Academic Statement
Lori is a scientist, an educator, and a writer. Her 40-year career includes aquatic research (inland and marine), applied conservtion, and diverse management roles across a variety of disciplines. She splits her time between teaching at Prescott College and her work as Science & Education DIrector for the Whitefish Lake Institute - a small nonprofit in northwest Montana. Her work at the Institute allows her to move from scientific research, to community collaboration, to informing policy. As part of her job, she also manages the Living Wetlands Interpretive Nature Trail a 28-acre wetland complex that serves as a cleansing kidney to Whitefish Lake and an educational resource to the community.
Lori is well-versed in all facets of project and organizational management, marketing, public relations, and financial management, and has excellent organizational skills. She has worked in venture-backed start-ups, nonprofits, and large established corporations and is a skilled grant writer and fundraiser. Prior to receiving her Master's in Environmental Studies (Conservation Biology concentration), she worked in and provided services for diverse industries including photovoltaic technology, semiconductor equipment, and information security.
Masters faculty at Green Mountain Collegesince 2011, teaching:
Bioregional Theory and Practice
Field Journaling
Capstone/Thesis Proposal
Grant Writing
Course Design:
Capstone/Thesis Proposal
Capstone/Thesis Tutorial
Capstone/Thesis Advisor:
MRSC, MSES and MBA
Science & Education Director
Lori has served as Science & Education Director for the Whitefish Lake Institute (www.whitefishlke.org) in Whitefish, Montana where she conducts aquatic and watershed research and reporting, and education program development for K-12 and college students and their instructors.
Education
M.S. Environmental Studies/Conservation Biology, Green Mountain College
Post graduate studies: Stream Ecology, Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Polson, MT
Expertise
Lori has expertise in understanding, describing, and engaging audiences about their watersheds and has specific knowledge about the Whitefish Lake and Flathead Watersheds in Montana. She is very knowledgeable about aquatic invasive species (AIS), is a trained AIS watercraft inspector and decontaminator in the state of Montana, and serves as an AIS educator. Lori has extensive knowledge about the issue of septic leachate in aquatic environments and has studies septic leachate from a scientific and social perspective in her home community of Whitefish.
Publications
Editor, Voices of Our Lake (2018)
A compendium of scientific information and community thoughts regarding Whitefish Lake
Author, Flathead Watershed Sourcebook: A Guide to an Extraordinary Place (2010, 2017)
A book that illustrates the natural and cultural histories of the Flathead Watershed detailing biodiversity, water quality, land management, agricultural production, and economics. It identifies conservation and education resources and is used by educators in grade schools, high schools, and colleges throughout Montana. The book and companion website (www.flatheadwatershed.org) served as her MSES 2010 Master’s thesis at GMC. A companion middle school curriculum for use with the Sourcebook was released in 2016.
Co-coordinator, Montana Lake Book (2017)
An informational guide about the functionality of lakes in Montana
Co-author, Whitefish Water Resources Report: A Status of the Whitefish Lake Watershed (2015)
The first complete water quality status report and a scientifically comprehensive foundation for long-term water quality management of the Whitefish Lake Watershed & Surrounding Area
Lead author, Investigation of Septic Leachate to the Shoreline Area of Whitefish Lake (2012)
Research to identify septic leachate on the lake and promote local solutions
Awards, Grants, & Honors
2011 Outstanding Writer Award from the Montana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society
2010 Partner of the Year Award from the Northwest Regional Resource Conservation & Development.
2019 Serving her second year as the Montana Governor-appointed Chair of the Upper Columbia Conservation Commission (UC3) and Vice-Chair and her fifth year as a Supervisor on the Flathead Conservation District Board
Technical facilitator for the City of Whitefish
Member of the Flathead Community of Research Educators (CORE) Watershed Education Committee.