Meet the EcoElsa staff providing environmental education to you and your family! As well as check out current openings below!
Elsa Litecky, Owner
Elsa started EcoElsa back in 2018 as a blog and YouTube channel. Prior to starting EcoElsa she worked in naturalist and outreach roles for the MNDNR, Dakota County, environmental nonprofits, and nature centers. She is passionate about the outdoors and loves learning new things. Her favorite areas of interest for natural resources are how people engage with nature; and include topics like ethnobotany & foraging, enthoastronomy, biomimicry, and outdoor survival. She also is a Board Member for the Minnesota Association of Environmental Education. Outside of her work she enjoys a lot of other creative outlets like making art, reading and writing books, and cooking. To learn more about her different certifications and environmental education experience check out our Meet the Founder Page.
Katarina Shaw, Naturalist Educator
Katarina has a bachelors in Environmental Science while focusing on Environmental Education. She is originally from Minnesota but has lived in North Carolina, Maryland and Missouri. Katarina has a passion for painting, sewing, hiking, rock climbing, and reading science fiction. She has done a range of roles such as Americorps, teaching, forestry, and being a mechanic. Katarina’s favorite thing to do outside is to go swimming in rivers with her friends.
Renny Hubbard, Naturalist Educator
Renny has a formal background as a middle school ESL teacher and holds a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. He is also a longtime turtle enthusiast, having cared for a Mississippi map turtle, a yellow bellied turtle, and a painted turtle for nearly two decades. Renny enjoys camping in national parks, hiking, fishing, and exploring natural spaces. He has a deep appreciation for the outdoors and believes there is something fascinating in every corner of the natural world. As a naturalist, he hopes to help people of all ages notice, question, and connect with the plants, animals, and landscapes around them.
Libby Rothberg, Naturalist Educator
Libby has always had a love for the outdoors, especially the water. She moved to Montreal, Canada, to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation. She worked for several years in the field and the lab as researcher focused on invasive species and aquatic ecosystems. Now, having just moved back to the Twin Cities, she is excited to bring her scientific background and love of learning to the EcoElsa team. Some of her favorite things outside of environmental science include traveling on a budget, artistic outlets like woodwork and beading, reading a good book in her hammock, dog-sitting (and fostering soon), and spending plenty of time at the lakes and in the water.
Andrew Harrison, Program Support
Andrew brings years of summer youth programing experience and a formal background in education as a middle school Social Studies teacher. His role is as a “jack of all trades”, supporting our programs in various roles. Growing up participating in Boy Scouts, he gained an appreciation for the outdoors and a wide range of skills – from outdoor survival and knots, to wilderness first aid and orientation. He loves rock climbing (he is also a certified coach through USA Climbing), mountain biking, and camping.
Current Openings
All Positions filled at this time check back for openings in 2027