The Nicholas School of the Environment Board of Visitors has welcomed five new members to their roster, including experienced professionals with a wealth of expertise from a variety of backgrounds. As new members of the Board, the group will play a vital role in supporting, advocating, and fostering the achievement of excellence in all aspects of the Nicholas School. Some of their key responsibilities will include aiding in student recruitment, assisting with student internship and mentorship placement, offering personal and professional insights on school affairs, and supporting the Nicholas School Annual Fund and other key funds.
Mamie A. Parker
A current board member of the Chesapeake Conservancy, Dr. Mamie Parker is the former Assistant Director of Fisheries and Habitat Conservation at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Prior to this position, she made history when appointed the first African American the FWS Regional Director of the 13 Northeastern states. Dr. Parker has an extensive amount of experience as a fish and wildlife biologist and an executive. She served as the Ecosystem Coordinator in the Great Lakes and Big Rivers Region and worked in many programs including the national fish hatcheries, national wetlands and coastal mapping, contaminants, invasive species, marine mammals, wetland restoration and protection programs among others. Parker was designated the authorized official for the negotiations with General Electric Corporation to clean up the Hudson River and played a major role in helping to protect the nation’s waters from the invasive species. This extensive amount of experience led her to receiving the Annual Ira Gabrielson Award, an award given by FWS leaders to the most outstanding leader. The President of the United States presented Dr. Parker, a Senior Executive Service member, with the Presidential Rank award, the highest award given to government employees. Dr. Parker recently received the American Fisheries Society (AFS) Emmeline Moore award, named after the first female AFS president. Parker is a leader in various organizations and serves as a Board of Directors of the National Wildlife Refuge Association; Defenders of Wildlife; Student Conservation Association; and the Nature Conservancy Virginia Chapter.
Jeff Bass, T’89
Jeffrey Bass is a founding member of Shubin & Bass, P.A. which represents individuals, businesses, governmental entities, and universities in all manners of commercial trial court litigation, administrative proceedings, and appellate matters. Jeff regularly litigates issues involving the use and development of real property, property rights, entitlements, zoning disputes, local government law issues, business disputes, and regulatory conflicts. In addition to his commercial litigation and appellate practice, Jeff frequently serves as a counselor to large institutions and national law firms seeking to navigate Florida’s complex regulatory regimes with respect to zoning, land use, and development.
Beth Stevens, T’81
As former senior vice president of Corporate Citizenship, Environment & Conservation for The Walt Disney Company, Beth was responsible for developing and facilitating the company’s environmental strategy, policy, and targets. Under her leadership, Disney set aggressive environmental goals and targets, engaged employees across the globe on sustainable practices and launched major campaigns to inspire environmental stewardship in kids. Beth joined Disney to help open Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Her first role was as Conservation and Science Director, and then General Manager for Disney’s Animal Programs. In August of 2001, Beth was promoted to head of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Animal Programs division. Beth received her bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Duke University and went on to study behavioral physiology as a German Academic Exchange student at the University of Tuebingen, West Germany. She completed her Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Biology. Beth served as President and Chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 2006. She is currently serving as a board member with the Jane Goodall Institute. She has also served on the board of the International Rhino Foundation, as well as on the board for Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park, FL.
Michael Mars, T’91
Michael Mars is the founding principal of mTerra Ventures, LLC, an early stage venture capital practice focused on catalyzing the development of a sustainable economy. He serves on the board of Radio Systems Corporation, Rexorce Thermionics, and Hawaiian Oceanic Technologies, and advises other companies in the portfolio. He is involved in a variety of philanthropic interests primarily in the area of conservation of nature, education, and healthcare. He serves on the board of two non-profit organizations, the Bhutan Foundation and The School for Field Studies. Prior to founding mTerra Ventures in 2007, Michael managed various business units for Mars Incorporated in Asia and North America.
Jud Wolfe, MEM’97
Jud is an experienced environmental, health, safety, and compliance leader that designs and executes programs and improve company-wide performance risk in the energy sector. Jud has 20 years’ comprehensive experience leading HSE teams, developing and implementing innovative programs for two Fortune 500 companies. He has a MEM degree from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University and MBA from Columbia University. He has significant experience in corporate and operational settings, with broad geographic experience in onshore and offshore work environments across North and South America, West Africa, Southeast Asia, St. Croix, and St. Lucia. Wolfe has a track record of development and implementation of leading-edge HSE frameworks, processes, and guidelines, improving company performance and strengthening HSE branding. Judd is a Board member of the Mailman Foundation, a New York based family philanthropy.
For a full list of the school’s BOV members, click here.
