Board of Directors

The Arkansas Environmental Education Association is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the membership. Directors serve for a tenure of two years. Any member of AEEA can seek election as a member of the board. The current Board of Directors is listed below.

2012 Board of Directors

President – Trish Ouei
University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Benton County

Trish is currently employed by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture - Benton County Cooperative Extension Service as a County Extension Agent and Urban Stormwater Educator.

She received her B.S. in Health Education from University of Central Arkansas and Masters in Educational Technologies from the University of Arkansas.

 

Vice President – Jason Kindall
Beaver Watershed Alliance, Fayetteville

Jason is the Executive Director for Beaver Watershed Alliance - a watershed partnership dedicated to water quality and conservation on the Beaver Lake Watershed in Northwest Arkansas.  

Jason holds bachelor's degrees in wildlife biology and natural sciences from Arkansas Tech University and attended graduate school in wildlife ecology and natural resources at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.   He has been involved with environmental education since 2001 in Arkansas, eastern North Carolina, and east Tennessee. Previously, Jason worked as Education and Research Director at Ozark Natural Science Center and also as a wildlife firefighter.  He is currently also on the board of the Association of Nature Center Administrators (http://www.natctr.org/).

Jason lives in Goshen, AR with his wife and daughter and enjoys canoeing, whitewater canoeing, hiking, and beekeeping.

 

Secretary – Cathy Wissehr
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Cathy is an assistant professor of science education at UA/Fayetteville with a background in ecology and environmental education. In her professional capacity, she has conducted research into various aspects of EE (such as teacher and student misconceptions and outdoor classrooms) and keeps current on recent research in the field through journals and conference attendance.

She has served on the Arkansas Environmental Literacy Action Plan Committee, participates in a monthly conference call sponsored by NAAEE's No Child Left Inside Coalition and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Ozark Natural Science Center, a residential EE facility located in NW Arkansas.

 

Treasurer - John T. Kutko
Clarksville Primary School, Clarksville

John has been the Health and Physical education teacher at Clarksville Primary School for the last 6 years. He created the Adventure Studies Program for primary students to introduce students to nature based lifetime activities.  Program includes bird watching, hiking, camping, fishing and orienteering.  He is currently working with educational cooperatives to help get nature based life skills education in elementary schools throughout the state.

Members at Large

Catherine Mackey
Arkansas Department of Education, Little Rock

Lynne H. Hehr
U of A Center for Mathematics and Science Education, Fayetteville

Pat Knighten
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Sheridan

Rob Beadel
Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation, Little Rock

Sophie Stephenson
Washington County Environmental Affairs and Recycling, Fayetteville

Diana Angelo
US Forest Service, Jessieville

Michelle Viney
Audubon Arkansas, Fayetteville