Kira Jewett
Executive Director
kira@eagleeyei.org
KIRA JEWETT’S commitment to healing humans' relationship with the natural world began when she discovered Deep Ecology at a retreat. She spent the next several years studying environmental science, first at Yale and then the University of Montana. She also taught middle school and led teen backpacking expeditions during this time.
Kira met Eagle Eye in 1997, as part of a Social Justice internship program. Originally asked to help lead Learn About Forests programs, she was eventually hired full-time for a year to create the Learn About Forests training manuals. Kira has spent over 20 years as a science teacher and public school administrator, helping to open young people's hearts and eyes to the beauty and power of nature as part of their education.
Sydney Strauss
Program Coordinator Consultant
Sydney joined the Eagle Eye team as an intern in the summer of 2024. After more than a year as Program Coordinator, Sydney is now passing her wisdom and skills to our new staff as she transitions to another phase in her career and Eagle Eye involvement. Sydney is passionate about helping young people feel comfortable and connected to themselves, others, and their environment.
When not on program Syd can be found creating art, working out, playing music, and of course exploring the world with friends and family by her side.
Jamal R. Cumberbatch
Development & Engagement Associate
Jamal R. Cumberbatch is a Western Mass local who’s happiest in the woods, basking in the sun on a hot, humid day. An ovo-vegetarian for four years with a love for all things leafy and luminous, Jamal brings a mix of nature-nerd joy, plant-based passion, and a surprising enthusiasm for spreadsheet logistics to the Eagle Eye community.
When not geeking out over sustainable nutrition or meditating in the sun, you’ll probably find Jamal chatting about shamanism or how to turn mindfulness into a daily practice integrated into working communities. He loves recording bright happy moments with candid group selfies! He’s here to help create harmony between people, planet, and the occasional well-organized Google Doc.
Sara Skolnick
Communications & Media Manager
sara@eagleeyei.org
SARA SKOLNICK is first-generation, Ecuadorian-Jewish communications strategist and cultural producer originally from western Massachusetts. Her practice roots into the value that community-led storytelling has the revolutionary power to nurture connection, and to inspire social change.
Sara holds a BA in Political Science from Boston University, a MA in Arts Politics from New York University, and she’s a current student at the University of Texas at Austin earning a PhD in Performance Studies. She’s passionate about researching the intersections of land defense movements, sound studies, and ancestral veneration in honor of the dignity of life.
Kenjah O'Donnell
Program and Volunteer Coordinator
- Kenjah O’Donnell (they/them), pronounced Ken-yah, is a community builder, outdoor educator, facilitator, and advocate for equity and collective liberation. Their relationship with the outdoors has taken many forms, from leading wilderness education and youth leadership programs to teaching adaptive and recreational skiing and creating nature-based experiences for children and adults.
Kenjah began their career in criminal justice after earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Criminal Justice from the University at Albany at the age of 23. They worked in reentry services and community-based gun violence prevention before seeking ways to bring their commitment to justice together with their love of nature.
That path led them back to outdoor education, where their work focuses on creating opportunities for people to build confidence, curiosity, and connection with the natural world, centering expanding access and belonging for communities historically underrepresented in outdoor spaces through an equity-centered, intersectional approach.
When not working at Eagle Eye Institute, Kenjah can be found leading nature- and wilderness-based events through Mixed Faces Wild Spaces, the community-based outdoor organization they founded in 2023.
Thomas Garner
DIAL/ SELF Americorps Member
Thomas Garner is a Springfield, Massachusetts native, community youth leader, and proud AmeriCorps member. Born and raised in Springfield, he is passionate about giving back to his hometown through service.
Through AmeriCorps, he serves with Eagle Eye Institute — a program that offers immersive programs at its 220-acre forest site in the Berkshires as well as place-based programs that connect youth to nature in their communities. As a youth leader, he mentors small groups of young people with an intentional model of experiential learning, games and teambuilding, self-reflection, and stewardship, leading outdoor explorations and educating youth on wildlife and conservation with a positive, poster-attitude that inspires curiosity and confidence.
Dedicated to service across generations, he also serves as a Life Enrichment Assistant for Senior Living, where he supports elderly residents through meaningful activities, connection, and daily enrichment.
His background also includes professional driving experience with J. Polep Distribution Services, bringing a strong work ethic, reliability, and real-world perspective to every team he joins.
Whether in the woods with youth, engaging with elders, or serving his community, he leads with heart, energy, and a commitment to uplifting others.