BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Marty Rudolph (Parkdale, OR)  is an experienced marketing professional and just completed eight years as manager for Eichinger Sculpture Studios in Portland, Oregon. She has served as the Marketing Director for the U.S. Olympic Biathlon team, Director of Sports Marketing for Levi Strauss, and on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation. An accomplished yoga practitioner and author, she recently published her first book, Park Bench Yoga.

Julie Burton (Hood River, OR)  has worked in Oregon and Washington as a secondary level science teacher. She also serves on the Columbia Gorge Earth Center and Columbia Gorge Art Gallery boards.  Her educational background includes biology, graphic arts, and ecology graduate work.  Her interests focus on science and arts education.

Fritz Osborne (Timber Valley, Washington) received a B.S. in Computer Science from Montana State in 1999 followed by a short career at Microsoft and Seattle's dot-com industry. After a fundamental change of heart, he became a Washington State Park Ranger and now lives out in the woods, raising kids & cats and maintaining the Institute's website via satellite when he can spare a moment.

Laurie Wilhite (Goldendale, Washington) has a B.A. and Master of Education in School Administration from Central Washington University and has been a secondary school teacher for over 30 years, most of them in schools along the Columbia River. Laurie has written grants and facilitated the Pathfinder Outdoor School held at Brooks Memorial State Park's Environmental Learning Center for over five years.  Just over 400 Klickitat County students were served with a three day, two night environmental math and science camp during the 2008-2009 school year.

Eileen Rock (White Salmon, WA) has been involved with the SECRETS Program starting in 1998 as a classroom volunteer and a project partner as a Northwest Service Academy employee.  Ten years later, Eileen is still enjoys volunteering with the SECRETS program.  She works as a talented and licensed Massage Therapist independently and through Skamania Lodge.  Eileen recently joined the CGEI Board with her return to the Columbia Gorge community.

Heather Weisfield (White Salmon, WA) is newly retired, having formerly served as an Individual Placement Coordinator for the Northwest Service Academy, and as a Librarian and English as a Second Language Coordinator for White Salmon Schools.  Heather holds degrees in Education and Theology.  Heather is married and has 3 grown children.

Dana Scheffler (White Salmon, WA) graduated with a B.S. degree in Geography from the University of Oregon in 1998. During the last two decades he has held a variety of jobs, most of which were outside. Prior to his current vocation as a carpenter, he coordinated and trained environmental restoration field teams for the Northwest Service Academy and taught courses in the field for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Dana enjoys working, but likes spending free time outside even more. Season to season he can often be found at play with his family and friends in the rivers and mountains of the region.

 

Judy Shuman (Hood River, OR) has enjoyed working for the U.S. Forest Service as an Archaelogical Aid, Historic Interpreter and more recently, the Jr. Ranger Program. Previously she worked for the Hood River County School District and has an Associate of Arts Degree in Special Education. She loves playing guitar and singing with friends but her passion is working with young people, to embrace and honor Mother Earth, through such programs as SECRETS.

ADVISORS

Thayne Cockrum (Hood River, Oregon) joined the Gorge Ecology Institute from the Kellogg Institute at the University of Notre Dame where she was a grant writer and grant administrator. Cockrum, a former Spanish teacher, has professional experience with Latino outreach and sustainable rural development programs. She works on funding and development initiatives for the SECRETS programs, regional conferences, and publications.

Ella Hamilton (Portland, Oregon) has been an active environmental educator for the past ten years. Before taking the role of director, Hamilton taught and coordinated school programs with the Rainshadow Institute as an AmeriCorps Intern for two years.  Previously Hamilton worked as an interpreter at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum and lead University of California, Davis inquiry-based education programs. She also taught at Exploring New Horizons Outdoor School and worked with the Marin Headlands Institute’s Teen Environmental Action Mentorship program.

Greg Pennyroyal (Petaluma, CA) is an Independent business consultant, having formerly served as the Director of Research, Science Center for Leiner Products. Previously, he was the General Manager of Flora Laboratories, Inc., a division of Trout Lake Farms Co. Until his move to California in 1998, Pennyroyal was Chairman of the Trout Lake Community Council. Pennyroyal is a founding Board member and continues to provide valuable assistance in business and legal planning.

Dan Gunderson
Current director of Windwood LLC, developing the Wind River Hot Springs Resort and demonstration energy production; chair of the Wind River Watershed Council and serves with the local watershed resource inventory group. He is a past director of a non-profit organization which sponsored summer camps for children, and of a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Gunderson joined the Board in August 2002.
 

IN SPIRIT

David Weiss (Carson, Oregon) graduated with a BS from The Evergreen State College with, according to his friends, a major in field trips. He worked in Environmental Education for many years mostly as a Park Ranger at Bonneville Lock & Dam. David also worked with the Oregon Forestry Education Program, and Elderhostel programs through Southern Oregon State University.  David was awarded 2007 Interpreter of the Year Award by the US Army Corps of Engineers.  When not working David enjoyed hiking, kayaking, skiing, and hoped to one day be climbing mountains again.