Christy Melhart Slay



1. If you can name a moment in your childhood totally connected to nature and made you feel alive what moment would that be?

As a kid, our annual family vacation meant camping with our large extended family—my dad was the oldest of ten! We’d load up our camper and gather with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins at the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, TX. Floating down the river in a giant homemade raft my dad built, I remember the icy water splashing our faces, the laughter of my family echoing down the river, and the cicadas singing from the trees. Nights were filled with catching fireflies in jars, roasting s’mores around the campfire, and a sense of adventure, beauty, safety, and togetherness. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, these moments shaped me early on. I’m drawn to water—rivers, streams, the ocean—because it’s where I feel most centered, present, relaxed, and connected to the world around me.

(PS I looked it up and the campground is still there with the same name! https://www.riverroadcamp.com/ and it looks the same!)

   2. How has your role in the field of environmentalism this sustainability changed over the years? Where do you see yourself in this area moving through the current times and into the future?

Over my 27-year career, my role and perspective have evolved significantly. My journey began after graduating from Hendrix College when I became a teacher naturalist at the Ozark Natural Science Center in Madison County. Despite my biology degree, I was terrified—I couldn’t identify a single plant, tree, bird, or insect to teach the arriving students. Fortunately, incredible mentors shared their knowledge, and I absorbed it like a sponge. I remember the feeling of having the doors to the “real world” cracked open further and further the more I learned how to see what was actually there all along- the fungi, flowers, trees, rocks, birds, insects, mammals- everything had a name and a purpose. As I learned more deeply, I felt small and humbled at being in the world for so long without actually knowing its main citizens.

Eager to explore new places, I became a naturalist and educator with Audubon Connecticut. I sought to immerse myself in a different ecosystem, knowing that teaching others would be the best motivation for learning. There, another remarkable mentor introduced me to birds. I worked alongside researchers studying migrating raptors and coastal heron and egret rookeries, marveling at the intricate, ongoing phenomena I had once overlooked. Once again, I felt small and humbled that these phenomenon happened all around me and I, like most people, was oblivious. 

When my father was diagnosed with incurable cancer, I moved back to Arkansas and enrolled in graduate school. Leaving Connecticut was devastating on many levels, so I arranged to conduct my research at an Audubon Connecticut nature center. I knew I wanted to study birds but had no idea where to start. Luckily, a professor took a chance on me. Every summer, I migrated north to research four declining songbird species in the Northeast, focusing on their habitat needs to aid conservation efforts. It was wonderful, frustrating, tiring, and rewarding. 

Early on, I realized I wanted a broader impact. While I loved education, field research, and being outdoors, I saw that decisions driving habitat and species loss were made in corporate boardrooms, on farms, and within complex supply chains. I heard about a new initiative at the Walton College of Business and explored opportunities there. Sixteen years later, I now lead The Sustainability Consortium. In the beginning, I had to quickly adapt to the business world and learn how to translate my scientific knowledge into corporate sustainability strategies. Over time, I’ve witnessed companies shift from treating sustainability as a marketing tool to embracing it as a business imperative. Retailers play a crucial role in driving innovation, and government regulation is catching up—an exciting development. There’s still much work to do, but I know my next step will involve the same approach that has guided me all along: embracing challenges, learning, using my skills to make a difference and knowing that if I’m not a little scared then I’m not pushing myself to offer what I have to the world. 

    3. What people places are experiences have shaped your rule view around environmentalism and sustainability in your life? Who are your mentors in this field?

My grandparents, Meme and Pawpaw, lived on the edge of Waggoner Ranch in Electra, Texas—one of the largest contiguous ranches in the U.S. They were the first to show me a bird field guide and how to use binoculars. With them, I watched quail in their backyard, searched for crayfish in the pond, and watched wild horses graze. Every night, we took in the panoramic sunsets without a tree in sight. Lying in bed at their house, I heard my first coyotes singing. Meme and Pawpaw were my first nature mentors.

My second mentors were my high school biology teachers, Bob Ross and Ellen Turner, who nurtured my love for biology. Mr. Ross invited our class to his home to listen for Barred Owls at dusk, while Ms. Turner took us caving in Whippoorwill Cave—a trip I loved so much that I later married a cave biologist! Ellen remained in my life, first offering me a job at the Ozark Natural Science Center, then later becoming my colleague when she joined the same Audubon Connecticut center where I conducted research. Our careers intertwined for over a decade in the most unexpected and wonderful way.

Along my career, I have had the good fortune to work with amazing naturalists who mentored me in different ways. Each of them shaped who I am, instilling in me taught me so much about how to be a teacher, nature identification, staying the course in difficult times, and finding the humor in every situation

   4. tell us a little bit about how you connect with nature? Birdwatching, Hiking camping, etc. and what would you recommend to someone wanting to get into these hobbies? How do they get started? How do they get connected to nature?

My connection with nature has evolved over time. In my 20s, I loved hiking and camping, fully immersing myself in the outdoors. In my 30s and early 40s, caving became my passion—exploring biodiversity underground with my husband and even discovering new species. There’s nothing like crawling through a cave and finding an organism unknown to science. It’s a rush, humbling, and an incredible honor I never take for granted.

By my mid-40s, birdwatching became my next focus. My husband and I now plan trips to spot species we haven’t seen, chasing rare bird alerts at a moment’s notice. I’ve become slower and more patient, which has its rewards. Over time, I’ve learned the songs of birds, frogs, cicadas, crickets, and katydids—what once was background noise is now a familiar chorus. I recognize who’s present, who’s missing, and who’s early or late, listening as one would to beloved friends and family gathered deep in conversation.

   5. you were such a driven and inspiring woman who is very connected to her natural surroundings . How has nature helped you develop your sense of self?

Without nature, I wouldn’t be the same person—I’d likely be miserable without knowing why. Nature pulled me out of my own head, showing me that my thoughts and experiences were just a tiny part of something vast and intricate. Realizing I am a small piece of an endlessly complex world was liberating. I could spend a lifetime studying nature and still barely scratch the surface, yet that knowledge freed me.

It became simple: if I value nature, I should align my skills and time with that passion. Whether helping a fifth-grade student or a corporate sustainability leader, my role is to show how science and nature connect us all through invisible threads. The bee that pollinates an apple in California that ends up as my snack, the wind that carries pollen to the oats in North Dakota that become my oatmeal breakfast, the nutrients from West African soils that travel through a cocoa tree into my chocolate bar—my existence is intertwined with nature’s global elements, not just physically but also spiritually.