Ehren lands in the Philadelphia area from Morehead City, NC where he has worked for the National Park Service at such attractions as Cape Lookout National Seashore, Big Cypress National Preserve and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. After earning his bachelors degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College, as well as a study abroad semester in Australia, Ehren has been in the environmental education field since 1996. He also has experience with teaching Native American history, planetarium operations and is a certified beekeeper.
Kristen joined the Briar Bush team in September 2007 after earning her
BS in Pre-Veterinary Animal Science from Rutgers University and completing an environmental education internship at Pickering Creek Audubon Center in Easton, MD. At Briar Bush, Kristen is able to combine her passion for animals with her love of watching children learn. As the Public Programs Coordinator, Kristen is responsible for the Children's Series, Summer Camps and Great Escapes and Eco-Trips for adults. She also acts as Animal Care Supervisor, coordinating volunteers and providing daily care for Briar Bush's 30+ resident animals. She is excited about working in a suburban nature center and the opportunity to teach children that nature can be found anywhere they look.
Mark hails from Massachusetts and came to Briar Bush in January 2003. From the beaches and bays of New England to the mountains of Vermont and the Northern Rockies of Wyoming, Mark has spent most of his life outdoors and has always been interested in exploring and experiencing the stories of nature and sharing those stories with others, especially children. At Connecticut College, he earned dual degrees in Zoology and French. As Senior Naturalist, Mark answers all kinds of questions about nature from our public. As part of the Education Team, he teaches programs on and off site and created a successful Scouting program. Mark works with all the youth volunteers, adjudicated community service workers and directs all Scout service projects. His role as Facilities and Land Manager has given Mark a thorough knowledge of local plants, both native and invasive exotics, which he uses to create and implement constant ecological restoration of this 12-acre sanctuary.
Katie comes to Briar Bush from Tampa, Fla., where she conducted environmental education programs for organizations such as Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, Hillsborough County Public Schools and Lettuce Lake County Park. Through her programs, Katie was known as “The Nature Geek,” and looks forward to carrying that reputation with her to Briar Bush. A graduate of Colorado State University with a BS in wildlife biology, Katie has also been working toward an MA in biology. In addition to looking forward to continuing her career in a field that she loves while gaining new skills, Katie is looking forward to experiencing all four seasons again. When not working as what she considers to be the best job in the world, you might find her hiking or kayaking and gathering inspiration from nature.
Mike Weilbacher was the executive director of the Lower Merion Conservancy from 1994 to 2010, when he came to Briar Bush. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Mike traveled America teaching about science and the environment through participatory vaudevillian theater, using magic, juggling, poetry and more to perform before hundreds of thousands of students in schools, museums, parks, and environmental education centers. Mike has made regular appearances on WXPN-FM's live call-in show "Kid's Corner" as "Mike the All-Natural Science Guy," and hosted "Earth Talk," an adult environmental news radio show on WHYY 91 FM in Philadelphia. He writes a regular column on local preservation issues for Main Line Times and is a frequent contributor to magazines and journals like E: The Environmental Magazine and Clearing. His work educating children earned him awards as Pennsylvania's Outstanding Conservation Educator from the Pennsylvania Wildlife Association in 1992 and Environmental Educator of the Year from the Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education in 1991. His preservation work earned him the title of "Citizen Hero" from The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Conservation Award from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Society.
Patti joined the Briar Bush staff as the new, part-time receptionist in October 2000, and became the full-time office manager in the spring of 2003. She attended Drexel University majoring in Accounting. Patti is married to Mark Platt who is a small business owner in the home theater industry in Hatboro. They reside in Willow Grove with their 3 children Taylor, Kyle and Tess. Working at Briar Bush runs in the Platt family! Taylor logged many hours at Briar Bush as a center-aide before leaving for Boston University this fall, and Kyle is currently working as a new center-aide. Before returning to the workforce, Patti kept herself busy volunteering at her children's schools. She has held the position of President in the Home and School Association and continues to chair numerous committees. In her free time, Patti enjoys reading a good book and relaxing on the beach.
Monica joined the Briar Bush staff in 2005 but was no stranger to the center. She grew up nearby and has played in the museum and walked on the trails throughout her life. Monica received a BA in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, worked in their admissions office for over 6 years, then spent 5 years at GMAC Mortgage Corporation before ‘retiring’ to have children. While raising her 3 daughters, Monica still volunteered for multiple organizations close to heart and her family. As the Receptionist, Monica’s is the first of many smiling faces our visitors encounter when they visit the museum. From the front desk, Monica most enjoys “seeing and hearing the excitement in the children when they visit.”
Ehren lands in the Philadelphia area from Morehead City, NC where he has worked for the National Park Service at such attractions as Cape Lookout National Seashore, Big Cypress National Preserve and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. After earning his bachelors degree from West Virginia Wesleyan College, as well as a study abroad semester in Australia, Ehren has been in the environmental education field since 1996. He also has experience with teaching Native American history, planetarium operations and is a certified beekeeper. 
Kristen joined the Briar Bush team in September 2007 after earning her
BS in Pre-Veterinary Animal Science from Rutgers University and completing an environmental education internship at Pickering Creek Audubon Center in Easton, MD. At Briar Bush, Kristen is able to combine her passion for animals with her love of watching children learn. As the Public Programs Coordinator, Kristen is responsible for the Children's Series, Summer Camps and Great Escapes and Eco-Trips for adults. She also acts as Animal Care Supervisor, coordinating volunteers and providing daily care for Briar Bush's 30+ resident animals. She is excited about working in a suburban nature center and the opportunity to teach children that nature can be found anywhere they look.
Mark hails from Massachusetts and came to Briar Bush in January 2003. From the beaches and bays of New England to the mountains of Vermont and the Northern Rockies of Wyoming, Mark has spent most of his life outdoors and has always been interested in exploring and experiencing the stories of nature and sharing those stories with others, especially children. At Connecticut College, he earned dual degrees in Zoology and French. As Senior Naturalist, Mark answers all kinds of questions about nature from our public. As part of the Education Team, he teaches programs on and off site and created a successful Scouting program. Mark works with all the youth volunteers, adjudicated community service workers and directs all Scout service projects. His role as Facilities and Land Manager has given Mark a thorough knowledge of local plants, both native and invasive exotics, which he uses to create and implement constant ecological restoration of this 12-acre sanctuary.
Katie comes to Briar Bush from Tampa, Fla., where she conducted environmental education programs for organizations such as Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, Hillsborough County Public Schools and Lettuce Lake County Park. Through her programs, Katie was known as “The Nature Geek,” and looks forward to carrying that reputation with her to Briar Bush. A graduate of Colorado State University with a BS in wildlife biology, Katie has also been working toward an MA in biology. In addition to looking forward to continuing her career in a field that she loves while gaining new skills, Katie is looking forward to experiencing all four seasons again. When not working as what she considers to be the best job in the world, you might find her hiking or kayaking and gathering inspiration from nature.
Craig is a dedicated animal care volunteer and part-time facilities and grounds jack-of-all-trades.
Heidi runs weekend birthday parties and is always willing to jump in in to help with nature hikes and animal programs.
Mike Weilbacher was the executive director of the Lower Merion Conservancy from 1994 to 2010, when he came to Briar Bush. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Mike traveled America teaching about science and the environment through participatory vaudevillian theater, using magic, juggling, poetry and more to perform before hundreds of thousands of students in schools, museums, parks, and environmental education centers. Mike has made regular appearances on WXPN-FM's live call-in show "Kid's Corner" as "Mike the All-Natural Science Guy," and hosted "Earth Talk," an adult environmental news radio show on WHYY 91 FM in Philadelphia. He writes a regular column on local preservation issues for Main Line Times and is a frequent contributor to magazines and journals like E: The Environmental Magazine and Clearing. His work educating children earned him awards as Pennsylvania's Outstanding Conservation Educator from the Pennsylvania Wildlife Association in 1992 and Environmental Educator of the Year from the Pennsylvania Alliance for Environmental Education in 1991. His preservation work earned him the title of "Citizen Hero" from The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Conservation Award from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Society.
Patti joined the Briar Bush staff as the new, part-time receptionist in October 2000, and became the full-time office manager in the spring of 2003. She attended Drexel University majoring in Accounting. Patti is married to Mark Platt who is a small business owner in the home theater industry in Hatboro. They reside in Willow Grove with their 3 children Taylor, Kyle and Tess. Working at Briar Bush runs in the Platt family! Taylor logged many hours at Briar Bush as a center-aide before leaving for Boston University this fall, and Kyle is currently working as a new center-aide. Before returning to the workforce, Patti kept herself busy volunteering at her children's schools. She has held the position of President in the Home and School Association and continues to chair numerous committees. In her free time, Patti enjoys reading a good book and relaxing on the beach. 
Monica joined the Briar Bush staff in 2005 but was no stranger to the center. She grew up nearby and has played in the museum and walked on the trails throughout her life. Monica received a BA in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, worked in their admissions office for over 6 years, then spent 5 years at GMAC Mortgage Corporation before ‘retiring’ to have children. While raising her 3 daughters, Monica still volunteered for multiple organizations close to heart and her family. As the Receptionist, Monica’s is the first of many smiling faces our visitors encounter when they visit the museum. From the front desk, Monica most enjoys “seeing and hearing the excitement in the children when they visit.”
