Meet Our Team
Our guides are from all walks of life: we have biologists, outdoor educators, mental health advocates, meditation practitioners, yoga instructors and more. We are a team of nature enthusiasts and we love finding connection and meaning in nature. Get to know us!
Philip Hosmer
Founder and Executive Director
Since my earliest memory, I have always been drawn to and nourished by the outdoors. My father instilled in me an appreciation of the simple joys that our natural world offers us: the sound of leaves underfoot in autumn, the warmth of the sun on a cold winter day, the scent of pine trees in the morning, and the mist from a moving creek against your face on a summer afternoon. These elemental pleasures, scientific research shows, are vital components of our physical and mental health. But society has veered sharply away from being outdoors. The average adult spends 93 percent of their time indoors, where they are looking at a computer or TV screen for 10 hours and checking their phone 80 times. It is my mission to bring the healing, restorative properties of the natural world into the lives of others through Nature Worx. I formed this organization drawing on my experience leading several other not-for-profit organizations focused on family support and outdoor recreation. I am excited by the team of professionals we have assembled, and by the positive impact we are making in peoples’ lives.
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Frank Marsden
Lead Interpretive Guide
I am a founding member of the Eden Mill Nature Center in Pylesville, MD. I have more than 40 years of experience as a naturalist, instructor, guide, trip organizer, and nature photographer. I have led wilderness canoeing trips to Algonquin National Park in Canada, taught rock climbing, led caving expeditions and was a skydiving enthusiast with more than 100 jumps. For excitement these days, I like to stand still in the woods and take photographs of the natural world.
Lisa Robbins
Outreach and Development Coordinator; Nature Worx Guide
Connecting with nature is the cornerstone of my self-care practice. Outdoors is where I find moments of beauty, awe, and wonder, as well as a deeper sense of peace and calm. Nature provides wisdom and lessons that help me understand and reflect on my life. I enjoy hiking, kayaking, gardening, and capturing the wild abundance of nature with photography. I try to incorporate things I’ve learned as a life coach and Reiki practitioner into each Nature Worx session, and I find our clients’ observations and enthusiasm so inspiring. Being a Nature Worx guide allows me to combine some of my favorite things: practicing mindfulness, exploring nature, and making genuine connections with others. I'm so grateful to be part of this program!
Jasmine Wilborne
Nature Worx Guide
I inherited my love of and appreciation for nature from my parents. Together we would explore the local woods in my hometown New Haven, Connecticut. We'd crunch through the fall foliage, go on week long camping trips and enjoy hot days by the beach.
Today, being outside is my favorite place to be when I'm not working. Simple walks in my city neighborhood or sitting on my porch is enough to connect me to the ever present tranquility of this natural world. My hope for all those who work with me is that they can re-discover the universal healing and invitation of nature wherever they are.
Phillip McKnight
Senior Nature Worx Guide
I have a deep trust in two things: the natural world and mindfulness. The natural world is our provider; it's where we come from and is really who we are. Mindfulness invites us back to the present moment with kindness, leaving behind all stories of the past or future, so that we can experience the world fully and truly. I am grateful to lean on my experiences of being a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program Participant, Peace Volunteer in Jamaica, a bachelor's degree recipient in Environmental Studies from University of Vermont, a Masters of Science recipient from UMBC in Instructional Systems Design with a focus on mindfulness, environmental educator with the Audubon Society and Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and a recent completion of walking the 2100 miles of the Appalachian trail to inform my experience. I am thankful to have the opportunity to explore these two loves of the natural world and mindfulness in community with the people we work with as a guide for Nature Worx. The intention? Provide a sense of safety so that we can feel comfortable to experience ourselves and all beings in the natural world with care, so that a natural sense of connectedness and belonging emerges!
Jamil Mott
Nature Worx Guide
I am an avid outdoorsmen, mental health advocate, nature therapy practitioner and the Owner/Operator of Satchel & Lahoma, LLC, an outdoor adventure and camping company.
I have used nature and outdoor recreation to teach life lessons, survival skills, mindfulness and wellness, self-care and to expose minorities to the wonders of nature. I also train Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) on Leave No Trace principles and to remain safe, dry and warm while enjoying nature.
I'm also a certified Maryland Master Naturalist through the University of Maryland, a certified Weed Warrior in Baltimore City and a Maryland licensed fisherman.
Michele Berry
Nature Worx Guide
I have been an outdoor guide and instructor for six years, working with groups of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities. Growing up, I spent much of my childhood split between the urban center of Washington DC and the woods near my childhood home. I attended college in New York City, majoring in environmental studies and working with urban youth in after school programs where I studied their connection with their natural environment as part of my thesis. After college I began work as an outdoor educator, traveled the world, and lived in Australia and later, Senegal, the latter as a Peace Corps volunteer. Though I find inspiration living and traveling in cities, I have always found that spending time in nature is important for my mental health and well-being. I am passionate about connecting others with their outdoor spaces, no matter if they are climbing mountains or planting flowers on their patio.
Jamila Keita
Nature Worx Guide
Hi! My name is Evangeline “Jamila” Keita. I’m retired from the “9-5” and chose to teach yoga and yoga nidra (guided meditation) for my “retirement job.”I’ve always been an avid walker and nature lover. During the shutdown, I found “nature therapy.” This led me to complete a course through “The Kripalu School of Outdoor Leadership” and become a KMOG (Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide). I’m really happy to find Phil and Nature Worx.I enjoy this work and introducing others to mindfulness in the outdoors. I’m grateful to be a part of this mission.
Sage Raindancer
Nature Worx Guide
In the past few decades, my jobs have varied greatly from military police to professional athlete to massage therapist; from cycling instructor to massage therapy instructor; and from waitstaff to dog handler. Over the years, my passion for service and my vocation in alternative therapies combined with my love for the outdoors have led me to the path of becoming a certified nature and forest therapy guide.
Jonathan Chance
Nature Worx Guide
Born and bred on the west side of Baltimore City, I've always had a deep love of the outdoors and being in nature. I worked for an outdoor organization for three years and was able to see first-hand how much of an impact spending time in nature has on an individual. I would lead 5-12 day backpacking/canoeing trips and run high-ropes challenges. I moved on from the organization hoping to deepen my facilitative skills and find other ways to engage folks in nature.
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Alexandra Dull
Nature Worx Guide
My favorite childhood memories are the times my dad and I spent exploring nature together. Play & adventure were instilled in me from a young age and I have carried these valuable traits with me through my degree in Therapeutic Recreation and as a Registered Yoga Teacher, a retreat facilitator, and a nanny. I truly believe life is better when we spend intentional time connecting with nature and using our senses. While I love spending days at a time in the woods, I find that simply feeling my feet on the grass is enough to nurture my connection to nature. The more time I spend immersed in the natural world, the more I understand myself, others and the world we inhabit. I am honored to be spreading the light & mission of Nature Worx.
Dr. Mark S Johnson
Nature Worx Guide
Understanding and appreciating our natural world has been a lifelong personal pursuit. After a brief career repairing office machines, I decided to pursue higher education in hopes of learning more about nature and helping my best to live sustainably with it. After obtaining my bachelors of science in biology at Towson University, I obtained a master’s degree while studying the population ecology of Wood Thrushes at University of Delaware and a Ph.D. at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, exploring effects of military unique chemicals on wildlife models. My passions are birds and biodiversity and I have traveled in the tropics and elsewhere observing and studying them. I currently operate two bird-banding stations that serve as monitoring posts to track migrants.
Rod Bourn
Nature Worx Guide
I’ve been an outdoor enthusiast all my life. From camping to horseback riding, geocaching and white water rafting, I’ve found participating in nature to be a vital part of staying mentally as well as physically healthy. I especially enjoy going to new places and learning about their unique history and characteristics. I spent several years leading college outdoor adventure trips and am a professional business coach and strategic consultant.
Tom Wardell
Nature Worx Guide
I'm a guide here at Nature Worx and was also certified in 2020 as a Nature and Forest Therapy guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). I have Native American heritage in the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and am passionate about Native American culture and ceremonies. My mission is to help guide people back to their ancient connection with the natural world and I'm dedicated to continuing studies in nature connection and
ceremonies.
Mallory Mlynarek
Nature Worx Guide
One of my earliest memories in nature was sitting on my dad's shoulders as he hiked through the woods in Wisconsin where I grew up. I also recall catching every toad I came across as a little kid, being sure to give each one a kiss, because... why not! From there, my love for animals and plants grew exponentially and lead me to study Environmental Science in college, then on to dabble in research, wildlife rehabilitation, animal advocacy, and outdoor-focused career opportunities.
I discovered a love for teaching and have spent the past six years teaching environmental education to students of all ages through hands-on, experiential learning. Working with kids in nature has been so rewarding, seeing them light up and get excited about things we barely notice as adults. With technology being such a huge part of our lives, getting our feet and hands dirty outside is not only fun, but helps us reignite wonder and calm in our over-stimulated minds.
Being a NatureWorx guide has given me the opportunity to help open people's hearts to the many gifts nature constantly offers us. When we are open to receive, we can also be open to giving back in a reciprocal relationship with the natural world.