About me
Derek Ratchford is the Manager of the Arkansas Outdoor Education Initiative with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Through this position, he empowers teachers as they introduce STEM and conservation statewide. He transitioned to AGFC after spending ten years in public education where he taught EAST. Through EAST, he empowered students to analyze real problems in their community and attack them with innovative thinking and advanced technology. In 2022, Derek served as a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow where he traveled to the Galapagos Islands to develop curriculum around conservation education. Recently, he served as a STEM education ambassador for the Department of Defense.
