Speaker Biographies and Lecture Information

• King County Executive Ron Sims
  Lecture Summary: Every day, King County is working on dozens of critically important environmental issues, from clean water and air to preserving open spaces.  King County is working to ensure a better environment is left for generations to come.  Each of us has a responsibility to be an environmental steward.  It is with commitment, vision and leadership that we can work together for a better, stronger environment and enhance the quality of life for all residents of this region.
• Sara Maxwell, Marine Conservation Biology Institute
  Lecture Summary: Seafood in the US is caught using a variety of different gear types and many of these gear types, such as bottom trawls, have unintended ‘collateral impacts’ to the health of ocean ecosystems. A recent study conducted by MCBI on these gear types will give fishery managers and seafood consumers information needed to make more informed choices.
  
  Speaker Biography: Sara Maxwell is a program assistant with MCBI. She graduated from University of Florida with a BS in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation and has studied marine biology at the Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina and Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota, Florida.
  
  Organization Information: MCBI is a nonprofit, tax-exempt scientific and conservation advocacy organization. From their headquarters in Redmond WA and our Washington DC office, they work to protect and restore marine life on the West Coast, around the United States and beyond, by:
  * encouraging research and training in marine conservation biology;
  * bringing scientists together to examine crucial marine conservation issues;
  * doing policy research to frame the marine conservation agenda;
  * lecturing, producing books and other publications to educate scientists, the public and decision makers on key issues
  * building partnerships to solve problems affecting marine life and people.
• Agnes Figueroa, BCC
• BJ Cummings, Coordinator, Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition
• Ken Johnson, PhD, PE, King County Department Ground Water Protection Program
• L.B. Sandy Rock, MD, MPH, BCC
  Speaker Biography: Sandy Rock is the President of Interpretive Consultations, Inc., a risk communication and environmental health consulting concern, the Environment and Health Research Director for the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center, and an Environmental Science instructor at Bellevue Community College. He has practiced medicine for over 20 years.
• Jeremy Smithson, Founder, Puget Sound Solar
  Speaker Biography: Jeremy Smithson is a Seattle designer/builder who will be speaking about Solar energy. Solar energy was once a hobby of his but now he's the owner of Puget Sound Solar. For information on Solar energy or how to convert to solar energy call (206) 706-1931 or e-mail Jeremy@pugetsoundsolar.com.
• Dave Bradley, Project Manager, WA State Dept. of Ecology
• Brandie Smith, Toxics Campaigner for the Washington Toxics Coalition
  Speaker Biography: Brandie Smith, Toxics Campaigner, joined WTC in September 2001. Brandie holds a J.D. and Masters in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School. In addition to WTC, Brandie has also worked for the Oregon Environmental Council and MassPIRG. At WTC Brandie works on the campaign to end persistent pollution.
• Theresa Koppang, King County Dept. of Natural Resources and Parks, Board Member, Cascadia Region Green Building Council
• Jane Hendricks, AIA, LMN Architects
  Speaker Biography: Jane Hendricks has a broad range of design and project management experience, ranging from masterplanning and programming studies, to construction of institutional, commercial, and residential projects. With more than 20 years of professional practice, Jane has the perspective of 8 years of concurrent teaching experience. Jane has the knowledge, expertise, and communication skills to lead complex design teams to successful, effective design solutions. In addition, Jane is LEED accredited design professional, and is a leader in the firm’s sustainable design strategies.
• Russ Payne, BCC, Philosophy
  Speaker Biography: Russ is a philosophy instructor at Bellevue Community College.
• Ralph Naess, Naturalist, Seattle Public Utilities
  Speaker Biography: Ralph Naess is a Public Education Program Specialist, providing education programs and materials to thousands of people every year. His primary job is to help the people of the greater Seattle area understand where their drinking water comes from, and why it is important for them to conserve water.
  Ralph has a Bachelor of Science from The Evergreen State College, and a Masters of Arts in Education from Antioch University. He began my career as a Naturalist at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, and progressed to design and install interpretive exhibits at two Visitor Centers there. In 1993 he came to the Cedar River Watershed. Ralph has a deep love of the natural world, and feels that it is important to share that with people, so they will be inspired to care for our irreplaceable planet.
• Jim DisPeso, Policy Director, REP, America (The National Grassroots Organization of Republicans for Environmental Protection)
  Organization Information: REP America was formed in 1995 to resurrect the GOP's great conservation tradition and to restore natural resource conservation and sound environmental protection as fundamental elements of the Republican Party's vision for America. REP America is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public and elected officials about the need to protect our environment and conserve our wildlands and natural resources. They advocate legislation to accomplish those goals while adhering to the basic Republican principles of fiscal responsibility and smaller government.
• Michael Mayer, Associate Attorney, Earth Justice

 

BCC Earth Week is organized by the BCC Science Club. For more information contact Rob Viens in the BCC Science Division at rviens@bcc.ctc.edu or (425) 564-3158.

Last Updated March 26, 2004

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