Alicia (Ali) Pressel
Ali Pressel helped open the doors of Creekside in 2008 and currently is the Lead Teacher for The Academy of Environmental Sciences. She has also taught Advanced Placement Environmental Science at Creekside since 2011. Mrs. Pressel helps students learn traditional science skills as well as hands-on field research and STEM project-based collaboration to prepare students for successful careers. Mrs. Pressel has taught various courses relating to the biological sciences for almost two decades, including Environmental Science, Natural Resources Management, Conservation Biology, Honors Biology, Honors Human Anatomy, and Marine Science. Mrs. Pressel is the sponsor of the Environmental Club and the Geospatial Mapping Club at Creekside.
Mrs. Pressel considers herself a lifelong learner. She is a 2023 National Geographic Explorer, a 2021 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, and a 2022 Global Learning Fellow. Ali Pressel actively partners with National Geographic Education initiatives as a member of the National Geographic Teacher Advisory Council and a National Geographic Certified Educator and Facilitator. Through these unique opportunities, she actively integrates citizen science and Geoinquiry processes into the learning environment at Creekside to ensure students develop a global mindset and are better prepared for success upon graduation. Mrs. Pressel also works with the CollegeBoard as an AP Reader and Table Leader for Advanced Placement Environmental Science exam, to help students stay up-to-date on important AP topics in science. She works closely with the GIS mapping company, ESRI, to bring new technologies to the classroom for student application. Mrs. Pressel is a LEED Green Associate with the U.S. Green Building Council, helping Academy students prepare for industry certifications in sustainable design. She also holds professional certification as a Natural Resource Specialist. Mrs. Pressel is an active member of the Florida Association of Science Teachers, the National Science Teacher Association, ESRI K12 Education, the North American Association for Environmental Education, and regularly presents STEM initiatives, project-based learning, and the values of business partner collaboration in learning at national conferences around the United States.
Mrs. Pressel graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Environmental Sciences and Human Ecology. Following her undergraduate degree, she worked with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection mapping endangered plant communities of the PineBarrens using GIS technologies. She began her teaching career in Maryland before moving to Florida in 2007 to work with St. Johns County School District. Mrs. Pressel completed her M.S. in Biological Sciences in 2009. In her spare time, Mrs. Pressel participates in various research studies with scientists and educators in other global locations. She also enjoys biking, kayaking, and hiking as a way to explore the greenways and blueways around NE Florida. Mrs. Pressel is a certified Florida Master Naturalist and loves adding native species to her backyard habitat. Mrs. Pressel has a passion for traveling and is always up for an adventure! Her favorite recent trips include an expedition to Arctic Svalbard to study sea ice changes using geospatial technologies as a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. Her favorite places to hike include explorations in the Appalachian Mountains, the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park, and alpine meadows in the Austrian Alps. In 2014, she established Pressel Field Explorers, an opportunity for students to explore the world outside of the classrooms through international field experiences. Even while traveling, much of her time is dedicated to her students, as Mrs. Pressel’s goal is for students to establish a similar love for the wonders of the natural world around them.
