Presidential Management Fellows Program
Current PMFs
Featured Profiles from the 2010 Cohort:
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Rachel C. Smith |
| Start Date: |
June 2011 |
| PMF Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist, State and Private Forestry, Cooperative Forestry, Washington, DC |
| Current Position: |
USDA Forest Service R-8 Region Office |
Degrees: |
Ph.D., B.S. |
PMF Assignments: National Wildland Fire Management Cohesive Strategy (Cohesive Strategy)
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Sonja Lin |
| Start Date: |
August 2010 |
| Position: |
Program Specialist with the Budget Presentations Staff in Strategic Planning, Budget and Accountability (WO) |
Degrees: |
MS from the School of Forest Resources and MPA from the Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington |
Primary Assignments: Agency lead in preparing the Chief to testify at the FY 2012 Congressional budget hearings. Now, I am working on developing the new Forest Service Strategic Plan.
Rotations: Have not done any rotations yet, but tentatively plan on doing my long rotation on the San Bernardino NF working on partnerships in the SO.
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Jamey Lowdermilk |
| Start Date: |
August 2010 |
| Position: |
Water Resources Specialist, Sustainability Specialist |
Degrees: |
Master of Science, Applied Economics and Statistics; Bachelor of Arts, Economics and Spanish, Environmental Studies minor |
Primary Assignments:Research publication on the Forest Service and water demand (General Technical Report) outlining the water footprint methodology and water consumption; sustainability outreach and capacity building in the areas of resource consumption, climate change, and empowering local units to reduce their environmental footprint.
Rotations: Shadowing detail with Region 1’s partnership office; research detail with the Coweeta Hydrology Lab, Southern Research Station in Otto, NC; proposed detail with the Washington Office’s Climate Change Office and Sustainable Operations’ Office; research detail with the Pacific Northwest Station in Sitka, AK planned for Spring 2012.
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Lauren Lesch Marshall |
| Start Date: |
July 2010 |
| Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist for the Forest Management Staff, Washington Office |
Degrees: |
B.S. Plant Science from Cornell University, Masters of Landscape Architecture from University of Michigan |
Primary Assignments:I work on a variety of planning issues including collaborative restoration, the Open Space Conservation Strategy, and climate change adaptation.
Rotations: 18 weeks as the Landscape Architect on the Monongahela National Forest. During this time I completed a vegetation management plan for a scenic highway, designed an accessible picnic area adjacent to a scenic overlook, and redesigned a campground in order to move camp units out of the 100 year floodplain.
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Lisa Romano |
| Start Date: |
July 2010 |
| Position: |
Natural Resources Specialist/Restoration and Special Projects Coordinator, Daniel Boone National Forest |
Degrees: |
BA Art, Rutgers University; MA English, University of Virginia; MS Forest Resources, University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Primary Assignments:My biggest project on the Daniel Boone was to coordinate and write the forest's Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program grant proposal. This project involved leading and facilitating meetings with forest staff, state agencies, and NGOs; working with the collaborative group to turn long term goals into near term on-the-ground management plans; working with forest staff to gather information required in proposal; and writing the proposal. The rest of my time was spent doing odds and ends as needed by other staff.
Rotations:On my first detail to the Rocky Mountain Regional Office, I worked in the Strategic Planning department, assisting the Colorado Roadless Rule team. Those duties included writing and reviewing policy briefing papers, helping coordinate public meetings around the state, and participating in public meetings (answering questions from the public and helping to clarify the nuances of the policy). I am now on rotation on the White River NF, where I have been assisting with appeals and negotiations for the travel management plan, and will be working on additional resource and recreation planning projects in the coming months.
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Leanne Veldhuis |
| Start Date: |
August 2010 |
| Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist for the Pacific Crest Trail |
Degrees: |
B.S. Materials Science and Engineering from MIT, Master's degree from UCSB's Bren School of Environmental Science and Management |
Primary Assignments:I work for the Pacific Crest Trail Program Manager in the Region 5 Regional Office in Vallejo, CA. My jobs include creating a new website for the PCT, establishing guidelines for the Optimal Location Review process for the trail and for use of the PCT service mark, participating in trail events to inform hikers about bear safety, fires, and Leave No Trace principles, tracking land easements, and working with our partners, most directly the BLM and the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
Rotations: I'm currently on a special assignment to help coordinate the 10-Year Wilderness Stewardship Challenge for California.
Featured Profiles from the 2009 Cohort:
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Tim Foley |
| Start Date: |
August 2009 |
| Position: |
Program Specialist, Strategic Planning, Budget and Accountability |
Degrees: |
Masters of Environmental Management, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University |
Primary Assignments: Prepare and Support the Chief of the Forest Service for Congressional budget hearings.
Rotations:
- Climate Change and sustainable landscapes project work in West Africa
- Biomass utilization specialist for the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (part of USFS State and Private Forestry)
- Timber Staff - Missoula Ranger District, Lolo National Forest, Montana
Conversion Position: Environmental Coordinator, Crescent Ranger District, Deschutes National Forest, Oregon.
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Lara Polansky |
| Start Date: |
August 2009 |
| Position: |
Natural Resource & Sustainability Specialist, Region 5, Regional Office |
Degrees: |
Dual-BS in Biology and Ecosystem Science & Policy from the University of Miami, FL; Master of Environmental Science and Management with Specializations in Corporate Environmental Management and Political Economy of the Environment from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara |
Primary Assignments:Served as co-leader of a multidisciplinary Aquatic Invasives Working Group to develop and implement the R5 Invasive Species Management Strategy with FS Regional, PSW, and forest staff as well as partners; Initiated a recreation-focused prevention and education/outreach plan for the R5 Aquatic Invasive Species Program; Composed White Paper for the California Invasive Species Advisory Committee on the status of state-level strategic planning for invasive species; Co-authored Region 5 Landscape Conservation Plan/Climate Change Strategy response to the Chief emphasizing collaborative landscape restoration. Wrote Sustainable Operations, Resource, and Program Assessment sections after interviewing 16 program specialists; Co-authored Element 10 (“Sustainable Consumption”) of the national Climate Change Performance Scorecard. Served as Element 10 Lead on R5 Climate Change Integration Team; Competed for and won opportunity for R5/PSW to host the 2012 National Sustainable Operations Summit. Served as Summit Co-Chair. Coordinated Facilities, Virtual Services, Administrative, Program, and Special Events dimensions of the Summit. Responsible for managing $70K Summit budget.
Rotations:
- Washington Office, Sustainable Operations Specialist: Led first comprehensive, Agency-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for business operations, per Executive Order 13514, in collaboration with USDA, DOE, and USFS National Sustainable Operations Program. Led development of agency-wide Employee Commuting Survey to capture data on commuting trends, barriers to more sustainable commuting behavior, and employee satisfaction with current commuting methods. USFS survey used as model for surveys at ARS, Department of Veterans Affairs, and all Bureaus within DOI.
- Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Region 5, Natural Resource & Sustainable Operations Specialist: Conducted an interagency (USFS, BLM, NPS, and Northern Operations) Sustainable Operations assessment. Assisted with development of a Strategic Invasives Plan based on the Nature Conservancy model and organizing a scoping meeting with stakeholders. Analyzed information about temporary employees. Prepared summary document outlining USFS and Region 5 temporary employee trends and other pertinent data for decision-makers.
Conversion Position: Regional Sustainable Operations/Climate Change Coordinator, Region 5, Regional Office.
PMF Alumni: Where are they now?
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Dana Coelho |
| Start Date: |
July 2007 |
| PMF Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist, Urban & Community Forestry/Cooperative Forestry, Washington DC |
| Current Position: |
Program Manager, Western Forestry Leadership Coalition |
Degrees: |
MS Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology (University of Maryland, College Park MD)
Master of Public Policy, Environmental Policy (University of Maryland, College Park MD)
Bachelors of Urban & Environmental Planning, dual minor in Architecture and Environmental Science (University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA) |
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Alex Dunn |
| Start Date: |
September 2004 |
| PMF Position: |
Public Participation and Planning Specialist, San Bernardino National Forest, Supervisor’s Office, Pacific Southwest Region 5 |
| Current Position: |
Environmental Coordinator, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Dillon, MT |
| Former Positions: |
Program Manager, Western Forestry Leadership Coalition; State and Private Forestry; Rocky Mountain Region; Lakewood, Colorado |
Degrees: |
MS Environmental Studies, Natural Resource/Fire Policy and Public Participation/Collaboration Focus (University of Montana, Missoula MT)
BS Environmental Studies and Fine Arts (University of Oregon, Eugene OR) |
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Sarah LaPlante |
| Start Date: |
September 2007 |
| PMF Position: |
Biological Scientist, Research and Development/Quantitative Sciences, Rosslyn, VA/Washington, DC |
| Current Position: |
Assistant Recreation & Wilderness Program Manager, White Mountain National Forest |
Degrees: |
Master of Forestry (Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, Durham NC)
Master of Environmental Management (Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, Durham NC)
BA Environmental Biology (Dartmouth College, Hanover NH) |
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Jason E. Nedlo |
| Start Date: |
May 2007 |
| PMF Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist (Recreation), Recreation Travel Management Implementation Coordinator, Eldorado National Forest, Placerville, California |
| Current Position: |
Deputy District Ranger, Alleheny National Forest |
| Previous Position: |
Resource Planning Specialist |
Degrees: |
PhD Environmental Physiology (Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens GA)
BS Forestry (University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana IL) |
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Brad Paul |
| Start Date: |
August 2006 |
| PMF Position: |
Program Manager,Hood Canal Ranger District, Olympic National Forest, Quilcene, WA |
| Current Position: |
Regional Litigation Specialist, Pacific Northwest Region (R6), Portland, OR |
Degrees: |
JD with a certificate in environmental, urban and land use law (University of Missouri School of Law, Kansas City MO)
BA Communications (University of Missouri, Columbia MO) |
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Aaron Pratt |
| Start Date: |
August 2008 |
| PMF Position: |
Budget Analyst, Program and Budget Analysis Staff, Washington Office, Washington, DC |
| Current Position: |
Travel Management Planning Team Leader on the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest |
Degrees: |
MS in Forestry with Forest Biology emphasis and certificate in Watershed Management (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg VA)
BA in Geological Science (Brown University, Providence RI) |
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Paula Randler |
| Start Date: |
June 2008 |
| PMF Position: |
Natural Resources Specialist, Urban and Community Forestry and Cooperative Forestry, Washington, DC |
| Current Position: |
Program Specialist with the Forest Stewardship Program, Cooperative Forestry in State and Private |
| Previous Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist with Cooperative Forestry, State and Private |
Degrees: |
Master of Environmental Management, focus in Social Ecology/Urban Forestry (Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, New Haven CT)
Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences, focus in Hydrogeology (University of South Carolina, Columbia SC) |
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Anthony V. Scardina |
| Start Date: |
June 2004 |
| PMF Position: |
Budget Analyst, Program and Budget Analysis Staff, Washington Office: Washington, DC |
| Current Position: |
Forest Supervisor, Ottawa National Forest |
| Previous Position: |
District Ranger, Allegheny National Forest, Bradford Ranger District
Deputy District Ranger, Eldorado National Forest
Travel Management coordinator, Eldorado National Forest |
Degrees: |
MS Forestry, Master of Public Administration ( Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg VA)
BS Forest Resources Management, BS Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences (West Virginia University, Morgantown WV) |
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Brandan W. Schulze |
| Start Date: |
January 2008 |
| PMF Position: |
Public Affairs Specialist, Olympic National Forest, Olympia, WA |
| Current Position: |
Public Affairs Specialist, Northern Region |
Degrees: |
MA Communication (University of Oklahoma, Norman OK)
BS Mass Communication & Journalism (City University of Seattle, Seattle WA) |
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Peter Taylor |
| Start Date: |
August 2006 |
| PMF Position: |
Natural Resource Specialist, Aviation and Fire Management, Eastern Region, Milwaukee, WI |
| Current Position: |
Forest Environmental Coordinator, Superior National Forest, Duluth, MN |
Degrees: |
Master of Forestry and Master of Environmental Management ( Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, Durham NC)
BS Biology ( College of William & Mary, Williamsburg VA) |
Contact Information
Current Forest Service employee contact information is available through the FS employee search.
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