College Leadership Council (CLC)
From Left to Right:
Top: Shawn, Mitch, Theo, Zach
Bottom: Renee, Lauren, Nina, Emily, Grace (staff)
Not Pictured: Sara, Josh, Caroline, Annika
Meet the Council
Emily Woodall
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Emily first became interested in Roots & Shoots and the ChimpanZoo program at the age of 13, when she read Dr. Jane's book Reason for Hope. She's been involved with several R&S groups for the past five years. Emily helped organize a Roots & Shoots group of middle school students at a church in Ashville, NC. Emily is taking time off of school to work for the Alliance for Climate Protection in Nashville, Tennessee.
Lauren Thompson
Homwetown: Lincoln, Nebraska
University: University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Lauren first became interested in Roots & Shoots after hearing a speech given by Dr. Goodall, and has since helped begin a Roots & Shoots group at the Lincoln Public School's Science Focus Program. She also helped start a group at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she attends, studying Conservation Biology and English. Their UNL Roots & Shoots group is working to increase sustainable and local food in their dining halls, encourage recycling on campus, and plans to work in elementary schools and hopefully begin an elementary Roots & Shoots group. Lauren is also working with students at the University to research and protect the endangered Salt Creek Tiger Beetle.
Mitch Paine
Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska
University: University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Mitch started a Roots & Shoots group at the Lincoln Public School's Science Focus Program and has involved the group in a number of projects from cleaning up of the Lincoln Children's Zoo to raising money for different Roots & Shoots campaigns. Mitch has been influential in brainstorming ideas for Discovery Communication's new channel called Planet Green. In his free time, Mitch enjoys training harbor seals at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
Nina Martin
Hometown: Cleveland, Tennessee
University: Western Connecticut State University
Nina currently attends Western Connecticut State University (WestConn). Nina got involved in Roots & Shoots at Ridgefield High school in Connecticut. Her first group did a project testing water pollution in Candlewood Lake, the largest man-made lake in Connecticut. In college, Nina served as secretary of WestConn's Roots & Shoots group and later, became vice president. Her group is currently working on raising money to save tigers in Northeastern China. In May 2007, as part of the China/USA Roots & Shoots exchange program, Nina traveled to China, where she met Tony, the volunteer who founded the tiger project to remove snares or traps that harm the Bangle tigers. Nina is confidant that with the help of the community and fellow members, she will help the group at Westconn achieve success in the projects they pursue. Sara Jackrel
Hometown: Voorhees, New Jersey
University: The College of New Jersey
Sara was first inspired to get involved with Roots & Shoots after hearing Dr. Jane speak at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia in May 2004. Since then she has started groups at Eastern High School in Voorhees, New Jersey, as well as The College of New Jersey, where she is a student. Projects she organized at her high school include trail restoration at a local wildlife refuge, the creation of a school yard habitat, pet food collection competitions for pets left homeless by Hurricane Katrina and the creation of a handicapped accessible native plant sensory garden for a pediatric facility.
Theodora Gibbs-Plessl
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
University: Stanford University
Theodora first became involved with the Jane Goodall Institute through an internship at the ChimpanZoo office in Tucson. She decided to join Roots & Shoots after learning more about the program and meeting Dr. Jane. Some of her favorite Roots & Shoots projects include helping elementary school children grow plants in decorated pots and selling them as a fundraiser and using bike parts to make art and sculptures. Theodora attends Stanford University and plans to study environmental policy and international economic development.
Katia Rossi, 2008-2009 Graduate Fellow
Hometown: Pullman, Washington
Katia graduated from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington with a major in Zoology. She had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Jane on an airplane from LA to San Francisco in 2001. Wilie at WSU she worked up the ranks in various service organizations until she found herself leading her very own Roots & Shoots group.Their group completed countless projects over Katia's four years including working with the local Humane Society and supporting the Campus Climate Challenge. After graduating from WSU in December of 2007 Katia was selected to work with Ameri-Corps Vista at Palouse Discovery Science Center. She helped organize volunteers, plan educational activities, and developed plans for a nature walk. She even secured grant funds to pay for the entire nature walk! Katia is so excited to be working with Roots & Shoots on a new level and looks forward to the new experiences she'll have in the future.
Past Council Members
Annika
Hometown: Belmont, California
Annika attended
Notre Dame High School in Belmont, where she was president of her high schools Roots & Shoots group. Her favorite projects included selling reusable water bottles and teaching first-graders about the environment at a local elementary school. Currently she is spending a year in Sweden as an exchange student and working on starting a Roots & Shoots group there. Next year she will attend
University of California, Davis where she plans to further her involvement in Roots & Shoots.
CarolineHometown: Houston, TexasCaroline first became involved in Roots & Shoots in ninth grade. She was already involved in her school's environmental club when she took a Roots & Shoots class taught by long-time Roots & Shoots group leader Katherine Leathem. Caroline took a leadership role in the creation of the national Roots & Shoots campaign,
ReBirth the Earth: Trees for Tomorrow. She is responsible for ensuring that all the necessary materials for the campaign are provided to groups around the nation.
Renee
Hometown: Madison, New Jersey
Renee became involved in Roots & Shoots during her first year in high school after reading Dr. Jane's book In the Shadow of Man for a biology class. Renee attends Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, majoring in special education and speech and language pathology. Her goal is to work with disabled students in starting more Roots & Shoots groups in the Tri-State Area.
Shawn 2007-2008 Graduate Fellow
Hometown: Elyria, Ohio
Shawn started a Roots & Shoots group at the College of Wooster in Ohio after seeing Dr. Jane on tour in 2004. One of his favorite projects was creating a nature-themed meditation room for students to use. Last year Shawn graduated with a degree in Psychology and plans to pursue graduate studies in Environmental Education. He has worked at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo where he completed his senior thesis studying visitors opinion regarding zoo animals and their lives in captivity.
Zachary
Hometown: Danbury, Connecticut
A student at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU), Zachary has worked as a student intern in the Roots & Shoots University Programs Office, which is located on the WCSU campus. He is president of the Roots & Shoots club on campus and is enthusiastic about the progress it is making. In conjunction with the university, his Roots & Shoots club has established recycling in all the classroom buildings, the cafeteria and even in the dormitories on campus. Zachary believes in the interconnectedness between humans and nature and wants to help create a better world. He is an elementary education and anthropology/sociology major and hopes to share his passions with students in his future classroom. Currently Zach enjoys doing Roots & Shoots projects with local elementary, middle and high school students and is currently concentrating on the beautification of his college campus.
Here's how to apply!
Think you're ready to become a leader? Visit our Getting Involved page to learn more and download an application.
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