alumni « College of Forestry

Graduates of the College of Forestry are our most valuable resource. Our alumni serve as a critical bridge between the university and the world, connecting Oregon State University and its students to communities and employers. They inspire our students to make a difference and they shape the world we live in.

This year, we honor the outstanding accomplishments of three College of Forestry alumni.

Nadine Orozco, 2012
M.S. Wood Science & Engineering

Born and raised in Southern California, Nadine attended Northland College in northern Wisconsin to earn a bachelor’s in business administration with an emphasis in ethical leadership and a minor in coaching. While there she had the opportunity to play and later coach NCAA Division III women’s basketball. After four years of lake-effect snow, she jumped at the opportunity to return to the west coast to attend the College of Forestry and complete her masters in wood science and engineering. Upon graduation, Nadine was introduced to Roseburg Forest Products and hired under their “Organizational Development Candidate” program. Starting in sales, Nadine successfully progressed through several different positions, and is currently the Strategic Business Development Manager, working as part of a team that evaluates the strategic fit of potential mergers and acquisition opportunities, capital investments, and developing a long-term business strategy. Nadine has maintained a strong relationship with the college, applying her industry knowledge and professional experience as an instructor of Forest Products Business WSE 453/553. In her spare time, Nadine enjoys the outdoors with her husband Sven and two daughters Emilia (7) and Tessa (5).

Ray Rasker, 1989
Ph.D. Resource Economics

Until 2022, Ray was the Executive Director of Headwaters Economics, an independent, nonprofit research group with the mission to improve community development and land management decisions. Headwaters Economics expertise includes the economic role of federal lands; state tax policy; reducing wildfire and flood risk to communities; expanding community trails and pathways; rural economic development; and developing free analytical tools for helping understand the link between the economy and the environment. Their partners include rural communities, state and federal legislators, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies, foundations, universities, and nonprofit organizations. Ray has a Ph.D. from the College of Forestry in resource economics, a master’s degree from Colorado State University in agricultural marketing, and a bachelor of science in wildlife biology from the University of Washington. Ray is the recipient of the Wilburforce Foundations’ Conservation Leadership Award and his work has been profiled in Harper’s Magazine, Chronicle of Philanthropy, New York Times, Economist Magazine, and many other news outlets. Ray was born in Canada and raised in Mexico in a Dutch family.

Peter M. Wakeland, ‘95
B.S. Forest Management

Pete is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, located in northwest Oregon. He graduated from the College of Forestry in 1995 with a bachelor’s of science in forest management, and has over 20 years of forestry and professional experience spending the majority of his career working for self-governance Tribes. He spent 18 years with his own Tribe at Grand Ronde as a Forester, Natural Resources Director, and Deputy Executive Officer. He also served as the Tribal Administrator for the United Auburn Tribe, and as the Natural Resources Director for the Coquille Indian Tribe. His federal career began in 2016 as the Chief Forester, Division of Forestry and Wildland Fire Management for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The Bureau of Indian Affairs is within the Department of the Interior and responsible for the administration and management of more than 55 million acres held in trust status on behalf of Native American Tribes by the federal government. The bureau serves all 567 federally recognized Tribes in the nation. Pete also served as the Mark O. Hatfield Fellow in the office of Oregon Senator Ron Wyden in Washington D.C.

2022 alumnus Radford Bean (tourism, recreation and adventure leadership, outdoor recreation management option) traveled to Malaysian Borneo as part of our faculty-led program, Oil Palms and Orangutans: Forest Conservation in Malaysian Borneo. Radford sent the following reflection to us as part of our “What I did this summer” series – thank you Radford!

I spent much of June on Borneo looking at the impact deforestation, especially related to oil palm plantations, was having on the environment and ecosystem of Borneo. The group, led by Dr. Matt Betts, explored different landscape practices related to logging that will improve sustainability of the environment, economy, and the community. We learned of the sustainability practices one of the largest palm oil producers were taking to protect the environment.

Part of the sustainability practices we explored included looking at tourism activities that benefit communities on Borneo by helping to find sustainable tourism activities that improve the economy and lives of local communities. Tourism can play a major role in the improvement of communities if done sustainably and with involvement of people in the local community like we witnessed at KOPEL, a village-based co-operative focusing on ecotourism.

The Kinabatangan River, the largest river on Borneo, is heavily polluted with tons of plastic waste. All the plastic waste has to go someplace, and most of it will find its way to the ocean, where it will pose harm to the marine life. The sad thing is that the river supports a broad range of life. I observed macaques and endangered proboscis monkeys, water monitor lizards, saltwater crocodiles, herons, hornbills, and other wildlife relying on the river. The people also rely on the river as a source of food and drinking water.

Borneo is not a wealthy country, and the energy and water infrastructure are in serious need of modernization. I needed to drink bottled water because of a lack of adequate purification infrastructure.

Weaknesses in infrastructure aside, the island and its wildlife and people are amazing. I had some awesome wildlife photography opportunities, and my wildlife photography improved under the guidance of Dr. Mark Needham. The people were so friendly. Locals wanted photographs with me and others in my group.

It was an amazing experience, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in the trip. The trip allowed me to create a PowerPoint presentation I hope to deliver to local communities to inform them about the need to make wise consumer choices when it comes to purchasing products containing palm oil and its derivatives.

What I did this summer is a profile series of students, faculty and staff in the College of Forestry. Did you have a great job, vacation, or field research experience? Contact CoFThisWeek@oregonstate.edu and we will be in touch!

At the virtual 2022 Oregon Society of American Foresters (OSAF) Annual Meeting on April 28, 2022, Jacob Putney received the Forester of the Year Award. This award is given annually to the OSAF member who has been recognized by his or her peers for contributing to both the profession and the public through application of his or her professional skills to the advancement of forestry in Oregon and through public service that benefits his community or some larger segment of society.

“Although Jacob is new to his position in the OSU Forestry & Natural Resources Extension program, he clearly has already stepped up as a leader and collaborator, helping coordinate programs to best meet the needs of the community,” says Lauren Grand, the forestry and natural resources extension agent for Lane County. “He is the team leader for a carbon publication, has hosted numerous podcasts on forest management, and is one of the lead organizers of Tree School Eastern Oregon and Life on the Dry Side.”

A graduate of Oregon State University, Putney is an active OSAF member, serving as secretary and chapter chair for the Blue Mountain Chapter, delegate-at-large for OSAF in 2021, general chair for the 2021 OSAF Annual Meeting, program chair for the OSAF 2022 meeting and is OSAF chair-elect for 2023. He is also on the SAF National Quiz Bowl Committee member.

Additionally, Putney is an associate member of Oregon Small Woodlands Association, secretary for the Northeast Oregon OSWA Chapter, and has been instrumental in reviving, restructuring, and revitalizing the Baker OSWA Chapter. He is an inspector for the American Tree Farm System and co-chair for the Baker Resources Coalition. He participates in several collaboratives including the Blue Mountain Forest Partners, Northern Blues Forest Collaborative and ‘My Blue Mountains Woodland’ partnership. Not to waste a spare moment, Putney is also a volunteer firefighter for the Baker Rural Fire Protection District.

OSAF and its 15 local chapters represent all segments the forestry profession within the state. The society includes public and private practitioners, researchers, administrators, educators, and forestry students. Its mission is to advance the science, education, technology, and practice of forestry; to enhance the competency of its members; to establish professional excellence; and to use the knowledge, skills, and conservation ethics of the profession to ensure the continued health and use of forest ecosystems and the present and future availability of forest resources to benefit society.

On April 27, 2022, Beavers everywhere came together for Dam Proud Day, a 24-hour online event dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of the Oregon State University community. As part of this event, we raised over $72,000 for College of Forestry scholarships, which help ensure all of our students can afford this world-renowned education.

The amount raised is equivalent to over 23 additional scholarships for College of Forestry students. For many students, scholarships are life-changing, and financial gifts of all sizes can help. For example, $120 in scholarship support is equal to more than 10 hours of work at $12/hour – that’s 10 more hours a student can use to study or to participate in professional organizations, leadership training or other opportunities, making the most of their time at Oregon State.

Thank you to the 81 generous donors who gave anywhere from $5 to $25,000!

The College of Forestry at Oregon State University celebrates the induction of Alumni Clark W. Seely, class of 1977, into the Florida Foresters Hall of Fame. Announced by the Florida Division of the Society of American Foresters, the Hall of Fame honors residents of Florida who have made outstanding contributions to the forestry profession in Florida, other states, or internationally. Election to the Hall of Fame is the highest honor and recognition of professional service one may receive from Florida SAF. Mr. Seely is a resident of New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Mr. Seely’s professional forestry career began with the Oregon Department of Forestry in 1974. In the next 20 years he advanced with that Department through positions with increasing responsibility around the state. In 1994 he became Director of Fire Protection and Management in the state office, and by retirement in 2009 he was Associate State Forester for Oregon. In 2012 Mr. Seely moved to Volusia County, Florida and formed Seely Management Consulting Inc , an independent consulting firm focused on client results, specializing in natural resource policy and organizational management. In 2014 he became an adjunct faculty member with the Natural Resource Policy and Administration Master’s Program at the University of Florida.

Mr. Seely is a 1977 graduate of the Oregon State University College of Forestry (Bachelor of Science in Forest Management) and a 1993 graduate of the Covey Leadership Center Executive Excellence Program. He is currently a Board member and Co-Vice Chairman with the Forest History Society. He is a Society of American Foresters Fellow and has had significant career-long involvement with the SAF. He held numerous national, state, and local elected and appointed offices in SAF, including Chair of Oregon SAF in 1991 and President of the national organization in 2016.

*Press release courtesy Florida SAF.

The Society of Wood Science and Technology (SWST) has selected four members of the Oregon State University Department of Wood Science and Engineering community to serve as “Women Ambassadors Creating the Future of Wood Science.”

Associate professor of wood design and architecture Mariapaola Riggio, wood science and engineering alumna Balkis Bakar (PhD, ’19), former OSU graduate faculty member Andreja Kutnar, and Anne Toppinen, who completed her sabbatical at OSU in the 1990s, will be recognized throughout the following year for their contributions and mentorship of women entering the wood science field.

Committed to the field of wood science for the future, the SWST has created a sponsored exhibition piece designed to celebrate women ambassadors in the field. The four members of the OSU community, along with 12 other women, will be a part of a traveling exhibition over the next year to recognize their efforts.

The first exhibition will occur during the 2022 SWST International Convention in Kingscliff, Australia, from July 10-16. It will travel worldwide until the 2023 SWST International Convention in Asheville, North Carolina. The exhibition will be displayed at Oregon State during the Fall 2022 term. The announcement coincides with the International Day for Women and Girls in Science, which the United Nations created in 2015 to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

The Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI) donated $100,000 to support the construction of a pressure treating facility in Richardson Hall on the Oregon State University campus. The lab will be utilized by the Utility Pole Research Cooperative and the Environmental Performance of Treated Wood Research Cooperative, two preservative-treated wood cooperatives housed in the College of Forestry. Stella-Jones Inc. will be donating an experimental treating cylinder once the facility is ready, saving the cooperatives about $300,000 in equipment costs.

The repurposed facility will enable more versatile treated wood research, particularly into how to improve the treatment and durability of large wood commodities such as utility poles, railroad ties, and marine pilings. In addition, the facility will function as an educational resource, allowing students in wood science to gain hands-on experience with the process of wood treating.

Representatives of WWPI and Stella-Jones visited the Oregon Forest Science Center to deliver the donation, met with Tom DeLuca, Cheryl Ramberg-Ford and Allyn C. Ford Dean of the College of Forestry, and toured the new Peavy Forest Science Center, A.A. “Red” Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Lab, and the Peavy Arboretum. They also visited the lab spaces used by Gerald Presley, assistant professor in wood science and engineering, and his team.

“This donation enables us to advance science related to pressure treated wood and wood products,” said Gerald Presley, director of the two research cooperatives. “Pressure treatment enables wood to perform well in applications that would otherwise only be occupied by steel, concrete and plastics and OSU is now well-equipped to improve preserved wood products for better performance. This donation also helps us equip the next generation of leaders in wood science and engineering.”

Eric Hansen, department head of the department of wood science and engineering; Dean Tom DeLuca; Gerald Presley; Kyle Cassidy, President of Western Wood Preservers Institute and Director of Quality Assurance & Technical Services at Stella-Jones; Phil Schumock, Director of Sales for Residential Products at Stella-Jones; Dallin Brooks, Executive Director of Western Wood Preservers Institute. Not pictured, but in attendance were Butch Bernhardt, Senior Program Manager at Western Wood Preservers Institute; Mark Clark, Senior Technical Manager-Fire Safety with Hexion and Roy Hultberg, RJH Enterprises.

The College of Forestry announces the selection of Dr. Cristina Eisenberg as a 2020 Alumni Fellow. Dr. Eisenberg, who received a PhD in Forest Resources in 2012 and served as a post-doctoral fellow immediately after, integrates her Native American and Latina heritage with her scientific expertise to achieve environmental restoration that honors traditional practices.

Her acceptance presentation, “Indigenous peoples’ social justice in academia and natural resources conservation in a COVID-19 world”, can be viewed here. The Alumni Fellows recognition program was established by the OSU Alumni Association in 1988 to acknowledge alumni who have distinguished themselves in their professions and communities.

Dr. Eisenberg is Latina and of mixed Native American Heritage (Raramuri and Western Apache). She is the first person in her family to graduate from college. Today, Dr. Eisenberg seeks to integrate Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) into environmental restoration practice in Western North America. Dr. Eisenberg is a Smithsonian Research Associate and served as the Chief Scientist at Earthwatch Institute from 2014 until 2019, where she oversaw a global research program focusing on ecological restoration, social justice for Indigenous peoples, and sustainable production of natural resources. Dr. Eisenberg is the author of numerous books, journal articles and book chapters and is currently writing a book on bison rematriation for OSU Press.

Dr. Eisenberg serves on several boards and is the vice-chair of the Board of Trustees at Prescott College, her alma mater for her master’s degree, where she chairs the Academic and Student Affairs Committee. She also serves as the Director at Large and chairs the SER TEK Working Group for the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER).

We are exceptionally fortunate to have Dr. Eisenberg affiliated with OSU and the College of Forestry and thrilled she is receiving the Alumni Fellow as recognition for her outstanding knowledge, dedication, and accomplishments. Although she was subjected to overt racism and bias as a student and colleague in the College, she remains committed to working with us and helping the College and OSU overcome the structural racism that haunts us to this day. She continues her engagement and support of OSU as Graduate Faculty and as Courtesy Faculty in the College of Forestry and the College of Agricultural Sciences. She also serves on the OSU Press Advisory Editorial Board. In 2019, she was recognized by the College of Forestry as an outstanding alumna in Forest Ecosystems and Society.

Corinne Walters decided to study civil engineering at Oregon State because, “a high school math teacher told me I would be a good civil engineer,” she says.

She took an introduction to forest engineering class her freshman year to fulfill a requirement, but instead, found a passion.

“My professor, Jim Kiser, Richard Strachan Scholar in Fire and Silviculture, taught us all the best things about forestry,” Walters remembers. “So, I decided to switch my major to forest engineering.”

She says the allure of working outside instead of behind a desk on a computer all day was enticing. Walters’s parents are both in the forest industry, but she never considered following in their footsteps. She also never thought she would study abroad.

“There’s a lot of pressure as an engineering student to finish all your coursework, so I just didn’t think I would have the time and flexibility to make it work,” she says.

But when Walters found out about a short-term, faculty-led study abroad experience in Chile, she realized that studying abroad was possible for her.

“It was so fun, and it opened my eyes to all the possibilities that are out there,” she says. “The College of Forestry offers so much for students when it comes to international experiences.”

After her initial experience in Chile, she became hungry for more international exposure.

“I’d interned for great companies here in the U.S., and I wanted to do something different and out of my comfort zone for the summer before my senior year,” she says.

She ended up in New Zealand, working for one of the largest timber companies in the country.

Together with another intern, Walters worked on the layout for permanent sample plots.

“They measure the height, diameter and form of the trees about every five years to get an idea of how they’re growing,” Walters says. “They work with a lot of different seedlings from different locations and compare seed sources in an attempt to grow the healthiest trees they can to produce the best wood products.”

Walters graduated in June 2019 and is working for Miami Corporation in McMinnville. She says her international experience gave her knowledge to draw upon during the interview process.

“Most of all, it’s great to be connected to the international forest industry,” she says. “I think that’s important.”

She says she plans on leveraging international relationships moving forward.

“For example, there are a lot of similarities between the forest industry in the Pacific Northwest and New Zealand,” she says. “If I have a question, I can call up my old supervisor or coworker and see what he or she thinks about an issue or technique.”

Walters encourages other students to take advantage of international experiences.

“It’s easy to get connected if you want to,” she says. “The forestry community is close-knit and brings people together all over the world.”

A version of this story appeared in the fall 2019 issue of Focus on Forestry, the alumni magazine of the Oregon State University College of Forestry. Learn more about international programs within the College of Forestry here.

This year’s Dean’s Dinner was held on May 14, after the grand opening of the A. A. “Red” Emmerson Advanced Wood Products Laboratory.

After opening remarks from Anthony Davis, Interim Dean for the College of Forestry, three outstanding alumni were honored. Jim Johnson, interim department head of Forest Engineering, Resources & Management, presented the award to Mike Cloughesy. Mike graduated from OSU with a M.S. in Forest Science in 1983 and is currently the Director of Forestry for the Oregon Forest Resources Institute, a statewide forestry education agency. He is responsible for the development and implementation of OFRI’s forestry education programs for landowners and the general public.

Troy Hall, department head of Forest Ecosystems and Society, presented the award to Cristina Eisenberg. Cristina graduated from OSU with a PH.D. in Forestry and Wildlife in 2012. She has worked as the Chief Scientist at Earthwatch Institute, an organization based in Boston, Massachusetts since 2014.

Eric Hansen, department head of Wood Science and Engineering, presented the award to Jerrold E. Winandy. Jerrold graduated from OSU with a PH.D. in Wood Science and Engineering in 1993. He is now principal partner of Winandy & Associates LLC and an adjunct professor in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Minnesota. Congratulations to each of our outstanding alumni!

Each year the College of Forestry is honored and privileged to award graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships to deserving new and returning students. 134 undergraduate students were selected to receive scholarships totaling $486,060 for the 2019-20 academic year. Nicole Kent, our head advisor, helped congratulate these students. Twenty six graduate students, both Master- and PhD- level, received college fellowships totaling just over $121,500 for the 2019-20 academic year.

Donor contributions make a difference in the lives of our students by allowing them to fulfill their dreams of a college education, and to be successful contributors in our communities after graduation. These are the stewards of our forest ecosystems and economies, and I cannot think of a greater return on investment than their education. Donors and alumni, thank you for your wonderful generosity and outstanding contributions to the College!

To honor the dedication shown by those who support students in the College, two faculty awards were presented. The Xi Sigma Pi Julie Kliever Mentorship Award went to Bogdan Strimbu and the Aufderheide Award to Laurie Schimleck.

The evening wrapped up with two student awards. The winner of the Pack Essay Award was Paul B. Pliess for his essay: “Multicultural Stakeholders in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge”. The Photo of the Year award went to Graham Lyons, for his photo taken in the California Coastal Redwoods.

College of Forestry

At Oregon State University

Category Archives: alumni

2022 College of Forestry Outstanding Alumni

What I did this summer: Radford Bean

Jacob Putney receives Forester of the Year Award from Oregon Society of American Foresters

Dam Proud Day success

Clark W. Seely Inducted into the Florida Foresters Hall of Fame

Women Ambassadors Creating the Future of Wood Science

Western Wood Preservers Institute gives gift to support College of Forestry pressure treating facility

Dr. Cristina Eisenberg selected as a 2020 Alumni Fellow for the College of Forestry

Corinne Walters: creating an international network, engineering the future

2019 Dean’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony

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