the Andean condor, jaguar, and marsh deer.
In 2005, one of her environmental education professors gave her the book Sharing Nature with Children by Joseph Cornell, saying, "You're going to love this!"—and he was right. That was when she realized that many of the activities she had been practicing or had been taught to use with groups in nature had been designed by Joseph.
Later, she acquired Sharing the Joy of Nature and Listening to Nature, which at the time were only available in English. These three books introduced her to the wonderful world of Flow Learning and demonstrated the power of this educational methodology to deepen people’s connection with nature and create unforgettable experiences.
Joseph’s teachings through these books provided her with invaluable tools to strengthen her work in nature, increased her confidence in designing educational processes, and even helped her train other educators seeking to reconnect people with nature.
For more information about Cynthia’s work in environmental education, nature conservation, and her publications, please visit:
www.proyectoambiental.com
https://www.instagram.com/proyectoambientalescuela/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiadabul
Contact: [email protected]