Anita Sanchez   518-842-9305 anasanchezh@aol.com

Anita Sanchez is the author of  The Teeth of the Lion--The Story of the Beloved and Despised Dandelion.  Born in Boston, MA, Anita grew up in upstate New York, where she spent her childhood playing on the suburban lawns of an apartment complex. "I have always loved dandelions--for me, they meant getting out of school, lying on the lawn, and summer vacation," she admits. "Dandelions and other common wildflowers got me interested in nature and led to a life-long love of the outdoors."

In 1977, Anita graduated from Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ecology/Conservation, an area of study that had just been added to the college's curriculum in the wake of the first Earth Day in 1970.  A teenage summer job at a nature center was the beginning of a thirty-year career in environmental education.  She has been employed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ever since, working at three different nature centers in upstate New York. Since 1984, she has been the Senior Environmental Educator at the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Albany. 

She lives in Amsterdam, NY, with her husband, George Steele, and their two sons, Alex and Timothy.

Ms. Sanchez is available for interactive educational programs for both and adults and family groups, as well as book signings.

Topics:

1. The lore and history of dandelions, including their uses as medicine, food, and magic.  (Dandelion tea or salad tastings are a possible addition to the program.)

2. Historic uses of wild plants, especially common native and non-native plants. Plants can be band-aids, dyes, string, tea, medicine, good-luck charms, food: wild plants were an essential part of the daily lives of people of the past.

Terms:

1. For speaking engagements, the author requests reimbursement for travel expenses.

2. Invitations to speak should be extended to the visiting author.

3. The author's book published by McDonald & Woodward will be available on site, either through the visiting author or the sponsoring organization; contact us at 1-800-233-8787 for further information about buying our books.