Dedicated to the study, interpretation and conservation of our natural resources.
Staff and Volunteers
Cindy Polera - Staff Village Naturalist/Program Director
Cindy is a life-long lover of nature and animals, art and photography.She has been educating adults and children formally for 10 years, working part-time at the Weinberg Nature Center, and as Children’s Program Educator at the Sheldrake Environmental Center in Larchmont, N.Y. She was the Town of Mamaroneck Recreation Nature Specialist for 4 years doing morning and afternoon programs at various locations for the town’s summer camps.She also works as an independent contractor doing nature themed birthday parties, scouts programs, etc.Cindy teaches with several educational props such as kid-sized lily pads, bat, bird, butterfly and ladybug wings including antennae, frog and butterfly tongues, most of which she makes herself.“Children get a better understanding of an animal by pretending to be the animal.By learning how it lives, finds its food and defends itself, they develop a love and respect for it that hopefully will follow them into adulthood.They are having fun and learning as well”.“I’m able to draw on my own curiosity about nature as a child and develop programs accordingly.”Cindy has her own menagerie at home she uses in her programs.She also writes nature inspired stories and songs that she shares with the kids.Her cockatiel, pet rabbit and tree frog along with several different types of creepy crawlies share her office at home.
Cindy’s studies began at Westchester Community College.She then completed 2 more years studying Wildlife Conservation and the Environment at Ashworth College in Atlanta.In 1998, she took a 6 month Environmental Educator certificate program at The Sheldrake Environmental Center, formally the L.I.F.E. Center.Two years of private art instruction with renowned Hudson Valley artist Paul Gould allowed her to further express her love for nature through sketches, oils and acrylics.
Kate Murphy - Staff Village Naturalist
Katherine Murphy is a self educated naturalist, who has had a lifelong passion for horticulture, nature, animals, art & photography. She studied business at Westchester Community College, and Horticulture at New York Botanical Gardens.
Previously working in the floral industry for 10 years, Kate parted ways in 2008 after spending time volunteering for Rye Nature Center where she began her naturalist journey as an educator assistant. It wasn’t long before they offered her a summer position as the program leader for S.E.A.L.S. program (Student Environmental Action and Learning Squad), a summer long volunteer program that allowed teens to explore environmental issues in our community, while planning and executing projects that contributed to preserve local facilities and wildlife. Kate continued for several years as an environmental educator, in addition she also contributed to several ongoing research projects including Tree Phenology and an Owl Study which are just a few citizen science projects she hopes to start at Weinberg Nature Center.
Ever since, Kate has been a Naturalist/Educator working mostly with Pre-School and Elementary aged children for a number of different organizations. She also hopes to contribute some of her creativity to raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage residents to explore the natural world & beauty thatWeinberg Nature Center has to offer.
Ted Johnson - Volunteer Marine Tank Advisor
Ted was born and raised in Mamaroneck. He's an avid boater and has served in the United States Navy as a boiler technician. He's the proud father of one son, who also volunteers. He currently works as a greeter at Mamaroneck Avenue School in Mamaroneck.
