Elissa is an innovative individual with a diverse professional and academic background. Her career goals are focused on public service in the public or nonprofit sectors. She is passionate about the environment and social justice, and her work has focused on improving conditions in these realms through planning, policy making, collaboration, environmental education, interpretation, and stewardship. Elissa values diplomacy, and strongly believes that the most effective methods for generating change involve active listening, cooperation, and exploring different perspectives with intention. While attaining her master's degree, Elissa's graduate level study has included the critical examination of environmental education as a discipline, and methods for improving efficacy and increasing critical discourse. She has also pursued intensive study in environmental and land management practices in North America with a focus on the policies of federal agencies. Her undergraduate work at the University of Oregon included the year-long Environmental Leadership Program wherein she and her team developed and facilitated a curriculum for middle school students at H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregon. She also had the honor of participating in the Sustainable City Year Program, and remains a strong advocate for their collaborative, agency-building program that empowers students to effect real change in their communities. Read more about the Sustainable Cities Initiative: http://sci.uoregon.edu/ Listen to her radio interview in Re-Use Radio with Dr. Marc Schlossberg: https://soundcloud.com/kwva/re-use-radio-12-marc (please copy/paste link)An avid explorer of the outdoors, Elissa can often be found hiking, backpacking, or snowshoeing. Her professional work has reflected this passion. Her career has included positions as a camp director, wilderness park ranger, interpretive park ranger, and outdoor school instructor.