Deliver Memorable and Meaningful Connections

Nikki is an outstanding facilitator/instructor! She is extremely wise and is so gifted in sharing her experiences and wisdom of the subject matter with participants with diverse backgrounds (age, vocation, knowledge of interpretation, etc.) She is patient, articulates concepts beautifully, and goes out of her way to provide detailed, customized, thoughtful, relevant, and supportive feedback. She is so attentive and full of smiles and giggles, revealing her passion for interpretation and training others on it. I learned so much from Nikki. I highly recommend her and her classes. I look forward to taking more classes with her in the future. Above all, she inspired me deeply to cherish, appreciate, and refine the art of interpretation.

I have been interpreting nature based programs for nearly a decade as a camp counselor and now as a Park Ranger. After all that time, I wondered if I would learn anything new. The answer was YES. Nikki’s class provided me with a new perspective on interpreting. It filled in a few blanks that existed in how to structure an interpretive program. I enjoyed the community created by Nikki and my classmates (some of whom I keep in contact with) even though the class was entirely online. I would recommend this training for both those new and old to interpreting.

Nikki is an amazing educator. She makes the course material fun while also explaining complicated subjects in an easy to digest way. I have used my knowledge from class to create an interpretive signage tour in my Botanical Garden at work. I have also used skills from this class to improve my teaching, to train volunteers in education and docent tours, and am currently working on a new garden audio tour. As a university extension agent, I found this course invaluable!

As a professional photographer and master naturalist, I felt completing CIG training would complete my goal of becoming a Conservation Writer and Photographer. Nikki helped me realize my goals and so much more. Her presentation of the materials had a depth I did not expect, both in terms of explanation and personal perspective. Feedback from her always made me reconsider my work. As a result, not only did I complete my CIG program, but I am inspired to continue my formal education at 56 years old. I am attending ASU, majoring in Conservation Biology and Ecology. Interpretation is the key to helping me achieve my goals of informing, provoking, and inspiring my audiences. As the famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri once wrote: “A mighty flame follows a tiny spark.” Thanks Nikki!

Nikki did a great job of fostering a sense of community, encouraging curiosity in learning, thoughtful answers to students’ questions, providing help after class sessions and outside of class, offering supportive, specific feedback, anticipating students’ questions and concerns as the course progressed, and being professional yet approachable and “casual” in a good way.

Nikki is an extremely talented, enthusiastic, and professional trainer. She was very engaging. I was very impressed with her ability to bring out the best in me. This was a very enjoyable class that I will always remember.

— student, 2024

The NAI Certified Interpretive Guide course gave me a new perspective on interpretation. It helped me fill in the missing parts of programs I have facilitated in the past and made me more confident in my skills and creativity with developing an interpretive program. As a Park Ranger with the City of Phoenix, I have the opportunity to work in areas such as South Mountain, which sees hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. In the course I developed a program on Saguaros. I used this program as an outline for a ranger lead hike where I educated program participants on the different life stages of saguaros. The program was free, but the event was packed and the group was very interactive. Without taking this course with my lovely instructor, Nikki, I don’t think I would have put in the work or the drive to facilitate this self-developed program. Thank you for your help, Nikki!

I am Carol a very egger new interpreter. I have had a lot of jobs in my life, but I am ready to have the best career, I think, that will allow my passion for our country to be shared with others. I have gone to many parks, monuments, sanctuaries, and campgrounds in my life. At every destination I read the literature, the signage and any talks that are giving at that time. I love the campfire ones. I have been thinking along time about becoming a Park Guide. In October 2022 I said this is it. I researched job notifications and all of them either recommended or required the CIG training. I googled and found the NAI. I found a class that would fit my timeframe. And signed up. So excited to start the class. The first day of class I was scared to death. But my teacher Nikki and the other classmates where so welcoming to a school bus driver with no experience. I soaked in the information. Listened to all the classmates, and felt a new light in me. I was a little sad that it was over. I can’t wait to receive my first job as an interpreter. I am excited to share with visitors the magic and beauty of the area I am assigned. Thank you Nikki for all the insights and the new techniques I have learned.