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Tag: 2018

Gary Swick

GARY SWICK

Faculty Advisor

Gary Swick used his BS in Natural Resource Mgt. from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and a MSEd in Outdoor Teacher Education as the foundation for developing a field-based High School Environmental Science suite of eight courses.  The related projects have earned numerous state & national acclaim for their innovative approaches and impressive results.  Individually, Gary has received several recognitions on the national level as an outstanding Environmental Educator. With the motto, “Environmental Action through Education”, his students have been active agents of change in their communities. His primary focus has been getting students into their local streams as “Watershed Watchdogs”, collecting data and becoming stewards. He previously taught at Northern Illinois University and is now retired. In addition to teaching, Gary spent 18 summers as a whitewater raft guide in Wyoming.  Gary serves as the President of the Friends of the Fox River, the Board President of the Elgin Math & Science Academy, and is a board member on several other non-profit conservation groups. He is an avid outdoor recreationist.

Corey Payne

COREY PAYNE

Faculty Advisor

Corey earned his Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Florida studying issues of representation in STEM. He is currently an Evaluation Specialist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities conducting program evaluations for the Department of Energy’s Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) portfolio which funds education initiatives at National Labs and Universities. During graduate school, he worked on an NSF-funded project to redesign chemistry laboratory curriculum for engineers to increase the retention and performance of underrepresented students. He has also worked with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in the forest ecology lab studying canopy structures in relation to global climate change. In his free time, he restores vintage mountain bikes, tubes in the Florida springs, and swims in the ocean with his dog.

COREY PAYNE

Faculty Advisor

Corey earned his Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Florida studying issues of representation in STEM. He is currently an Evaluation Specialist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities conducting program evaluations for the Department of Energy’s Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) portfolio which funds education initiatives at National Labs and Universities. During graduate school, he worked on an NSF-funded project to redesign chemistry laboratory curriculum for engineers to increase the retention and performance of underrepresented students. He has also worked with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in the forest ecology lab studying canopy structures in relation to global climate change. In his free time, he restores vintage mountain bikes, tubes in the Florida springs, and swims in the ocean with his dog.

Mike McDavit

MIKE MCDAVIT

Faculty Advisor

A native Washingtonian, Mike earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and an M.P.A. from The George Washington University. He first realized his passion for the environment while attending his suburban Maryland high school in the 1970’s. Mike, who retired from federal service in 2021 after 38 years, worked in government, private sector and academe in the environmental field. His environmental experience spans wetland restoration and protection, pesticide regulation, hazards materials management, and air and water pollution control and testing. Mike lived and worked in Germany for nine years, managing hazardous wastes for the US military in Europe and Middle East. In that overseas position and other jobs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mike embraced the challenges associated with solving tough environmental problems. Mike is an adjunct professor of environmental biology at Montgomery College.

Kevin Magerr

KEVIN MAGERR

Faculty Advisor

Kevin is a professional engineer with nearly forty years of experience in environmental protection. He holds a B.S. from Widener University and an M.S. in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Villanova University, and he has completed more than two dozen specialty courses and certifications throughout his career. Retired from the U.S. EPA, he worked in the Water Protection Division for thirty years. His work there, his numerous publications, and his teaching experience at several universities and at the high school level have been recognized by multiple awards, including the Gold Medal for Excellence in Government. Kevin continues teaching and advising at Temple University in several areas: Biotechnology, and Civil and Environmental Engineering at the graduate level, and Environmental Science at the undergraduate level.

Maction Komwa, Ph.D.

MACTION KOMWA

Faculty Advisor

Maction is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science (GGS) at George Mason University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on topics like resource conservation, biogeography, geospatial technologies, and sustainable development. Dr. Komwa fosters a love for environmental problem-solving in his students by leveraging geospatial tools to tackle critical environmental challenges, including resource conservation, global food systems, and sustainable development initiatives. He actively collaborates with researchers across the university and international organizations focused on biodiversity, climate change, and sustainable food systems. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. He has served as Faculty Advisor for WYSE since 2010.

Gretchen Gorecki

GRETCHEN GORECKI

Faculty Advisor

Gretchen is the Natural Resource Manager at the Virginia Department of Conservation’s Division of State Parks. She implements resource management activities including invasive species management, native species habitat restoration, prescribed burning, sustainable trail work, policy development, and regulatory compliance. Gretchen was previously an environmental consultant where she focused on natural resource program management, strategic partnerships, encroachment strategies, and geospatial analyses. She completed her M.S. in Biodiversity, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburgh. She obtained her B.S. in Environmental Science and Geography and received a GISc Certificate from the University of Mary Washington. She is a certified GIS Professional and is a member of the UMW Eagle Pipe Band. She enjoys hiking, backpacking, stand up paddle boarding, rock climbing, and spending time at her backyard farm.

Doni Nolan

DONI NOLAN

Greenhouse Coordinator, George Mason University

Doni Nolan has been at Mason since 2010 when she started as an undergraduate student studying biology and volunteering as the president of the GMU Organic Gardening Association (GOGA). She joined University Sustainability in 2013 as the summer intern for the Potomac Heights Organic Vegetable Garden (PHVG) and later as the assistant coordinator for the Permaculture Design Certification Course (PDCC). After working all summer in the garden, she knew that growing food was her passion. In 2014, she was hired part time to start the hydroponic greenhouse program at the President’s Park Greenhouse. The facility is still going strong today, hosting hundreds of volunteers every semester, and growing lettuce, microgreens, and culinary herbs year round, which are served in the dining halls and sold to customers on campus. She became full time staff in 2016 when she combined the greenhouse and gardens into a single program. Doni received her Master’s of Science in plant science and pest management in 2018 and began teaching sustainability courses as adjunct faculty for the School of Integrative Studies. She is now pursuing her PhD in Biosciences with the College of Science, studying beneficial microbes that treat Pythium root rot disease in hydroponic systems. Her passion and joy are contagious as she engages and educates the community about sustainable food production, composting, herbal medicine and so much more.

Meghan A.T.B. Reese

MEGHAN A.T.B. REESE

Photographer, Washington Scholars Program

Meghan is a producer, writer, and photographer. Reese’s credits include producing and writing for National Geographic, National Geographic WILD, Discovery Channel, Travel Channel, History Channel, Smithsonian Channel, Science Channel, Oxygen, A&E, Animal Planet, Amazon Prime, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Family, PBS, Sony, Capital TV Pakistan, Facebook and Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, the White House, the U.S. Department of State, and NASA. Reese also runs Ography — her own photography and multimedia shop — capturing events for the National Park Service, the White House, and many other businesses, families, and events. Reese holds a journalism degree from American University.

Rachel Cleaver, MPA

RACHEL CLEAVER, MPA

Student Support and Senior Associate Director, K-12 Partnerships

Rachel is the Senior Associate Director of K-12 Partnerships in the Office of Admissions where she creates and oversees partnerships that help bring more students to the Mason campus. She works with departments and organizations across the campus as well as the broader community to talk about the great things happening at George Mason as well as college access and success. Prior to coming to George Mason, Rachel led the programmatic efforts at two college access and success programs on the East Coast, Let’s Get Ready and The Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund. She has experience in curriculum design and program management and in helping under-served high school students achieve their college dreams. She earned bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education and Human/Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and a Masters in Public Administration from George Mason University. She loves living in Washington, D.C. and looks forward to welcoming you this summer!

Dr. Dann Sklarew

DR. DANN SKLAREW

Professor, George Mason University

Dr. Sklarew has researched and developed numerous methods to assist environmental policy, management and compliance. For EPA’s Office of Water, he identified and characterized watershed management tools, and created a Web-based decision support system to help companies comply with industry- specific federal water pollution permitting rules. As a Smithsonian Fellow, he developed a nitrogen budget for the semi-rural Rhode River basin (MD), validating demographic and agricultural census data through local interviews with residents, farmers and even the town veterinarian.

Dr. Sklarew has investigated various ways to help diverse partnerships address common ecological problems. He documented global challenges and successes in managing coastal and marine resources as producer and scriptwriter for a video documentary, Turning the Tide: Sustaining Earth’s Large Marine Ecosystems.