
With over 15 years of experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders and communities in her home country of Colombia and the United States, Caro Munoz has designed and led educational and research-based initiatives that foster meaningful connections between people and nature. Some of her recent projects include series of workshops, webinars, science fairs and other outreach activities in collaboration with institutions such as UMass, Girls Inc., the entomology group Fernald Club, and several Beekeeping associations across the Northeast.
Her academic training, public outreach and programming experience, and enthusiasm make her the perfect candidate to fill the role of the new Director of Public Programming and Outreach at The Norcross Wildlife Foundation.
As a proud descendant of hardworking farmers who lacked access to education but upheld strong values of respect for nature and wildlife, Caro has devoted her career to honoring their resilience, sacrifices and wisdom. As a first-generation college student, she is deeply committed to bridging the gap between research-based information and the public, making science and conservation efforts accessible and impactful for all communities.
Caro has a deep and enduring love for insects, especially bees, which ignited her curiosity about the alarming decline in their populations. Driven by this concern, she has endeavored to answer this question for the past six years in pursuit of a Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, focusing on investigating the effects of key stressors such as pesticides, pathogens, and landscape composition on bee pollinators and the vital pollination services they provide.
Caro brings a wealth of ideas for public programming and topic offerings, using Norcross’s 8,000+ acres of land, its trails and educational spaces. Her vision centers on connecting these elements with the public, including a special focus on underserved communities, to inspire cascading positive environmental change through education and exposure to nature. The Staff at Norcross could not be more excited to have Caro help grow their public and educational programming.