Much of her work has focused on developing field-based opportunities for students to connect with community/partner identified needs and interests. Rachelle holds multiple certificates and degrees: Teaching Earth System Science Certificate, University of New Hampshire, Food System Leadership Professional Certificate,University of Vermont, M.A in Education w/Environmental Science focus, Plymouth State University, and in progress an EdD in Leadership & Community with an environmental justice focus.Anticipated completion December 2022-Plymouth State University.

Courses Taught

• Environmental Science and Policy I & II
• Foundations of Environmental Policy
• Environmental Field Studies
• Environmental Science for non-science majors
• Tackling a Wicked Problem Water Resources
• Tackling a Wicked Problem Hunger and Food Waste
• Local Action to Preserve Biodiversity
• Sustainability Capstone
• Special Topics Brook Trout as Indicator Species
• Special Topics Food Recovery
• Issues in Sustainability

Funded Research

Assessing New Hampshire’s Meat Processing Capacity funded by New Hampshire Department of Agriculture 2014

Clean Water Healthy Trout Project funded by Trout Unlimited Embrace-a-Stream Program 2014-2016

Ammonoosuc River/Stream Crossing Assessment Project a multi-agency collaboration funded by the Fifteen Mile Falls Mitigation and Enhancement Fund 2016-2017

Local Action to Preserve Biodiversity-Vernal Pool Stewardship; Mapping Habitat, Migration Hotspots and Disease funded by Plymouth State University Clusters 2016-2018

Additional Grant Funded Projects:

• Haverhill Civic Engagement
• Keep Growing  Rural Agricultural Viability Project
• Copper Cannon Camp STEAM Outreach
• Understanding Hunger on Campus University System of New Hampshire
• North Country Resource Conservation & Development Council
• Local Harvest Promotion Rural Business Development Grant

Community & Conference Presentations

2017 Community Action Flood Resiliency Workshop Series for Ammonoosuc Watershed Municipal Leadership

2017 New Hampshire Water and Watershed Conference- Watershed Scale Assessment to Promote Community Restoration Priorities 

2016 New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commission Annual Meeting- Tools and Techniques to Assess and Protect Community Infrastructure Presentation

2015 New Hampshire Regional Planning Commission Executive Directors Annual Meeting- Using Watershed Scale Infrastructure Data to Foster Collaborative Decision Making for Resilience and Environmental Stewardship.

2015 New Hampshire Food Alliance- Local Leader Workshop on Improving Access to Healthy Locally Produced Food in Rural New England

2013 Haverhill Civic Engagement Initiative Community Listening Session Series

Experiential and Service Learning

STEM-based Field Education: developed and coordinated interdisciplinary learning opportunities, including service trips, community programs, and field-based learning opportunities for students and community members. Examples include:

• Common Ground Annual Day of Farm Service  
• Light Pollution Impacts and Opportunities
• Who Grew My Lunch – Food Literacy Outreach
• Aquaculture Field Engagement Program
• Winter Ecology Field Engagement Program
• Food Waste Advocacy NH Food Alliance
• Source-to-Sea River Clean-up Ammonoosuc Watershed  ‘15 &’16
• Clean Water Healthy Trout Freshwater Stewardship STEAM Outreach

Honors and Awards

Campus Compact- Presidents’ Good Steward 2019
Nominated for Outstanding Faculty Award 2015
Outstanding Non-traditional Undergraduate Award Plymouth State University 2010
Teaching Earth Systems Science Fellowship 2011

Memberships / Affiliations

White Mountain Trails Collective Board Member 2019-present
Plymouth State University CoLab Cluster Pedagogy Learning Community Fellow 2019
Ammonoosuc Chapter of Trout Unlimited Board Member 2014-2019
New Hampshire Farm to Restaurant Connection Vice President 2013-2017
Food Solutions New England New Hampshire Delegate 2015-2017
New Hampshire Food Alliance Action Team Member 2014-2015