Ali (Parvin) Pressel is a former member of St. Matthew Lutheran, who grew up in Moorestown and now teaches environmental sciences at a public high school in the Saint Augustine area of Florida. Ali helps students learn through hands-on experiences and outdoor education to prepare for successful careers.
Ali graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences. Following her undergraduate degree, she worked with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection mapping endangered plant communities of the Pine Barrens using GIS technologies. She began her teaching career in Maryland before moving to Florida in 2007.
In addition to teaching environmental sciences, Ali works with the CollegeBoard teaching Advanced Placement coursework. She also works closely with the company, ESRI, to bring new mapping technologies to the classroom for student application to prepare them for careers. Ali is a LEED Green Associate with the U.S. Green Building Council, helping students prepare for industry certifications in green building and sustainable design. She is also an active member of the National Science Teacher Association and regularly speaks at national conferences on environmental education and project-based learning.
Ali considers herself a lifelong learner. She is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and she works closely with National Geographic Education as a member of their Teacher Advisory Council. Through this role she encourages other educators to increase environmental awareness in classrooms across the country, helping children develop a global mindset as environmental stewards and active citizens in their community.
In her spare time, Ali enjoys biking, kayaking, and hiking to explore greenways and blueways around Florida. She also loves adding native plants to her backyard habitat.
Ali has a passion for traveling and is always up for an adventure. In 2014, she established Pressel Field Explorers, an opportunity for students to explore the world outside classrooms through international field experiences. Ali’s primary goal as an Educator is for students to establish a love for the wonders of the natural world, like the fascination she discovered in the world around her when she was a younger age.