Our Team

LIS McLOUGHLIN holds a BS in Civil Engineering, an MEd in Education, and a PhD in Science and Technology Studies. Her published writing include academic articles, poems, personal essays, a stage performance, and book chapters. Lis founded and directs NatureCulture, Writing the Land, and the Authors and Artists Festival and Poetry Retreat. She edits and publishes anthologies and other books through NatureCulture LLC. She lives off-grid in Northfield, Massachusetts and part-time in Montréal, Québec.

ELIZABETH M. BURTON-CROW, PhD grew up exploring the forests of the Sierra Nevada foothills alongside her feathered and four-legged kin. A profound love for Nature led her to study the field of Ecopsychology, culminating in a doctoral dissertation focusing upon the influence of captivity upon the psyches of parrots and poultry. Today, Elizabeth’s work strives to expand the frontiers of Ecopsychology by illuminating the often-unconscious forces underlying cross-species relationships through the integration of ethics, art, and science. Today she is rooted in the Pacific Northwest, with extended family including donkeys, dogs, llamas, chickens, goats, rabbits, and parrots.

Jasra Holsberg uses her BS in Computer Science and her creativity to pick apart tangled problems, and invent new creations in the digital and physical worlds. She has used her considerable design talents for such diverse projects as Arisia Corporate and Convention sites, role-playing worlds, Writing the Land, NatureCulture, and knitting hats for soup kitchens and shelters.

Jasra lives in Reading, MA with her people and 2 cats. They have a greenhouse, plus lots of container gardens which provide food and flowers for our enjoyment. The kittens arrived on 10/30, right before Halloween, and have been a delight every day!

David Crews is a writer and editor who currently resides at the edge of the Hoosic river watershed in southern Vermont, ancestral land of Muheconneok and western Abenaki peoples. He cares for work that explores wild(er)ness, preservation, land and place, and also serves as a board member with The Waterman Fund. He is author of Incantation, a limited-edition handmade chapbook designed and produced by Josh Dannin of Directangle Press (2022), Wander-Thrush: Lyric Essays of the Adirondacks (Ra Press, 2018), and High Peaks (Ra Press, 2015)—a poetry collection that catalogs his hiking of the “Adirondack 46ers” in upstate New York. Find David and his work at davidcrewspoetry.com

Rita Estevanovich was born in Grand Cayman and currently resides in London, working as an actor/voice artist.  She has a management background in arts development and cultural heritage preservation, and has also worked in media, marketing and sales, property management and tourism.  She is an Executive Officer for Sustainable Cayman and also sits on the Film Control Board (Cayman).

If there is ever one thing to know about me is that I love to draw and write. I enjoy writing and drawing stories of characters that I would like to see in a Hanna/Barbera cartoon. For example, I created an animation of police frogs from the 80’s. Something about the cartoons of the 80’s and 90’s that captures my attention to the point where I want to emulate the art style and tropes. The art style was playful. The stories were simple and lighthearted. I can go on forever about my love for animation and the artistic approach of the 80’s/90’s cartoons. If only time machines existed, right?

-Attending Hunter College for a BA in Media Studies
-Loves art and creative writing
-Lives in NYC but from a smaller city upstate New York called Middletown
-Plays on college softball team

Jesse Kabongo is attending Baruch College with a major in Finance and a Minor in Theater. His passion is the arts, and everything that has to do with it. Drama, writing, painting, music, etc. He has written short films with Reelworks that have been premiered and shown in festivals, and companies such as Harbor Pictures, and Paramount. Jesse is a ReelWorks youth Ambassador, allowing young filmmakers to gain opportunities and have their voice heard. He’s supported ReelWorks with their Gala, their Warner Bros day, their documentary screening, and many other events during the year. He has also done externships for PWC, and Accenture. 

Hello! I'm Everest, I'm originally from Miami, but I go to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. I'm studying English Non-Fiction. I'm really passionate about nature writing and health/healthcare journalism. I also love to write, bake, and hike. After school, I plan to pursue a master's in science writing or science communication.

Patsy Castillo is a freelance artist, first-generation college student, and night owl working towards her BFA. At 15 years old, she knew she wanted to be an artist. Though one of her parents did not support it, she followed her heart… and maybe a bit of teenage rebellion. Over the years she has pursued many creative ventures such as baking, photography, painting, animation, drawing, and crochet. Patsy enjoys spending time with her family, creating amigurumi, and learning new skills. She also loves to photograph nature and trips to the craft store! She aspires to one day own a beautiful home for her family and open a small shop to sell her handmade items. Patsy resides in New York City with her husband and 4 children. You can find her work at patsycastle.com

Jesus Luna is a videographer from New York City. Growing up in the city led to his discovery and love for film. Starting out by making documentaries at Reel Works, Jesus quickly began pursuing careers in media. Interning at Condé Nast allowed Jesus to discover the technical aspects of the magazine industry. Using his combined experience from the world of media and film Jesus has worked on various independent film productions. Absorbing different skills from his time on set Jesus has helped direct, shoot, and edit multiple videos. Today Jesus works on video editing and continues to pursue his passion for digital arts and film with Writing The Land.

Robbie Atienza is a film student with a passion for cinema, creative writing, and learning. He intends to graduate from LaGuardia Community College with an AA in film and television and then transfer to Hunter College to pursue a BA in film & media. He hopes to become a video editor and is excited to collaborate with others and continue building his skills

My name is Abelard Lormond and I am currently majoring in English at Queens College. When I graduate from this school, I will go on to pursue my Master’s in Psychology. With my Bachelor’s in Fine Arts and my Master’s Degree, I will be an author who writes novels and essays that encourage individuals to strive for what they truly want in life and I will be a therapist.