MEET OUR STAFF
Staff Bios
Lauren Belmonte
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Environmental Scientist, Certified Sustainability Manager, Project Manager, Master Level CiS Certified Educator
Lauren brings a lifetime of environmental passion to Change is Simple, Inc. "I remember being inspired back in elementary school about both humanitarian and environmental issues, and my passion for the two has never waned." She is a graduate of Merrimack College with a BS in Environmental Science and has over eighteen years in the environmental and sustainability field. Lauren takes the lead on strategy, fundraising, and organizational management and guides the organization to identify opportunities within the community to partner and grow. Also a certified group fitness instructor, Lauren is as passionate about caring for the bodies we were given as the amazing earth we live on.
Patrick Belmonte
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer
Master Level CiS Certified Educator
"I grew up constantly exploring. I'd leave the house at 7am on my bike and be dragged back in after dark. I built shelters, tree forts, bike trails, and probably one too many bike ramps based on the number of times I was in a cast. I surfed, fished, and helped my dad in his garden. I never realized how lucky I was to connect with my planet on such a deep level at a young age, and that connection has guided me to this point." Patrick earned his degree in Marketing & Communications from Western New England University, where he played four years of football. Patrick has been the visionary behind the design of the Change is Simple curriculum, learning tools, and strategy. He is an avid surfer and builds his own boards from recycled materials, enjoys mountain and road biking, trail runs, 'fixing stuff', and cooking with his wife Lauren for friends and family — especially his daughter, Maisey.
Carlos Benavides
Mentorship Coordinator & Lead Educator
Carlos was raised in the woods of Jefferson Township, NJ and graduated from Northeastern University in 2020 with a degree in Physics. He loves living life to the fullest, whether that means hiking mountains or jumping out of planes. Carlos's passion for the environment and sustainability grew with his internship with Change is Simple in 2018 where he learned how much the earth needs our help to keep it healthy. Now he is back as a Mentorship Coordinator and Lead Educator doing what he loves most — working with kids to make a difference in the world.
Skye Fournier
Program Director & Lead Educator
Hailing from a rural ski town in Maine, Skye is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, climate activist, and environmental educator. Skye is a graduate of Boston College with a BA in Environmental Science. She has experience conducting research into local food system’s responses to climate change and surveying watersheds in Massachusetts to understand food and water challenges associated with climate change. She has extensive experience also in the field of science and environmental education, working as a Field Educator and Naturalist for the University of Maine 4H Camp and Learning Systems, and in curriculum design and implementation, developing syllabi for undergraduate courses at Boston College. Skye joined the Change is Simple team in 2019 as an educator and Curriculum Coordinator and is now the Program Director at Change is Simple, overseeing the development and implementation of our Science of Sustainability (SoS) curriculum in 35 schools across Massachusetts. When not working, Skye is often involved in a graduate class or two to stay on trend with sustainability issues — most recently a Food and Farm Sustainability course through Tufts University and a Beekeeping class with the Essex County Beekeepers Association!
Amy Holland Crafton
Director of Development & Outreach
Amy discovered Change is Simple back in 2015 when her son was in third grade and Change is Simple started visiting his classroom. She was hooked from day one of seeing the program and felt very connected to the mission. She went to meet the founders to see how she could get involved. Having recently left a marketing job in the Boston non-profit world, she started volunteering and joined the Board and eventually the staff team to help promote the work and raise awareness, funds, and support for the organization. “I can see first-hand the incredibly positive impact Change is Simple has on the students we teach through my own children. This could not be a more important mission at a more critical time.” She is passionate about the outdoors and in her spare time (when not with her 3 boys), spends time running, in the yoga studio, and painting.
Yadira Ibarra-Dackert
Operations
Yadira was born and raised in Mexico and graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Marketing & Administration Bachelor's Degree. She moved to Maine in 2011, the same year her twins were born. After having kids she became more conscious about the world we are leaving behind for children; she embarked on a mission in making changes for her family's lifestyle. She developed a passion for reducing waste and living a more minimalist life. This passion led her to get involved as a volunteer for the Green Team at her kids' elementary school. She is grateful to be working at an organization that aligns with her values and believes in empowering children and teaching them that our decisions can create lasting impact. Currently she lives in Ipswich, MA with her husband and twins.
Kylie Kean
Evaluation Coordinator & Lead Educator
Kylie grew up in Ohio but fell in love with Massachusetts when she moved to Boston to attend Wellesley College. After graduating with a BA in Biological Sciences and a minor in anthropology, she taught in early childhood education before moving to England to pursue a masters and a lifelong dream of studying primates around the world. While conducting research on environmental education for children, which included a trip to work with kids in Madagascar, Kylie discovered her passion for education as a tool for youth empowerment and environmental stewardship. She is excited to join Change is Simple and work with this team of passionate and dedicated educators to inspire youth and people of all ages to care for our planet.
Chloe Labrie
Lead Educator
Chloe has happily called New Hampshire home for the past 16 years! In 2021 she graduated from Keene State College with a B.A. in Biology and a B.S. in Secondary Education. Chloe has a deep love for science and learning which she shared with her middle school students for two years in her hometown. Her love for science stems from the expanse of woods she grew up playing in as a child and she feels lucky to get to share this love with others. Her passion for climate action started in high school and continues to grow. Chloe is excited to continue her teaching career as a Lead Educator with Change is Simple and to create positive climate change with the team!
Tim Lajoie
Program Ops Manager & Lead Educator
Tim was born and raised in Haverhill, MA and graduated from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst with a BS in Natural Resource and Environmental Economics. He loves to spend his free time kayaking, hiking, and connecting with nature. Throughout his time at Essex Aggie High School and the University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Tim grew a deep passion for the natural world and the resources it provides in our everyday lives. With climate change becoming an ever-prevalent issue, Tim took to activism and sought to make an impact. He joined the Change is Simple team in August of 2022 with the hopes to inspire the next generation to be mindful about the wellbeing of our planet and to advocate for a better, more sustainable future.
Maddi McKenna
Project Manager & Lead Educator
Maddi eagerly joined Change is Simple in June of 2021 about one year after earning her B.S. in Environmental Conservation and Sustainability from the University of New Hampshire. She has worked with kids for 10+ years in a wide variety of settings including as a babysitter, camp counselor, and field teacher at the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary. Her passion for sustainability initially came as a kid doing crafts on "junk box day", as her mom called it. Reusing unwanted materials like fabric scraps, cardboard, and yogurt cups as craft materials made her look differently at "trash." She loves being active by hiking, paddleboarding, and walking on the beach. Maddi grew up in Danvers, MA and loves teaching important environmental and sustainability lessons to students from her area.
Lark Parmalee
Brand Manager & Lead Educator
Lark started at Change is Simple in June 2021. She graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor's and Master's of Science in Marine Biology and a minor in Graphic and Information Design. Her love for nature was sparked during her childhood where she spent her summers at her family's lake cabin in Maine. However, in college she started to delve into the threats facing the environment that she had grown to love and saw firsthand both the beauty the oceans held and the detrimental impact that humans can have on them. At Change is Simple, she loves using her design eye and creativity towards making a difference for the planet and its inhabitants through education and ensuring a strong, beautiful brand that inspires action.