Board of Directors & Advisory Council

Bob Hoyt is one of the founders and principals of EcoLogix Group, where he focuses on helping clients partner with stakeholders to further stewardship, environmental education, environmental justice, and natural resource restoration programs and policies. Bob led the EcoLogix Group team that designed and implemented the highly successful stakeholder strategy that led to the development of the Port of Baltimore’s Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility and the Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center. Prior to founding EcoLogix Group in 2002, Bob served as assistant secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment, senior vice president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, associate professor, Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg, PA Campus, and a deputy attorney general for the state of New Jersey. While in these roles, he has served on many boards and committees including the DC Water Board of Directors (chair of the Environmental Committee), Chesapeake Bay Trust Board of Directors, and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay Board of Directors. From 2007-2014, Bob served as director of the Department of Environmental Protection for Montgomery County, Maryland, an agency responsible for developing and implementing the County’s stormwater, air quality, recycling, water quality monitoring and other environmental programs. During Bob’s tenure there, the County had the highest recycling rate in the State, implemented one of nation’s most stringent Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, and created the Montgomery County Green Business certification program. Rejoining Ecologix Group in 2014, Bob helps clients understand and effectively respond to issues such as environmental justice, cumulative health impacts, or stormwater management by building understanding among the array of stakeholders having diverse perspectives on these matters. Bob currently serves as chair of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE). Bob’s educational background includes a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Princeton University. Bob is an accomplished public speaker with experience in legislative testimony, citizen meetings, and media relations. When he is not working, Bob enjoys running marathons, swimming, gardening, and sailing.

Josh Schmidt, a resident of Arnold, MD, retired recently after a career in education that he began as an English teacher when he graduated from college in 1968. As a teacher, coach, college counselor, English Department Chair, then later Head of School – all in independent schools and for over 20 years in Quaker Schools – his primary and resolute focus was on helping each student grow, learn, develop sensitivity to others and other cultures, and find ways to make the world a better place.

Most recently he was a fundraising consultant for nonprofits, including Sidwell Friends School, Partners in Care Maryland and The National Foundation for Cancer Research. He also serves on the Education Advisory Board of the Annapolis Maritime Museum, and is a former Board member for Friends Meeting School.

Katrina Jones is the outreach coordinator for the Maryland Port Administration’s dredging program where she works to build diverse stakeholder engagement and maintain partnerships for enhancing the public’s knowledge and support of the State of Maryland’s dredged material management program (DMMP), with the purpose identifying potential dredged material disposal options and getting project approval. She also co-chairs the Baltimore Port Alliance’s Education and Outreach Committee, which is a collaboration of public and private agencies in the maritime industry, educators, and representatives from government and civic organizations.

Katrina coordinates directly with schools and organizations such Maryland Environmental Service, Living Classroom Foundation, Arlington Echo, and the National Aquarium in Baltimore to help facilitate meaningful field experiences at the Port facilities. She is a graduate of Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Communications.

Visit http://www.mpasafepassage.org/outreach.html for tour information.

Martin “Marty” Poretsky has been a third-generation builder in the Washington metro area and in 1970, co-founded Poretsky & Starr, Inc., which became Poretsky Building Group (PBG) in 1982. In 1999, Marty was appointed by Governor Parris Glendening to a four-year term as a member of the Board of Trustees, Chesapeake Bay Trust. He was elected Chairman of the Trust in May, 2000, and served in that position through May 2004. He has also served on the Board of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the D.C. Advisory Board of the Living Classrooms Foundation. Since 2017, Marty has resided in Longboat Key, Florida and is a member of the Rotary Club of Longboat Key as well as the Yale Club of the Suncoast, where he is seeking ways to continue to make a difference in his community.

Melanie combines her passion for the environment and love of teaching by serving as the Coordinator of Environmental Literacy and Outdoor Education for Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland by developing and implementing environmental literacy curriculum and programming. The focus of these programs is to empower students of all ages through authentic hands-on outdoor experiences with the environmental knowledge, skills, and motivation to make and act upon responsible environmental decisions. She has been with Anne Arundel County over 20 years serving as an educator and teacher prior to becoming the administrator. Prior to AACPS she worked with nonprofits. She earned her Doctorate of Education at University of Maryland and she holds certificates in Administration and teaching.

A member with MAEOE since 1996, Melanie has been involved with MAEOE in various capacities. Volunteering with the conference for many years handling registration and expanding to conference chair as well as serving on the Board of Trustees since the early 2000s. Melanie has served as President Elect, President and Past President.

Growing up with a Father who is a Wildlife Biologist, Carly Ferguson was introduced to caring for our environment and spending every minute outside at a very early age! She has worked in the field of outdoor and environmental education for over 15 years.

Currently, Carly is a Teacher at the Carroll County Outdoor School at Hashawha Environmental Center in Westminster, MD. Each week, she instructs sixth graders from the district’s middle schools. She teaches students to investigate and act upon relevant local environmental issues, with the goal of positively impacting the environment. In addition, Carly is a Resource Teacher for Carroll County elementary schools, helping to facilitate their process to become a Maryland Green School and leads outreach projects on their school grounds. Carly’s prior experience as an Outward Bound Instructor for the Baltimore Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound School allows her to lead professional development and team building exercises for the Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and Carroll County Public Schools staff throughout the year. Finally, Carly is an Adjunct Faculty at Carroll Community College and takes adults outside to learn about the environment as a Hiking Instructor.

Carly Ferguson has a M.A. from West Virginia University in Secondary Education and a M.S. in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources Management from WVU as well. She was able to fuse her two passions and found her dream job at the Carroll County Outdoor School teaching outdoor and environmental education. Carly is originally from Wells, Maine but now calls Gettysburg, Pennsylvania her home. You can find her outside with her family and dogs, adventuring and enjoying anything outside!

As Director of Conservation Community Engagement, I work collaboratively with community residents and stakeholders to develop relatable environmental programs and projects which meet the needs of the community, and ultimately facilitating and implementing these efforts, directly where people are, within their communities. One of the programs that I coordinate is our Urban Conservation & Education Summer Internship Program, designed to provide opportunities for local Baltimore college students to experience environmental stewardship and to expose students to career options in the conservation sector. Additionally, through my involvement in the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program’s Diversity Workgroup as well as the State of Maryland’s Project Green Classrooms, we frequently discuss career pathways and pipelines within the environmental field, especially through a diversity, equity and inclusion lens, in order to ensure that students not only have opportunities for entry into the field but for matriculation as well. I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and Policy, Wildlife Ecology and Management concentration, from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Master of Science degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware. I have over 10 years of experiences in environmental education and community engagement, through naturalist positions with the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) and Delaware Nature Society respectively.

Sarah earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bucknell University, an M.S. and PhD in Zoology from the University of Georgia, and an M.A. in Education from Salisbury University. She taught middle school science at Pocomoke Middle School before moving across the bay to take a position at Towson University, where she has been been teaching for 25 years. Sarah’s interests lie in the areas of science education and environmental education. Her courses for preservice teachers all include outdoor components, and many include service learning. Sarah has built relationships with many local nonformal educational institutions, and she often teaches her classes off campus at these local organizations- she has had her students learning and leading programming at the Maryland Zoo, Irvine Nature Center, Oregon Ridge Nature Center, and the National Aquarium. Sarah’s involvement in science education initiatives and environmental education initiatives has led her to hold several positions of leadership at the national level, most notably with the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Education Advisory Council (NEEAC), the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE). Sarah was a founding member of MAEOE’s EE Certification Committee.

James Roberson works for Prince George’s County Public Schools located in the Washington, DC metro area, as an Instructional Specialist for Environmental Literacy. James works at the William S. Schmidt Outdoor Education Center (Schmidt Center) in Brandywine, MD. He leads an Environmental Literacy team in creating, implementing, and monitoring programs and initiatives developed to support environmental education and Maryland’s Environmental Literacy Standards. He also provides educational leadership to staff, schools, and community partners through curriculum development, teacher professional development, on site program implementation, and fostering partnerships that support the mission of the Schmidt Center.

James holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University, a Master’s of Science degree in Environmental Studies & Policy from Johns Hopkins University, and a certificate in School Administration from Johns Hopkins University.

Jim Stufft retired from Montgomery County Public Schools after 43 years of dedication to environmental education and sustainability.  Twenty-five of those years at the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center and most recently, 15 years with the MCPS Division of Sustainability and School Energy and Recycling Team (SERT) program. While at the Smith Center, Jim initiated and coordinated many permanent environmental education projects that have continuously supported the instructional program. In 2003, Jim assisted  the Smith Center in becoming the first MAEOE Green Center in MD.   Jim’s work with  the SERT program began in 2005. Jim facilitated the SERT program in becoming a MAEOE Green Center and as such, has helped many MCPS schools become MD Green Schools. Jim has long believed in the MAEOE mission that every student should develop an appreciation for the natural environment and experience environmental education. Currently, Jim is the co-chair of the Green Schools Committee and continues to support the mission and vision of MAEOE.

To learn more about Jim visit his Twitter account @SERTGUY

Dr. Juliann Dupuis is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean in the School of Education at Notre Dame of Maryland University. In these roles she oversees the secondary science program and is the Director of the STEM leadership program. Her background is in wildlife and fisheries biology and science education. At her previous positon at the University of New Hampshire, Juliann was the Assistant Coordinator for the Masters in Environmental Education program, where she taught the practicum and oversaw student internships in non-formal environmental education sites. Within her current role, she teaches STEM courses, including a sustainability course for educators, an application of engineering design, and a STEM summer institute which includes the use of Projects WET, WILD, Learning Tree, Wonders of Wetlands, Invasive Species, Flying Wild, and NOAA Globe. Each of the courses that she teaches includes a component of environmental education, but these three courses in particular require students to conduct research and develop projects or solutions to problems focused on environmental issues. Students focus on designing and carrying out green school initiatives which can help them to apply for green school status or to keep them current. As a proponent of environmental education, educators in her courses are required to attend environmental, field-based trips in order to experience situations that they should be including their students in.

Juliann has been an active member of both NAAEE and MAEOE, presenting at both conferences and acting as a member of the conference planning committee for MAEOE. Juliann is served as the co-chair of the 2019 MAEOE conference committee. As part of this role, she helped to coordinate volunteers to present on a STEAM panel, present at a STEAM fair, construct displays for the student STEAM art exhibit, work with vendors for marketing materials and videography, among other items. She is extremely passionate about environmental education and is committed to advancing the mission of MAEOE.