Born in Rochester, New York, Barb moved to Alaska when she was 23 years old to work as a cook for a high-end wilderness lodge. Soon thereafter, she worked in the Bering Sea on a crab fishing vessel, and later as a cook on fishing tenders in herring and salmon fisheries. After she married, sheContinue reading “Barb Seaman”
Class Archives
Heather Richards
Heather has been with Potomac Conservancy since 2002. As Director of Headwaters Conservation, she oversees all land protection projects and guides strategy for the Shenandoah program and projects in the headwaters region of the Potomac River watershed. Based at the Shenandoah Resource Center in Winchester, Virginia, Heather also oversees the stewardship and monitoring of allContinue reading “Heather Richards”
Karie Jeisel
After growing up in the corn fields of Ohio, Karie moved to the forests and lakes of Michigan to study french and art. With a bachelor’s degree from Kalamazoo College, she was asked to teach English to French high school students in Paris for a year. Upon returning to the States, Karie veered toward studyingContinue reading “Karie Jeisel”
Stephanie Gripne
Stephanie Gripne, Ph.D. Founder, Impact Finance Center. Stephanie is the creative force behind the Impact Finance Center. As an academic entrepreneur, philanthropic advisor, researcher, and educator in the field of impact investing, Stephanie sets the vision for the organization and provides leadership across the entire organization while focusing on business development, client engagement, and industryContinue reading “Stephanie Gripne”
Raul Figueroa
Raul Figueroa was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico where he grew up working on the 15-acre family coffee farm that his father bought to “make sure we would never grow too far away from the land.” He earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico. While in college he receivedContinue reading “Raul Figueroa”
Maria Basilico
Born in Argentina. Maria Basilico graduated as a translator from the University of Buenos Aires and lived in the United States and Canada for six years. When she returned to Argentina, Maria worked as a translator and in the Human Resources department of a legal firm. She completed postgraduate studies on Civil Society and Non-ProfitContinue reading “Maria Basilico”
Cheryl Vann
Cheryl Vann has worked as a research scientist, project manager, grant writer, environmental consultant, and naturalist guide for the past 12 years. Last year, she graduated with a M.S. degree in Environmental Studies and opened her own business “CSV Consultants”. Her work has primarily been focused in Hawaii, where she founded the grassroots group “FriendsContinue reading “Cheryl Vann”
Jonathan Stober
Jonathan Stober is a Conservation Biologist at the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway in southwest Georgia. Since joining the Jones Center in 1999 he has established a mitigation population of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and developed a comprehensive inventory and monitoring program for the entire Ichauway landbase. He previously worked for the Georgia DepartmentContinue reading “Jonathan Stober”
Connie Rutledge
As Associate Director of the Carlson Ventures Enterprise at the University of Minnesota, Connie Rutledge brings over 10 years of experience in entrepreneurship and business management. As an analyst with an early stage venture capital firm, she reviewed over 500 business plans and helped guide local entrepreneurs through due diligence to completed financing. As theContinue reading “Connie Rutledge”
Brianna Randall
Brianna Randall grew up in the mountains of southern California and received her B.A. in Biology from the University of San Diego. After spending some months appreciating the old growth forests on Vancouver Island while conducting forest inventories, she decided to leave the big cities of California and pursue a Master’s of Environmental Studies atContinue reading “Brianna Randall”