The Education Operating Committee (EOC) is a committee of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Board and reports to the SFI Board. It is responsible for providing leadership, direction, and strategy development in connection with Project Learning Tree (PLT) and other educational programs of SFI. The committee develops opportunities to further understanding about natural resource management and complex environmental issues among youth and their families – working with educators, resource management professionals, youth leaders, citizen conservationists, and others in cooperative projects.
The committee’s responsibilities include:
- Recommending goals and policies for PLT and other educational programs
- Recommending annual programs, work plans, and budgets for consideration and approval by SFI’s Board of Directors
- Advocating for PLT
- Participating in or assisting with PLT’s programs and activities as appropriate
- Providing guidance related to strategic planning for PLT programs
- Assessing effectiveness of PLT activities in addressing strategic priorities and recommending improvements or change
- Ensuring that effective, transparent, and credible mechanisms for awarding of grants, fellowships, prizes, and honors are maintained.
PLT’s Education Operating Committee
| Janet Ady Division Chief of Education, Interpretation, and Partnerships Bureau of Land Management Washington, D.C. |
Michiko Martin Director, Conservation Education USDA Forest Service Washington, D.C. |
| Nicole Ardoin, PhD. Associate Professor Stanford University Graduate School of Education California |
Karen L. Ostlund, Ph.D. Lecturer, University of Texas at Austin UTeach Science Program, College of Natural Sciences Texas |
| Wanda Barrs Due South Investment Georgia |
Robert Raze, Ph.D. Professor St. Petersburg College College of Education Florida |
| Andrew Burnett (retired) Branch Chief for Interagency Coordination US Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Education Outreach Virginia |
Thelma Redick Senior Director, Conservation Content and Partnerships Wildlife Habitat Council Maryland |
| Peter Church Director of Forest Stewardship Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Massachusetts |
Rafael Salgado Committee Co-Chair Executive Director Cal-Wood Education Center Colorado |
| Laura Downey, Ph.D. Committee Co-Chair Executive Director Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education Kansas |
Susan M. Schultz SMS Consulting Indiana |
| Mary Ford Education Program Manager National Geographic Society Washington, D.C. |
Rahul Singh CEO Anant Corporation Washington, D.C. |
| Dan Lambe President Arbor Day Foundation Nebraska |
Renee Strnad PLT State Coordinator NC State University- Extension Forestry North Carolina |
| Beth Marchand Managing Director Bearmark Digital New Hampshire |
Ada Takacs PLT State Coordinator Michigan Department of Natural Resources Forest Resources Division Michigan |