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Meet the Staff & Board

CEC Staff
Tracy Noel, Director and Youth Garden Project (YGP) Coordinator
Originally from Chicago, Tracy received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Northland College in the north woods of Wisconsin. She has traveled extensively, with interest in native ecology and culture. With 15 years of farming experience, Tracy has a fervent desire to share knowledge and love for the natural systems that sustain us. This has led to her passionate involvement with the Youth Garden Project in Corvallis, which educates teens about the importance of wise resource use and encourages community involvement. Through the Youth Garden Project and the local Ten Rivers Food Web, Tracy is a leader in efforts to bring issues of community food security to a public agenda.

Rebecka Weinsteiger, Youth Garden Project Director
Rebecka grew up in Pennsylvania, where she started her Anthropology Degree at Kutzown University. Her love for adventure has taken her around the world and landed her in the Pacific Northwest. Rebecka is the former Outreach Coordinator for First Alternative Natural Foods Cooperative where she has spent three years developing and delivering healthful curriculum, emphasizing sustainable food choices and local food security. Rebecka is excited to coordinate the Youth Garden Project to expand its efforts to connect youth to food and farming, both at the Youth Garden and in our school district. In Rebecka's spare time, you will likely find her gardening, preserving food, riding her bike, or knitting.

Pamela Monnette, Garden and Nutrition Coordinator
Pami graduated from Western Oregon University in 2007 with a BS in Geography. She also minored in Environmental Studies and has since decided to dedicate the majority of her future studies to food systems and environmental policy. During college she was involved in the campus activist group, PRAXIS, and is hoping to use her skills to participate in local environmental activism. Pami moved to Corvallis in the summer of 2007 and serves as Garden and Nutrition Coordinator, an AmeriCorps volunteer position. She hopes to pursue graduate school in the near future and looks forward to meeting and working with the community members of Corvallis. In her spare time she enjoys skiing, running, cycling and playing the guitar.

Meika Vingelen, AHNC Director
Meika grew up in Michigan and moved to Oregon in 1999 to finish her Bachelors of Science. She graduated from Oregon State University in Fisheries and Wildlife with an emphasis on education along with minors in Zoology and Chemistry. She has taught swimming, gymnastics and environmental education for five years. She enjoys working with kids and teaching them to discover the world around them. She has developed a summer preschool program for ages 3-5. She also teaches K-5 student in-service courses, camps, and after-school programs. She has two sons, Aden and Spencer, who keep her very busy. Meika and her husband Bob run a small business called Second Nature Pottery.

Erin Popelka, Office Manager & Outreach Coordinator
Erin received her BA in English at the College of Wooster in 2003. Throughout college, she found summer work canvassing for an environmental organization in New York City and interning at an organic garden in Ohio. After graduation, her environmental passions led her to full-time work in Washington, DC with Island Press, a non-profit environmental publisher. After two years of working in the city, she followed her desire to see more of our planet and supported scientific research at McMurdo Station, Antarctica for two austral summers. Newly settled in Corvallis, she is excited to learn local bike routes and to swim with the Masters team at the Osborn Aquatic Center.

Jeanette Hardison, Get SMART! REP Director & Conservation Analyst
Since receiving her B.A. in Speech Communications from Oregon State University, Jeanette has developed an extensive background in the recycling and waste prevention industry. After working as Get SMART!'s Lead Resource Conservation Analyst for a year, Jeanette took over as Director of the Get SMART! Resource Efficiency Program in June 2004. For the last 13 years, she has worked enthusiastically with businesses, government agencies, schools and organizations in Marion, Yamhill, Linn and Benton Counties to help them reduce their environmental impact, especially in the area of solid waste prevention. Jeanette also served as Educational Chair for the Association of Oregon Recyclers in the mid-90's, coordinating AOR's Annual Recycling Education Conferences. She was awarded AOR's statewide Individual Recycler of the Year, in 2000.

Cassandra Roberston, Get SMART! Lead Conservation Analyst
Cassandra earned her B.S. and M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Oregon State University. She has utilized her passion for waste prevention for the last 9 years, including solid waste prevention, water and energy conservation, and stormwater and wastewater pollution prevention. She joined the Get SMART! Program efforts as Lead Conservation Analyst in June 2004, working directly with participants. In 2001, Cassandra developed and implemented the GREAT Businesses Program (Gresham Resource Efficiency Assistance To Businesses) for the City of Gresham. Cassandra also worked for OSU's Industrial Assessment Center while attending graduate school at OSU, providing resource efficiency services to industries and businesses located throughout Oregon and Washington.

CEC Board of Directors

Brad Probst, President: A native Oregonian, Brad was born and has lived much of his life in the Corvallis area. Brad started and has operated a small business for 12 years, is a General Contractor, has spent years volunteering time and creative ideas to a small cooperative business venture, and is a 15 year member of the Corvallis Odd Fellows. He is currently a property owner in Kings Valley. Deeply involved in the Corvallis community, Brad desires to assist the positive changes that are occurring and that he sees are potential.

John Lambrinos, Vice President: John is an Assistant Professor in the Horticulture Department at Oregon State University. Although curious about too much stuff, he works mostly on understanding the ecology of our urban and agricultural landscapes. This work hopes to inform the design of more sustainable and environmentally valuable landscapes. He got his PhD at UCLA and worked at UC Davis before moving to Corvallis.

Diana Cook, Secretary and Treasurer: Diana grew up in the country outside of Portland, Oregon and attended Western Oregon State College for her Bachelor of Science in Natural Science along with a teaching certificate. After teaching at North Douglas High School for four years she moved to Corvallis to complete a Master of Science in Organic Chemistry at Oregon State University. She has worked for the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement for the past fifteen years focusing on water related issues. These have included toxicity reduction efforts, analytical method development, nutrient related topics and efforts to reduce odorous emissions. Diana enjoys gardening, ceramics and kayaking at her home on the Willamette River.

Will Wright: Will has experience in nature education working for the Forest Service as a ranger and OMSI has a nature educator. Will currently teaches 4th and 5th grade students at Monroe elementary in Monroe, OR.

Jessica Howe Sandrock: Jessie earned her Master of Science from the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University. After a two year stint in Florida, Jessie and her husband David returned to beautiful Corvallis where they are now raising their new son. Jessie and David own and operate
S a n d r o c k, an Environmentally Responsible Landscape Design Business creating sustainable, low input landscapes that provide the ecosystem services commonly lost in traditional landscapes. In her free time, Jessie enjoys being outdoors, growing food, cooking, and being crafty.

Contributing Member

Don Boucher: Don is currently serving the Board as liaison with the Audubon Society of Corvallis, participating in board meetings and discussions from an Audubon program to connect and share information with other conservation organizations. While not a voting member, Don brings his experience as founder and manager of "Neighborhood Naturalist", Audubon outreach coordinator, instructor, field trip leader, and publicity.