The Steering Committee is made up of a diverse group of strong, forward-looking women who provide insight, leadership, and lend their collective experience and expertise to ensure the Women’s Forest Congress is a resounding success.
Meet the current Steering Committee members.
Jaana is an interdisciplinary economist with a passion for science, nature, and sustainability. She joined WFC leadership to create more meaningful career opportunities for women and allies in the field.
Tia is an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and is the Tribal Forest Manager who oversees the Forest Development, Fire Management, Fuels Management, Mount Adams Tract-D Recreation Area, Fee Land Program, and participates in ceded territory collaborations. She accepted her role on the Council to encourage other women to pursue careers in forestry and continue to support women in the forestry sector.
Dawn is a passionate experienced HR professional who focuses on growing cultural competence and embracing differences through talent acquisition, employee culture and engagement, performance management, and staff development.
Lily is a field forester and co-facilitator for forestry education outreach programs. She was inspired by the 2022 Women’s Forest Congress in-person event, and is participating in leadership because she’d like to see the WFC community grow and hopes it will continue to inspire and uplift women in the forest sector.
MaryKate leads business development, sustainability, and impact activities for a major global forest investment firm. Through her leadership role with the WFC, she champions communication and networking for women in forestry and related fields, believing that the future of forests is brighter when women’s talent, passion, and perspectives shape forest policy, management, and business.
Asia’s work explores the cross-section of nature’s role in urban development, specifically the relationships between forests and the development of urban forest management plans, regional water resource management, and hazard mitigation.
Daphne is a conservationist, forest therapy guide, and advocate for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome treatment and research. She joined WFC to help seed opportunities for women in the forest sector so that their roles match their callings.
Ara is a supporter of the Women’s Forest Congress because she believes in the power of building supportive communities to help make the world a better place. Ara works in the private forest sector, where she is an advocate for sustainable, working forests and the people who live, visit and love forests.
Eliza is a project director at Dovetail Partners, where she contributes to Dovetail’s research, projects, and communications around forest sustainability and land use decision making. She brings a background in sociology and is passionate about building positive relationships between people and land.
Caitlyn accepted her role on the Council because she feels that increasing the participation of women in the forestry sector is critical for the future of our forests. Caitlyns’s regular visits to her local park in Atlanta have highlighted the importance of using her work to guarantee access to trees and green space for everyone.
Amy is an experienced meeting professional with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit and association sector, with focus on the forest and conservation sectors. She leads event planning for the WFC.
Past Steering Committee members
The Women’s Forest Congress would like to thank previous Steering Committee members for their leadership.
Kara Bell, American Forests
Jasmine Brown, Graduate Student, MSU Forestry
Evette Browning, Arkansas Department of Agriculture
Lauren Cooper, Director, Forest Carbon & Climate Program, Michigan State Universit
Alicia Cramer, Senior Vice President, U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities
Katie Fernholz, President/CEO, Dovetail Partners
Rita Hite, President & CEO, American Forest Foundation
Megan Mustoe, The Conservation Fund
Elizabeth (Liz) Woodworth, Founder, Wood&Co Consulting