KEEP
Staff and Support
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| About the KEEP Staff and Support |
KEEP is successful due to the hard work and dedication of many individuals that believe strongly in the program's mission. KEEP's staff and support are people from around the state and from a variety of backgrounds.
A special thank you to everyone who has and continues to support KEEP and energy education throughout the state!
| KEEP Staff |
Dr. Jennie Lane, Program Director
Sara Windjue, Energy Education Specialist
Jamie Mollica, Program Specialist
| KEEP Administration |
Dr.
Randy Champeau, Director, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and
Co-Associate Dean, UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources
Dr.
Randy Champeau is Associate Dean of Extension/Outreach and Director of the
Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education in the College of Natural
Resources (CNR) at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Stevens Point,
Wisconsin, USA.
Champeau received his Ph.D. in Environmental Education from Michigan State
University in 1980. He received his M.S. in Environmental Education in 1978
and his B.S. in Biology/Social Science with teacher certification in 1974
from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP). Prior to his
present university career, he was a K-12 teacher.
As a founding director of the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education, he provides leadership related to the development of environmental education (EE) in the K-12 schools of Wisconsin. Champeau is credited with developing one of the largest EE graduate programs for teachers in the nation. As a professor at the University of Wisconsin, he teaches courses in environmental science, environmental education, and future studies.
Over the last fifteen years, he has participated on many working committees of the North American Association for Environmental Education and served on its board of directors. He is on the World Wildlife Fund U.S. Education Advisory Board, has served as chairman of the board for the Global Network of Environmental Education Centers, and served on the Education Working Group of President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development. He is the former chairman of the International Joint Commission on Environmental Education Research, and in the last decade, has published and presented over 40 professional papers on environmental education.
| KEEP Adjunct Faculty |
KEEP Adjunct Faculty try to gather once a year to stay informed of current energy issues and teaching strategies.
Left to Right: Melissa Rickert, Janie Besharse, Kelly Zagrzebski, Susan Schuller, Bobbi Kubish, Steve Knudsen, Scott Liddicoat, Jim Jenson, Charlie Schneider, Ken Walz, Susan Barrett, Terrie Cooper, and Pat Arndt.
Alphabetical Listing:
Pat is currently a
Biology, Environmental Science and Advanced Genetics teacher at Berlin High
School in Berlin, WI. He is the Environmental Education coordinator for the
district and serves on the staff development committee. Pat manages the
two-school forest as well as coordinates a High/Low Ropes Challenge Course
for the district. At the high school, Pat advises the ECAEP environmental
science club, the Envirothon competition team, and the Trees for Tomorrow
program.
Pat received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry in 1990, and his Masters degree in Environmental Education in 1995 from UW-Stevens Point. He currently is an adjunct faculty member for Marian College teaching a wildlife course for teachers, and as an adjunct faculty member for UW-Superior teaching a course about wild canids in Wisconsin. For UW-Stevens Point, Pat serves as an adjunct faculty member teaching a course about wolves and the K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP).
Pat has received
numerous awards throughout his teaching career including the Herb Kohl
Teaching Fellowship 1997, Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers Outstanding
Science Teacher 1996, National Association of Biology Teachers Outstanding
Biology Teacher 1999, and the UW-Stevens Point Biology Faculty Outstanding
Biology Teacher Award 1998. He has received many grants that have allowed
him to travel and study. He worked with the Endangered Cranes of Far East
Russia through the International Cranes Foundation, the Herpetiles of the
Amazon Rainforest, and the plants of the North Slope in
In his spare time Pat serves as the co-chairperson for the Timber Wolf Information Network (TWIN) educating residents and researching wolves in Wisconsin by tracking and howling surveys. He is currently working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service restoring native prairies for the Endangered Karner Blue Butterfly. Pat enjoys birding and gardening at home as well as spending quality time outdoors with his daughter Mattea and black lab Raven.
Susan works in a nonprofit organization. Her past experiences include working at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association and Susan was the executive director of the American Bear Association located just outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. She has experience teaching students pre-K through grade 12 in a variety of traditional and non-traditional environments.
She received her Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology/Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her Master of Science degree in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University-Mankato. Susan enjoys working with people of all ages and backgrounds and is excited to be a part of KEEP.
Susan likes to spend her free time camping, canoeing and hiking with her husband James, daughter Kaia, and son Bridger and black lab Raven. They own a home in Stevens Point and are excited to restore half of their property back to native prairie.
Janie
taught in public classrooms in Arkansas, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia,
and Kansas before moving with her husband to Wisconsin. Her teaching
experiences include K-8 urban, suburban, and rural schools, private
pre-schools and tutoring high school students in the Language Arts
curriculum areas. Janie's undergraduate degree is from Arkansas State
University at Conway (B.S.E.), her master's degree from Southern
Illinois University at Carbondale (M.S.E.).
Janie recently lectured in the Conservation and Environmental Sciences
program at UW-Milwaukee. Her most recent courses introduced students to
global climate change issues and the promise of renewable energy. When
Janie is not teaching KEEP courses she conducts Certified Guide and Host
courses for the National Association for Interpretation and is an
on-line coach for National Park Interpretive Courses offered through the
Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands of Indiana University.
Jennifer Brinker, Madison
Jennifer received her bachelors in Biology and Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin and taught high school chemistry at Green Bay West High School from 2001-2003. Since completing her Master's degree in Land Resources with an Energy Analysis and Policy emphasis in 2006, Jennifer has been employed as an energy analyst with GDS Associates, Inc. in Madison, WI. As an energy analyst, Jennifer works with agricultural producers to determine energy saving measures that can be implemented on Wisconsin farms.
A native of
Cindy graduated with a degree in biology from the University of Colorado-Pueblo and earned a master's degree in Natural Resources with an emphasis in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2001. She has been teaching for 18 years.
Cindy currently teaches physical science, biology, and environmental science at Crandon High School where she has taught for 11 years. She also serves as the forest coordinator for Crandon's Hovind Family School Forest. Cindy has received several awards including the Excellence in Science Education from the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers and a School Forest Award from the LEAF program. Cindy is also a facilitator for Projects WET, Wild, and Learning Tree and the Leopold Education Project.
Cindy is married with two children and a dog named Jack. She enjoys reading, hiking, and kayaking. Her favorite place to vacation is Costa Rica.
Jeanine received her Bachelor of Science Education and Masters of Science in Natural Resources, emphasis in Environmental Education, at UW-Stevens Point. Currently, Jeanine teaches for Medford Area Public School (7th grade geography), is the advisor for the Middle School Science Club, and serves as UWSP adjunct faculty where she teaches summer and evening classes, such as Integrating Energy Education and Technology, and KEEP. Jeanine is also a reviewer for the Energy Education On-Line class for UWSP.
Jeanine has been selected as one of the Building A Presence Key Leaders in the state (only 100 selected) and has received numerous awards throughout her teaching career, including, but not limited to, the Department of Education Fulbright to work in South Africa for 5 weeks (2001), the Project Learning Tree and Project WILD Teacher of the Year (2001), and Senator Kohl Teaching Fellowship for Distinguished Teaching (2000).
In her spare time (!) she serves on the Board of Directors for Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers and works as a consultant for the Department of Public Instruction on several projects including, data analysis, chemical safety, and international education. Jeanine is also a state facilitator for Projects Learning Tree, WILD, and WET and serves on numerous other education and curriculum development committees throughout the state.
Jim Jenson, Madison
Jim is the Community Education Coordinator for Madison Gas and Electric (MGE). He has a B.S. in Natural Resources from UW Madison. Jim coordinates MGE Company's Education Outreach Service. His responsibilities include overall planning and implementation of energy-related programs and in-service opportunities for students and teachers on a variety of energy topics. Jim has served as a UW Stevens Point Adjunct Faculty member for three years. Prior to his work with MGE, Jim worked for three years as teacher demonstrator with Oak Ridge Assoc. Universities, Oak Ridge, TN delivering natural gas and nuclear energy education programs in middle and high schools throughout Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Jim worked as a naturalist with the Tremont Institute, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg TN.
Jim serves on the board of Directors of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program in Dane County, the Madison Safety Coalition, the United Way Business Volunteer Program, and UW Madison Dept. of Engineering Technical Communications Industrial Advisory Board. He is a native of Wausau, WI and now resides in Oregon, WI with his wife and four children.
Steve
Knudsen, Stevens Point
Bobbi worked with KEEP from January 2000 until February 2002 coordinating a mini-grants program, co-writing an elementary supplement to the KEEP Activity Guide, assisting with KEEP teacher inservices, maintaining the website and developing an online energy course, NR 733: Energy Education: Concepts and Practices.
Bobbi then worked as the interim Director for the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station (CWES), a field station of the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. CWES is a year-round environmental education and conference center 17 miles east of Stevens Point, WI. CWES provides school field trips for K-12th graders and summer youth and family camps.
Bobbi moved to South Korea in January 2005 to live with her husband, Joel, who served in the US Army. She taught ESL for JOIN English Academy and Tom & Jerry Elementary School in Pyongtaek (a city 1 1/2 hours south of Seoul). She later work out of the US Army Camp Humphreys Environmental Office, located in An Jung Ri (a city next to Pyongtaek), as an environmental specialist. Bobbi taught environmental compliance courses to the soldiers and performed environmental inspections.
Bobbi is now back in Wisconsin working as the International Programs Coordinator in the College of Natural Resources at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Bobbi received her M.S. in environmental education at UW-Stevens Point in December 2001. Her thesis project involved the development, implementation and evaluation of the Internet course, NRES 558 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology.
Scott became an adjunct faculty for KEEP in 2006. He has taught high school science for over 22 years and is currently teaching at Green Bay Southwest High School. Scott received his undergraduate degree from UW-Madison in Biology and Life Science Education and his Masters degree from Viterbo University in 1995 for Education Arts. Scott received the Aldo Leopold Teaching Award in 1989 and the Herb Kohl Fellowship Award in 2002. He has been published as a co-author in the December 2005 issues of The Science Teaching: Using An Authentic Radioisotope to Teach Half-Life. Scott currently works for Wisconsin Public Service as a writer and teacher trainer with their SolarWise for Schools renewable energy program.
Scott is married and is the father of two boys.
Melissa
Rickert - Stevens Point
Melissa is a former KEEP staff member. She was the School Energy Education Specialist from 2006-2010. She coordinated KEEP’s School Energy Policy and Education Plan grant program and developed resource materials for KEEP's NRES 734 School Building Energy Efficiency Education course.
She now works for CESA 10 as an Energy Manager. She works with schools and local governments around the state to help them manage their energy use, focusing on the human behavior aspect of energy efficiency.
She is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Natural Resource Management with an emphasis in Environmental Education from UWSP; and as part of her research, Melissa is working with four school communities around the state as they develop their School Energy Policy and Education Plans.
Charlie earned an Associates Degree from
In his current position as Director of Facilities Management at CESA 10,
he is the sector manager for
Prior to joining CESA, Charlie was employed by Xcel Energy for more than
10 years. Most recently as a
marketing program manager, developing and implementing DSM programs for
both residential and commercial/ industrial customers in Xcel's
territory.
Susan joined KEEP as a staff member in December 2001.
During her two and a half years with KEEP, Susan developed the Bright
Idea Fundraiser, expanded KEEP's outreach to include more
opportunities for technology education teachers, and always encouraged
the staff to take pictures to capture the best KEEP moments.
Since her
departure to down the hall, Susan continues to work for the WI Center
for EE managing the WCEE Resources Library and coordinating the Global
Environmental Teachings (GET) Program. The WCEE Resources Library has
over 6,000 related EE materials available to teachers across the state.
The GET program has created more than 10 international opportunities for
teachers in the United States, China, Puerto Rico, and South Africa
since 2004. To learn more about GET, visit
www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/get.
Susan has a
masters degree in environmental education and bachelors in
biology/chemistry from UW-Stevens Point. She served in Peace Corps in
Tanzania, East Africa teaching chemistry in a rural secondary
school. Upon her arrival back to the USA, Susan took a position as an
ELL teacher assistant and worked with Center for Cultural Interchange as
a program coordinator for outbound students traveling abroad.
Susan lives in
Stevens Point with her wonderful husband. They both hold a strong desire
to connect schools and communities to the natural environment worldwide.
Susan can be reached at sschulle@uwsp.edu.
Dria Setter currently works in the Pewaukee School District as a
fifth grade teacher. Her past duties in the district have included
coordinator of the Talented and Gifted program for elementary and
middle school as well as sixth grade teacher. She maintains an
undergrad degree from UW - Whitewater in Elementary Education with a
minor in Mathematics. Dria also received her master's degree in
Environmental Education through UW - Stevens Point in 2005. Dria
joined KEEP in the summer of 2006.
After starting in Pewaukee, Dria began an environmental club for
sixth graders at Horizon School working on a variety of service
learning projects within the community of Pewaukee including the
Pewaukee River Project in conjunction with the Lake Pewaukee
Sanitary District. In addition, her extracurricular duties have
included JASON Project advisor, yearbook advisor and curriculum
committee member.
Ken Walz, Madison
Ken is an instructor at Madison Area Technical College where he teaches courses in chemistry, engineering and renewable energy technology. Prior to this, Ken also taught high school biology, chemistry, and physics in southeast Wisconsin. Since 2004, Ken has served as a project director and principal investigator for the Consortium for Education in Renewable Energy Technology (CERET). The mission of CERET is to advance renewable energy technical education for high school and two-year college students. Funded by the National Science Foundation, CERET provides renewable energy education and training in both online and face-to-face formats to teachers and students from across the country. Ken received his B.S. degree in Science Education (1995) and his Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry and Technology (2006) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His graduate work focused on the development of novel lithium-ion batteries for applications in hybrid cars. During the summers, Ken continues to be engaged in scientific research at the National Renewable Energy Lab with the Department of Energy Academies Creating Teacher Scientists Program. In his spare time, Ken is an avid mountain biker and marathon skier. If you are fast enough, you might be able to find him on the trails at the Chequamegon Fat Tire 40 or the American Birkebeiner 50K.
Dennis Weibel, Knapp
Dennis teaches second grade in Menomonie, Wisconsin. Besides teaching in the Menomonie School District, Dennis has taught in Black River Falls, Dodgeville, and Waukesha.
Dennis received a Master's Degree in Natural Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, with a concentration in environmental education. He has served as an adjunct faculty member for the university for the past 10 years. Prior to teaching the KEEP classes, Dennis taught a series of environmental education classes for teachers that were funded by the National Science Foundation.
Dennis lives in the sublime Knapp Hills of far western Wisconsin with his wife, Lynne, and his two sons, Noah and Jordan.
Kelly is the Corporate Community Relations Leader for Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (a natural gas and electric utility company, headquarters in North Eastern Wisconsin), and has been engaged in environmental education for the past nine years. Her role at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation includes the primary responsibilities of education, community development, political/governmental affairs, marketing, media relations and community specific needs. Zagrzebski is certified in Corporate Community Relations from Boston College and has received her Masters Degree in Communications from University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. Since 1997 she has also served as a KEEP Adjunct Faculty. She has a personal interest in energy conservation and wildlife preservation.
| KEEP Outreach Support |
Tim is the Outreach Program Manager and liaison between the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE) and UWSP Continuing Education. He facilitates credit courses in environmental education, natural resources, and environmental studies.
Tim returned to UWSP in January 1996 to work with the National Environmental Education Advancement Project (NEEAP) as an Outreach Specialist. He moved into the WCEE in 1997 in the same capacity, working on the Wisconsin Environmental Education Resource Directory and distance delivery (web, video, and teleconference) courses. He became Outreach Program Manager for Continuing Education later that year.
Prior to returning to UWSP, Tim worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in 1994 and 1995 as a Natural Resources Educator for Air Quality Issues in the Lake Michigan District and as a statewide researcher and grant writer related to federal Clean Vessel Act issues. From 1990 through 1994, Tim was a county Youth Agent with the University of Wisconsin Extension.
Tim earned his M.S. at UWSP in 1990 in Resource Management/Environmental Education and his B.S. at UWSP in 1984 in Environmental Studies. He is currently working on his Doctor of Management (DM) with the University of Phoenix. From 1984 to 1988 he worked in northeast Wisconsin as a state park Interpretive naturalist, free-lance writer, and folksinger.
Tim has been married since 1984 to Cynthia S. Byers (Middle School Teacher and District Gifted and Talented Coordinator, Rosholt Public Schools, Rosholt, WI). He has a son, Matthew and a daughter Emma.
Tim can be reached at tbyers@uwsp.edu
