Who We Are

A graduate of Oberlin College with a PhD from the University of California, Davis, Mela is a passionate educator, researcher, storyteller, and arts enthusiast. As owner of the Desert of Maine, she brings her diverse expertise to creating immersive, educational experiences that honor both the natural world and the human stories woven through it.

In 2021 Mela created a community-centered arts performance on the dunes and co-taught a homeschool class with ecologist Deborah Perkins and geologist Josh Smith. Inspired by these experiences, she established the Center for Arts and Ecology. In just a few years, it has hosted dozens of music and theater performances, creative writing workshops, ecology programs, and school field trips.

Looking ahead, Mela is energized by the possibilities for both the Desert of Maine and CAE to deepen their impact — fostering community connections and nurturing a love for nature and the arts for generations to come.

Gennifer is a devoted teacher, parent, and community organizer. She teaches as a World Language educator and IB Coordinator for Creative, Active and Service learning in southern Maine, and has partnered with organizations including Wild Seed Project, the Cumberland Community Orchard, and the Maine Environmental Education Association.

One of her passions is advocating for and empowering young people as they build relationships with the natural world and increase their access to outdoor and experiential learning. She believes in CAE's mission to fuel meaningful action with inspiration and wonder.

Gennifer earned a BA in Spanish and Fine Arts and an MA in Linguistics. She was recognized as one of the 20 Outstanding Women in Maine and received a State of Maine Legislative Sentiment of Recognition. A Maine Master Naturalist in training, she can often be found hiking and camping in the Maine woods or out on Casco Bay with her family.

John began his career finding, studying, and conserving important species and natural communities, interning with the Maine Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. This led to his serving as Director of TNC's Maine Natural Heritage Program, an intensive survey of rare and endangered species and natural communities throughout Maine.

He was instrumental in launching the Maine Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project, one of the first citizen-scientist inventories nationwide. Upon retiring, John focused on his other passion: music. He created an online concert series during the pandemic, organized the Freeport Folk Festival, and ran an annual concert series at Wolfe's Neck Center. He has served on the boards of the Forest Society of Maine, Freeport Conservation Trust, The Freeport Players, and the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Freeport.

Meghan is a writer and visual artist living and working in coastal Maine. In 2012 she began sharing about the way her spiritual life intersected with her new role as a mother, discovering that mindful presence was instrumental in fostering meaningful connections with her children. She has since written hundreds of essays and recorded guided meditations heard by listeners across the globe.

In 2019 Meghan began a memoir reflecting on the unlikely spiritual teachers in her life. In the midst of that work she was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. The illness became a powerful teacher, and the origin of her now-completed work, There Can Be Joy — on navigating treatment while maintaining a spiritual mindset.

A lifelong writer, Meghan worked for five years in magazine publishing, including at Time, Inc.