Sustainability
Programs Manager
Heather
Burdette is a lifelong Montana
resident who was hired as YBP Sustainability Programs Manager by YBP in
February 2008. Heather graduated from the University of
Montana with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and minors in
Environmental Studies, Wilderness Studies, and German. She spent a
semester in California studying solar home design and a semester in
Vienna, Austria, studying German. She received her Master of
Science degree from the University of Montana in 2003, in Environmental
Studies, Alternative Energy and Sustainable Building. Heather
is a licensed Real Estate Agent in Montana and Wyoming, practicing
conservation real estate. She serves on the board of
directors for the Montana Chapter of the US Green Building
Council. She and her family live in Bozeman, MT.
Heather is also a licensed private pilot.
UnCommon Sense
Volunteer Leadership Team
| Basil Barna is
a physicist who has conducted research in energy and transportation
systems for 25 years at the Department of Energy’s National
Laboratory complex in Idaho Falls. In 2001 he founded Wilderness
Systems and Technologies, a company that develops remote sensing
technologies. Basil also serves on the boards of both the Greater
Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities Coalition and the Teton Area Advisory
Forum. He has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in
physics from Ohio University and Ohio State University,
respectively. Basil is the lead instructor for the
Transportation module. |
Allison
Collins moved
to Montana in the fall of 1996 after graduating from the University of
Vermont. She received an environmental business degree with
an environmental studies minor. She was hired by Mackenzie
River Pizza Co. in Bozeman in the fall of 1997 as a prep
cook. She was promoted to General Manager of the 19th
Street location in the summer of 2004, and manages a staff of 30 people
and a 4 person management team. She hires, trains and reviews
employees as well as being responsible for customer service and
increased sales with a healthy bottom line. She was chosen to
represent the restaurant in the pilot group of the Uncommon
Sense program by the corporate
office for her outgoingness and positive energy. She is now
one of our learning team advisors for the “Seeker”
class, and remains very committed to the Uncommon
Sense program because
“I believe in its positive results for both my staff and our
healthy business. I am proud to volunteer my time as an
advisor.” |
Laura
Cuddie is
the Director of Residences at Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole,
responsible for managing 45 Private Residences, 12 Residence Club
Condominiums and all Homeowner Association issues.
She
is the leader of the Resorts’ Green Committee and Sustainable
Business efforts which have earned the Resort a reputation as a local
community leader. Laura’s community involvement in
Jackson includes acting as a Committee Chair for the local Relay for
Life chapter, which raises money for the American Cancer
Society. She is also an active board member of the
Yellowstone Business Partnership. Laura was raised
in Toronto, attended Havergal College and then obtained an Honors
Bachelor of Arts in History at University of Western Ontario in
1994. She also earned a Hotel Management Diploma through the
American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and is an Accredited
Residential Manager (ARM) through the Institute of Real Estate
Management (IREM). Laura is an active Member of the Salt Lake
City chapter of IREM. Laura lives in Jackson Hole with her
husband and infant daughter, and their beloved beagle Molson. They
enjoy travel and all outdoor sports, especially skiing, hiking, golf,
running and tennis. Laura is a graduate of the Seekers class
and a learning team advisor for the Not So Big Class.
|
Cari L. Hanson is
a consistent advocate for environmental, economic, and social
sustainability as means to change and empowerment. Mrs. Hanson's
professional experience includes organizational development,
experiential education, design, and event management in both the
for-profit and non-profit sectors. She is the founder of The
Ripple Project, an international non-profit working
with African women's organizations, and currently consults with
organizations on sustainability and organizational management topics.
She is an avid gardener and cook, with
a preference for leafy greens and citrus trees, as
well as a designer and dog lover. She lives in Bozeman,
Montana, with her husband, Andy Leider. Cari serves as a
learning team advisor for the Not So Big Class. |
Deb Holmstrom-Friedel is
the Environmental, Interpretive, and Risk Manager for Delaware North
Companies Parks & Resorts at Yellowstone General Stores. Deb
administers GreenPath, the company’s environmental management
system, and also develops interpretive messages and experiential retail
programs for Yellowstone General Stores. As a trained facilitator, Deb
volunteers as the Montana state coordinator for the Leopold Education
Project and is active in the field of environmental education. Deb
holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Wisconsin
– Eau Claire and a Master of Science in Biology with an
emphasis in Ecology and Environmental Science from Minnesota State
University, Mankato. Deb serves as the lead instructor for the
Responsible Purchasing module, and was a learning team advisor for the
Seeker class. |
Stacey Kersens is
the Manager of the Grounds and Garden Services Division for Blanchford
Landscape Contractors in Bozeman, MT. Stacey started in this
industry 17 years ago spending summers working at a local garden center
in Colorado. She then studied philosophy for five years at the
University of Puget Sound while receiving horticultural training
working for their grounds maintenance department. During this time she
also developed my expertise in perennials and annuals working in
residential show gardens. Thereafter she worked for several years on
landscape and irrigation install crews and as a supervisor of a
landscape maintenance crew in Colorado. This is Stacey’s
eighth year with Blanchford maintaining properties in the area and
designing flower gardens and small landscapes. In 2003 she
became a Certified Plant Professional from the Montana Nursery and
Landscape Association (MNLA). Stacey was chosen by Blanchford to
represent them in the pilot group for UnCommon
Sense. She remains
actively involved with the program and is a learning team advisor for
the third class, the “Growlers”. She
spends her free time in her garden, on the
mountains, in the rivers, reading and fine art
painting. |
Andy L. Leider is
a non-profit executive director, facilitator, and leadership coach,
specializing in experiential education and organizational management.
He is Executive Director of MYE Foundation and Montana Yellowstone
Expeditions, a national outdoor education program specializing in
leadership, self-discovery, and sustainability education for high
school students. Mr. Leider began his career as an instructor for
Outward Bound, before managing and founding several small businesses in
the human development field, including his own company, Open Range
Consulting. He has facilitated team, leadership, university, and
organizational programs since 1990 for people of all ages. Mr. Leider
is certified as a Somatic Coach by the Strozzi Institute. He and his
wife, Cari Hanson, live in Bozeman, Montana, with their two dogs and a
small flock of chickens. Andy serves as a learning team
advisor for the Not So Big Class.
|
Gina MacIlwraith currently
directs the Environmental, Health, and Safety program for Grand Teton
Lodge Company. Ms. MacIlwraith is responsible for the EHS
performance of GTLC’s concessionaire operations at the Grand
Teton National Park, including management of the ISO 14001 certified
environmental management system and the only Voluntary Protection
Program Star certified health and safety program in the hospitality
industry. Additional focus areas include maximizing operation
sustainability, developing interpretive programs, ensuring guest
safety, and maintaining overall regulatory compliance. Prior
to joining GTLC, she gained significant air, water, and solid waste
technical environmental experience as a senior environmental engineer
in a manufacturing setting. This background was complimented
by positions in manufacturing plant and ESH department management in
both small and large operations along with directing the EHS department
for the concessionaire at the Grand Canyon National Park –
South Rim. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
environmental engineering from Montana Tech. An avid trail
runner and snowboarder, Gina enjoys national park life with her husband
and son. Gina joined the UnCommon
Sense leadership team in
January, 2008 and is lead instructor for the Waste Stream Management
Module.
|
Dan
Olson is a senior manager in
the Climate & Sustainability Solutions divisions of Ecos
Consulting. Dan has worked on environmental sustainability and climate
change initiatives for seven years, creating GHG inventories and
mitigation action plans for, among others, Ted Turner Enterprises,
Harvard University and Yellowstone National Park. As owner of his own
consulting firm based in Jackson, Wyo., Dan worked with a cross-section
of public agencies, non-profits, and for-profit businesses to reduce
environmental impacts of operations, and was a consistent contributor
to the local dialogue on sustainability and climate impact mitigation
strategies. In addition to project management and business development
activities, Dan is actively tailoring Ecos services to address the
needs of outdoor apparel and gear manufacturers. Dan
graduated magna cum laude from Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, with
a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, and completed Environmental and Land
Management coursework through the Harvard University Extension
School. Dan was one of the original developers of UnCommon
Sense and is lead instructor for
the Business Response to Climate Change module. |
Beth
Pratt has
worked in environmental leadership roles in Yellowstone and Yosemite
national parks for nearly a decade. In her current role as the Director
of Environmental Affairs for Xanterra Parks & Resorts at
Yellowstone, she develops sustainable business programs for the
concessionaire's operations. Ms. Pratt joined Xanterra after nearly
nine years as vice president and chief financial officer for the
Yosemite Association, where she produced award-winning programs aimed
at stewardship and environmental education in partnership with the
National Park Service. Her environmental career began at Dopaco Inc.,
manufacturer of packaging for McDonald's and Burger King, where she
implemented a successful recycling and waste-minimization program. She
also served on the founding board of directors for an innovative
industry/regulatory agency partnership aimed at reducing
waste. Beth graduated from the University of Massachusetts at
Boston with bachelor's degrees in management and biological
anthropology, and a minor in marketing. She also earned a master's in
business administration from Regis University in Denver. Beth
serves as a learning team advisor for the Growler class.
|
Lander Purvis
is the Clinic Manager at Community Health Partners in Livingston, MT.
This organization has grown to employ 90 people, serve over 7,200
individuals, and provide services that attend to both short- and
long-term health and well-being needs. These efforts have been
recognized nationally, with staff from the organization frequently
speaking about leadership, the connection between health and literacy,
change management, and patient self-management of disease. Lander has
been the program director of a high school study-abroad program in
South America and a Spanish teacher and special education aide at the
Monforton School in Bozeman. She enjoys skiing (she also worked at Big
Sky as a volunteer ski patrol), trail running, kayaking—all
things outdoor. When it is mud season, she likes to read.
Lander is the lead instructor for the Social and Community Investment
module. |
Guest
Instructors
Dan Stevenson is
a native
of Bridger, Montana, who received his engineering degree from Montana
State University. Dan spent ___ years as a principal of CTA
Architects Engineers focusing on Energy Engineering and running the
Bozeman office. He is now the Assistant Director of
Facilities Services at Montana State University. Dan is the
resident guest instructor for the Energy Efficiencies module.
"Projects that have meant the most to me are those that provide a
benefit to society. I helped a small hospital-Beartooth
Hospital-upgrade the ventilation system for their surgery suite. The
budget was extremely limited, but we managed to dramatically improve
the condition in the space. Although this was a very small project in
the scope of my career, it was very important to the standard of care
that this small rural hospital was able to provide."
|
|
