Colorado Team
Matt Lappe, Program Officer
matt.lappe@climateeducation.org
Matt Lappé has been integral in growing ACE to a national non-profit that has reached over 1 million students in less than three years. As Program Officer, he trains all ACE Educators to understand and communicate climate science effectively. He also heads evaluation efforts to measure ACE’s impact and manages the ACE Teacher Engagement program to help bring the best climate science to the classroom.
After receiving BS and MS degrees from Stanford University’s Earth Systems program, he studied paleoclimate and environmental hydrology throughout Patagonia, Vietnam and Cambodia. Upon his return to California, he taught at a small charter high school in Mendocino County where he headed the science and social studies departments. Before joining ACE, Matt worked as a Policy Analyst for the Tomales Bay Institute where he worked on federal climate policy. He is a presenter for Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project, and likes to spend as much time as possible climbing, backpacking, surfing and snowboarding. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with his fiancée and two dogs.
JD Prater, Educator
jd.prater@climateeducation.org
JD is the newest addition to ACE Colorado. In 2009, he completed his undergraduate career with a degree in History. While at Oklahoma State, he served as a research assistant in the Plant & Soil Science Department. Working alongside university professors, he conducted research on sustainable bio-fuels. In this capacity, he became exposed to the academic side of global climate change and gained a deeper understanding of the practical agricultural solutions that were being developed to combat the problem.
JD spent the 2009-2010 academic year living in Egypt, first starting a Masters degree at the American University in Cairo, and then teaching history, geography, and drama at the International School of Choueifat. Studying in Egypt provided him with a fresh worldview and unique insight into Middle Eastern culture.
In his free time, JD is an aspiring coffee roaster and an avid cyclist and runner. He looks forward to educating and engaging with Colorado youth in carbon reducing projects.
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