Abigail Garofalo

As an Extension Specialist, Abigail Garofalo provides leadership, develops trainings, and holds expertise in natural resources in Illinois for the Illinois Master Naturalist Program. She brings ten years of experience in Environmental education and outreach with six years serving for University of Illinois Extension in Cook County. Abigail received a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a focus in Resource Conservation in 2016 and her Master of Science in Agricultural Leadership Education with a focus on Leadership Education and Outreach in 2018, both from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her career has been dedicated to connecting Illinois residents to the natural resources this state has to offer.

Abigail instills in her work the value nature brings to a community physically, emotionally, and economically, and strives to build that value in the over 800 Master Naturalists across the state. She specifically focuses on addressing environmental issues across the state through creating a culture of environmentalism through community building. Her background is in environmental outreach and interpretation, soil science, and environmental ethics through experiences as an Extension Natural Resource Educator in Cook County, several summer camps, park districts, and the Morton Arboretum.