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Speakers:
Ben Alexander
Richard W. Carkner
Gene Duvernoy
Barbara Kitchens
William H. Kreager
Sandy Mackie
Dr. Philip Mote
Senator Linda Evans Parlette
Ray Rasker, PhD.
Bill Robinson
Bob Rose
Diane Snyder
Bev Sparrowk
Ryan Temple
Ron Walter
Ben Alexander is Associate Director of the SocioEconomics Program at the Sonoran Institute and works out of the Institute's office in Bozeman, Montana. Ben holds a B.A. in History from Tufts University and an M.A. and M.Phil. in American Studies from Yale University. Ben’s most recent publications are The New Frontiers of Ranching: Business Diversification and Land Stewardship (Sonoran Institute, 2000); “Development by Default, Not Design: Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem” in National Parks and Rural Development (Island Press, 2000); and “Saving the Family Ranch: New Direction” in Ranching West of the 100th Meridian: Culture Ecology, and Economics (Island Press, 2002).
1974 Ph.D., Agricultural Economics, Michigan State University
RECENT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Over the last 20 years I have focused on the economic and financial sustainability of farms. Now I am looking at a broader definition of sustainability including social and environmental dimensions. I am an active member of WSU’s Food and Farm Connections Team, a group focused on sustainable agriculture, and a member of the Looking Glass Group, a group of scholars evaluating the role of traditional economic theory in sustainable agriculture and the current crisis in rural agriculture. Additionally, I am currently evaluating the economic dimensions of small-scale urban fringe farms selling direct to consumers.
EMPLOYMENT:
2001-present Professor Emeritus
1996-2001 Extension Economist and Professor
1990-1996 Assistant Superintendent & Extension Economist E-4
1987-1990 Extension Economist E-4, Washington State University
CONSULTING:
1998-1999 FAO United Nations: Urban Agriculture
1998 King County Government: Urban Agriculture Feasibility
1993 Troutlake Farms: Pesticide Drift Damage Assessment
1987 Northwest Food Processors: Pesticide Impact Assessment
1984 Washington Red Raspberry Commission: Anti-Dumping Duty, Canada
MEMBERSHIPS:
American Agricultural Economics Association
Western Agricultural Economics Association
Epsilon Sigma Phi, Beta Chapter President, 1994-96
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:
Carkner, R., and R. Moore. 2001. Economic Impact of Washington’s Nursery-Greenhouse Industry. Journal of Environmental Hort. Accepted 2001.
Butler, L., and R. Carkner. 2001. Bridges to Sustainability: Links Between Agriculture Community and the Ecosystem. Chapter in: Interactions Between Agroecosystems and Rural Communities. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.
Gene Duvernoy, President of Cascade Land Conservancy (CLC), has devoted over 20 years to the preservation of major landscapes from a variety of perspectives, including research, program development and management. Under his leadership, CLC has developed into an organization with a national reputation for negotiating cutting-edge land transactions to preserve our region’s major landscapes.
Prior to joining CLC, Gene’s landscape preservation work included directing the King County Farmland Preservation Program and developing and implementing the County's Open Space Bond Program. Gene has a Masters in Business Administration and law degree from Cornell University, and an engineering degree from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Barbara Kitchens/founder of Heartwood Consulting:
BACKGROUND:
Barbara provides service based on a long standing background in business ownership and operations. Visual Concepts, a design company specializing in commercial marketing and display design, was started in Bozeman Montana in 1986 and flourished for over ten years, obtaining marketing contracts in New York, Denver, Wisconsin, and Chicago. In 1992 Barbara opened the Soap Box, a Laundromat and dry cleaners that she later franchised and sold. In 1998 Barbara became a realtor in the state of Washington—ultimately leading to a Regional Government Affairs Director position with the Washington Association of REALTORS. Most Recently Barbara has started Heartwood Consulting and is looking forward to offering years of service to her friends and family within the REALTOR community.
SPECIALIZATIONS:
Barbara's formal educational training includes Interior Design, Industrial Drafting, and Architecture. This education enhanced with business and life experience has proven to be very helpful in customizing educational, marketing, and/or public outreach campaigns for a varying client base. Heartwood Consulting is based on a four-point service system of research, presentation, efficiency, and final impact. All clients, whether a state or local association, a real estate company or individual agent, receive personal service to address their individual governmental affairs issues and land use needs.
William H. Kreager, FAIA, MIRM
As managing principal for Mithun’s masanning and residential design team, Bill Kreager has created new homes and communities all over the United States, and Japan. His projects have achieved national awards and recognition for environmentally sensitive master site planning and innovative architectural design. His market-oriented work includes projects from small infill communities to new towns of 6,000 acres. Urban infill, mixed-use development, environmental sustainability and the thorough integration of site planning and building design are particular focuses in his practice. He was the 2000 Chair of the National American Institute of Architects Housing Professional Interest Area and has been in the leadership of National NAHB committees and boards. He is a past chair officer of the Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties.
A particular passion in his career has been his dedication to the creation of quality affordable housing, for both governmental and for-profit clientele. He and his firm have been actively involved in low-income housing including a community for Habitat for Humanity and projects under the Hope VI program. As a longtime Board Member of the non-profit Threshold Housing Group, Bill has also led the architectural efforts in the creation of single and multifamily affordable communities.
Sandy Mackie
AREAS OF EMPHASIS
GROWTH MANAGEMENT ACT PROJECTS
SUPREME COURT CASES
RELATED EXPERIENCE
Alexander W. Mackie, Attorney at Law, 2001
Owens Davies Mackie, P.S. A Professional Services Corporation, Olympia, 1978-2001
Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office, Deputy Prosecutor, 1975-78
Rohr-Plessey Corporation, Rockville, Secretary, General Counsel, 1973-75
Covington & Burling, Washington, D.C., Associate, 1971-73
SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS (2003-2004)
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC ACTIVITIES
EDUCATION
Dr. Philip Mote is a research scientist at the University of Washington, in the Climate Impacts Group (CIG), and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. A frequent public speaker, he has also written about 40 scientific articles and edited a book on climate modeling, published in 2000 by Kluwer Academic Press. In March 2003 he became the Washington State Climatologist.
Senator Linda Evans Parlette
Senator Linda Evans Parlette serves the constituents of the 12th Legislative District, which includes all of Chelan and Douglas Counties, as well as parts of Grant and Okanogan Counties.
Senator Parlette began her service as a legislator in the House of Representatives in 1997. During her time in the House, she served as the Co-chair of the Health Care committee, Vice Chair of the Agriculture and Ecology Committee, and was a member of the Appropriations Committee for four years.
Elected to the Senate in 2000, Senator Parlette is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Ways & Means Committee, Vice Chair of the Children & Family Services and Corrections Committee, as well as sitting on the Health and Long-Term Care and Rules Committees. She has also been selected by her peers to serve as the Deputy Majority Leader.
When the Legislature is not in session, Senator Parlette resides in Wenatchee with her husband Bob. They run their family orchard and Senator Parlette continues to serve her community as a pharmacist. Together they have five grown children.
Ray Rasker, PhD. is the director of the Sonoran Institute's SocioEconomics Program. Ray has written numerous articles on public land management, wildlife economics, and the changing economy of the West; he frequently lectures on these topics at universities and conferences. Ray conducts workshops to help communities produce their own socioeconomic profiles, understand economic realities and identify opportunities for environmentally-compatible forms of economic development. Ray also holds an adjunct position at Montana State University in the Earth Sciences Department. Ray has a Ph.D. in economics from the College of Forestry, Oregon State University, a Masters of Agriculture from Colorado State University, and a Bachelors of Science from the University of Washington.
Bill Robinson is the Director of State Government Relations for The Nature Conservancy of Washington. He is located in Olympia where he represents The Nature Conservancy on a variety of state legislative and agency policy issues. Educated at Washington State University, operated a small family business, married into a Palouse area farm family and experienced in government finance, Bill has a balanced view of life in Washington.
Prior to working for the Conservancy, Bill was with the state legislature for over fifteen years as the staff coordinator for the House of Representatives fiscal committees. He was the lead staff person for the Appropriations committee, which develops the state operating budget and the Capital Budget Committee. He also worked at the Governor’s budget office, the state Senate, the state’s universities and other government positions totaling almost thirty years of experience. Bill has a practical understanding of how government operates and public finance issues here in Washington.
Bob Rose has served since 1995 as full-time Executive Director of Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland. From 1982-1993, he served as Special Assistant to Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Brian Boyle. During that period, he was project manager for a number of community-based, consensus building natural resources planning efforts, including the Tiger Mountain State Forest; San Juan Islands Trust Land Management Plan; and Chair for the Mountains to Sound Greenway Concept Plan Task Force. He was also the project manager for the Commissioner for the following land conservation efforts:
In 1989-1991, he co-facilitated, with Jim Waldo, the Sustainable Forestry Roundtable.
In 1993-94, Rose, with Boyle and pollster Stuart Elway, co-authored a national study of the Forest Service: “Policies and Mythologies of the U.S. Forest Service: A Conversation with Employees.”
In 2001, Rose chaired the Mid-Fork of the Snoqualmie Task Force, on behalf of the Mountain to Sound Greenway. The 110,000 acre watershed is a major extension of the MTS Greenway. He recently chaired a ten-year review and update of the Mountains to Sound Greenway Concept Plan.
He serves on the Advisory Council of the Mountain To Sound Greenway and the Board of Directors of Northwest Small Cities Services. He is a graduate of Class 8 of the Washington Agriculture and Forestry Leadership Program (1985-86) and chaired the alumni committee of the foundation from 1987-1989.
He holds a Masters in Urban Planning and Resource Management from the University of Washington (All College Honors) (1983); a Masters in English from SUNY at Buffalo; and a BA from Tufts University. Rose has also taught Forest Policy at the University of Washington (1990, 1991) and has worked as a carpenter, shipwright, and commercial fisherman (Kodiak, Alaska). He owned and operated Skagit Rose Farms, near La Conner from 1992-1999.
Diane Snyder is a fourth generation resident of Wallowa County, living on the ranch that was her grandfathers where she and her husband and their five children operate a small cow-calf operation. Diane has extensive experience in land use planning, community development, public mediation and state and local government. She has worked for the Oregon State House of Representatives, serving as Committee Administrator for the State and Federal Affairs Committee and worked as the director of the Wallowa County Land Use Planning and Building Department. Diane currently serves as Executive Director of Wallowa Resources, a community based non-profit organization that is working to blend the needs of the land and community in natural resource management. Ms. Snyder serves on numerous local, regional, state and national boards and commissions, including the Communities Committee of the Seventh American Forest Congress, the Oregon State Board of Forestry, the Oregon State Progress Board, Wallowa County Natural Resources Advisory Committee, Wallowa County Economic Development Council and Wallowa County Business Facilitation Board of Directors. She is a member of the Wallowa County Rotary Club, Wallowa County Chamber of Commerce, Liberty Grange and The Society of American Foresters.
Bev Sparrowk and her husband, Jack, are both first generation cattle ranchers. They have been active in cattlemen’s organizations on the local, state and national level, serving on committees and as officers and directors. Bev was the first woman to serve on the board of the Foundation Beefmaster Association, a national purebred beef breed organization, and later served as the first woman president of that association.
On their ranches in California and Oregon, the Sparrowks have initiated conservation projects to preserve and enhance wildlife and habitat, improve water quality and quantity, and manage grazing to sustain viable cattle operations. Their interest in conservation of natural resources led to support of the California Rangeland Trust and in 2002, the sale of a conservation easement on a ranch owned in partnership with two Colorado cattlemen in Sierra Valley, California.
During the process of placing the conservation easement on the California ranch the Sparrowks determined that a cattlemen’s land trust similar to CRT would be an asset to Oregon ranchers. Along with other Oregon ranchers, they sought and secured the support of the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association and the Oregon Rangeland Trust was voted into existence by that organization in 2001.
Committed to the success o the Oregon Rangeland Trust, the Sparrowk’s Lake County 11,400-acre ranch became the newly formed organization’s first conservation easement project. With the help of The Trust for Public Land and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and with funding through the Natural Resource Conservation Service Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, along with a portion of the easement donated by the Sparrowks, the conservation easement became a reality in July of 2004.
In 2002 the Sparrowks were recognized with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Chuck Yeager Award for their work in helping to organize the Oregon Rangeland Trust, for organizing and spearheading the Murphy Creek Restoration Project in California and for their support of the California Rangeland Trust.
Ryan Temple is Program Director for the Healthy Forests Healthy Communities Partnership. He is responsible for promoting consumer awareness of HFHC member products and building HFHC businesses' capacity to serve market needs. Specific areas of expertise include marketing, business strategy, financial management, and sustainable economic development. Prior to joining Sustainable Northwest, Ryan worked for the Forest Trust from 1994-2001. There, he directed the community forestry program which provided support to local sustainable wood products businesses throughout New Mexico and each year employed fifty rural residents on forest conservation and restoration projects. Ryan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and holds a Masters Degree in Natural Resource Management and Planning from the University of New Mexico. He has served as a steering committee member of the Four Corners Sustainable Forests Partnership and as a Board member for the Canyon Preservation Trust, La Montaña de Truchas Woodlot, and the Wildlife Center.
Ron Walter
Growing up and operating businesses and participating in County government over the last four years has given me good insight into the dynamic relationship between our private lands and public lands.
