Our Team
Ashley Hoffman
Executive Director
270.214.0587
Ashley Hoffman has served as the Executive Director of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education since 2010. She holds a B.S. degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida and a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University School of Business and Nonprofit Administration. She also currently serves as a member of the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Affiliate Network Working Group, a member of the NAAEE Advisory Council, and as the Executive Director of the Southeastern Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA). The Affiliate Network represents the state, provincial and regional environmental education organizations of NAAEE. The SEEA is a collaboration of environmental education organizations in the eight southeast states (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN). Ashley is a Certified Professional Environmental Educator and a certified member of the NAAEE Guidelines Trainers Bureau. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to new places and enjoying time in the outdoors with her family.
Brittany Wray
Deputy Director
502.653.9298
Brittany has been working with the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education since 2016. Before working with KAEE, she was a formal classroom educator, teaching sixth-grade math and seventh-grade science. She holds a B.S. degree in Middle Grades Education with a concentration in math and science. In May 2016, she earned a Master's degree in Middle Grades Education with a concentration in Environmental Education. Brittany earned her Environmental Education Endorsement through Eastern Kentucky University. At KAEE, she coordinates the annual conference, eeCREDENTIALS, leads the Higher Education Network, and supports our many programs. She serves as the state co-coordinator for Project WET, on the Project WET Coordinator Advisory Council, and as an NAAEE Higher Education Instigator. In her free time, Brittany enjoys spending time with her husband and amazing kiddos, playing outside, and seeing live music.
Perry Thomas, PhD
Program Director
802.279.5865
Perry Thomas joined the KAEE team as Program Director in 2024. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Dartmouth College and M.A. in Teaching and Ph.D. in Biology from Northern Arizona University. Perry has served as a formal educator at middle school, high school, and university levels as well as a nonformal educator with the Kentucky Division of Water and the Oldham County Soil & Water Conservation District. She is a Certified Professional Environmental Educator and KAEE Facilitator. With KAEE, Perry coordinates the Green Schools Program and district-level professional development. She also supports the facilitator network, organizes KAEE’s annual Outdoor Learning Symposium, and serves as state coordinator for Project WILD. At home, Perry and her husband Rick Thomas work with draft animals to restore pastures and woodlands on their Henry County farmstead. In her spare time, Perry enjoys tending pollinator gardens and paddling Kentucky’s waterways.
Kat Moses
Administrative Specialist
859.334.0305
Kat Moses is the Administrative Specialist for the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education. She holds a Master's of Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Leadership as well as a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Women's Studies. Kat has previously worked in group practice consulting, higher education administration, and survivor support. She founded and currently serves as Executive Director of Chill Out & Proud Somerset, the annual Pride event in Somerset, KY. She is often referred to as the patron saint of stray cats and enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows while gaming with her wife in her free time.
Dr. Melinda Wilder
Education Consultant
Dr. Melinda Wilder is currently an educational consultant working primarily with the eeCredential program. She has worked in a variety of positions as an environmental educator, including interpretive naturalist on the Blue Ridge Parkway, resource management ranger on Lake Cumberland and Lake Barkley, and middle school science and math teacher. After earning her Ph.D., Melinda taught in the College of Education at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and became the Director of the Division of Natural Areas. Melinda led the development of an environmental education endorsement program at EKU that was accredited by NAAEE and later by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. Dr. Wilder was recognized by NAAEE as the Higher Education Educator of the Year for her lifelong service to the field. One of the longest-standing members of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education, she was awarded the KAEE Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding commitment and service to EE. She now operates a small-scale, certified organic Madison County farm with her daughter, Maggie.
Leslie Bueno
Communications Contractor
Leslie Bueno has been working with the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education as a Communications Contractor since 2024. In addition to her work with KAEE, she serves as a Digital Media Contractor for the Environmental Services Department at the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, where she supports outreach and engagement efforts through creative and strategic communications.
Leslie earned her Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Strategic Communications from the University of Kentucky. During her undergraduate studies, she also attended Seoul National University and Korea University in South Korea, expanding her global perspective and passion for cross cultural communication. After graduating, she returned to South Korea, where she spent two years teaching English to students from pre K through third grade.
At KAEE, Leslie supports communications initiatives, helping to share the organization’s impact and connect communities to environmental education opportunities across Kentucky.
In her free time, Leslie loves making art whether through graphic design, pen and paper, pottery, or anything that involves getting messy and being creative, and is always searching for ways to help her community.
