#2007-18: October 25, 2007 Julia Goren Joins The Catskill Center Staff as Regional Educator The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development is pleased to announce that Julia Goren has been hired as a Regional Educator. "Julia brings her experience as an outdoor educator to the center’s education program and I look forward to working with her on expanding and improving our program’s effectiveness throughout the region." said Aaron Bennett, Director of Education. She has worked as an Environmental Educator in western Massachusetts and in northern New York, an interpreter in Wupatki National Monument in Arizona, a naturalist in the Adirondacks, and most recently, a Summit Steward and Botanist in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. During the past six years, Julia has worked with teachers, students, and communities to help develop a sense of place in a several different ecosystems. She is particularly excited to bring her skills to the Catskills, where much of her family has called home for several generations. Julia holds an MS in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England, and is a National Association for Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide and Trainer. Tom Alworth, the center’s Executive Director said "Our commitment to preparing our youth to be good stewards remains steadfast and Julia is perfect for the job. It is my pleasure to welcome Julia to the Catskill Center team. The experience and passion she brings to the table will help us reach out to more diverse constituencies and continue to provide multi-disciplinary educational services to folks who wish to learn about the natural and cultural heritage of the Catskills". Julia will be administering "Green Connections," which is designed to establish a partnership between classrooms in the West-of-Hudson NYC Watershed and in New York City. Green Connections is a yearlong extension of the Watershed Forestry Institute for Teachers (WFIT). Julia will also help coordinate and implement the WFIT that provides area teachers with the knowledge, skills, and tools to explore the connection between watershed forests and water quality. By providing this foundation, teachers can effectively educate their students about the relationships among forest ecology, forest resource management, conservation, and water quality. The week long WFIT is held annually in the summer.