Environmental leaders come to campus

The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental Analysis (IESA) is continuing its colloquium series this fall with a lineup of engaging local environmental leaders who will help students appreciate the importance of nonprofits, government agencies and industry in caring for the local environment. 

The series also illustrates to students the wide range of fields in which they could work upon graduation. Faculty, staff and community members are also welcome to attend the events, which will include question-and-answer sessions.  

"The colloquium series brings environmental leaders to campus from nonprofits, government and industry. Speakers commonly describe their area of environmental expertise as well as volunteer and employment opportunities in their represented areas," Dr. John O'Sullivan, a professor in IESA and colloquium organizer, said. "The talks are often broad and suitable for students, faculty, staff, and community members with environmental interests in the sciences, social sciences and humanities." 

Events will be held from 2-3:15 p.m. on Tuesdays in Room 2203 of the Arts & Technology Building at UNG's Gainesville Campus. Upcoming talks include: 

Sept. 10: Kathy Church 

Church is a wildlife interpretive specialist in the Game Management section of the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Church has taught people of all ages about wildlife in northeast Georgia for almost 20 years. The talk will help attendees learn about all the different divisions of the DNR, what they each do, volunteer and research opportunities, and special concerns in the state at this time. 

Sept. 24: Becca Riser 

Riser works in the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper's (CRK) Headwaters office. She has many years of experience with nonprofits and experience monitoring complex water systems. Before being with the CRK, Riser was the executive director of the Soque River Watershed Association. Riser is responsible for carrying out CRK’s programs north of Buford Dam. She manages the regional Neighborhood Water Watch program, hotline calls, Lake Lanier nutrient monitoring, and any other program needs in the Headwaters. 

Oct. 1: Amy Bradford 

Bradford is director of operations and resources at Elachee Nature Science Center. She will describe the history and scope of this large and comprehensive nature center just minutes from UNG's Gainesville Campus. The center is 1,440 acres of woods and nature preserve and one of Georgia’s most protected and ecologically diverse green spaces.  

Oct. 8: Lea Clark 

Clark is the community forester with the Georgia Forestry Commission for this region of Georgia. She will address the work and challenges of maintaining and expanding forests and a tree canopy in a developing region, activities for managing Georgia forests, how GIS is used in the work, and provide a general sense of employment opportunities. Clark is a licensed arborist and a member of the Georgia Tree Council.   

Oct. 15: Kristen Howard and Russ Gregson 

Howard is a water conservation specialist in the city of Gainesville's Department of Water Resources. The department is responsible for drinking water plants, wastewater plants, fire hydrants, environmental monitoring, and stormwater, and it maintains hundreds of miles of pipes with a large team of dedicated professionals. Howard promotes public awareness of safe drinking water and educates the community on Gainesville's role in providing such. Gregson is the talent acquisition coordinator for the city of Gainesville. He will describe positions that will be of interest to students and what it is like working for the city of Gainesville and other municipalities.  

Oct. 22: Emily Zeilberger  

Zeilberger is the lead emergency management specialist (GIS) for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 4 Office. Region 4 is comprised of eight Southeast states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Her team responds to any federally declared disaster that occurs there. During this presentation, she will talk about the work her team does and highlight some recent disasters her team has responded to. 

The first talk of this fall's colloquium series was Sept. 3 as Kathe Gowland and Bob O'Brien from the Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) delved into the complexities of climate change, the work of CCL, and the role of legislation and citizen lobbying in tackling urgent climate issues.