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Karen C. Hall, Ph.D.

Program Director

Seeking

I seek a full time position where I may use my knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences to drive meaningful, positive, long-term change in the behavior and relationship people have with nature toward greater social-ecological resilience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

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Leadership

I have led and been involved in numerous projects from ideation, inception, launch, management and iteration. Hiring/supervising staff, managing finances (including developing budgets), scheduling, mentoring, overseeing deliverables and maintaining positive working relationships were part of the process - success dependent on setting goals, empowering and trusting people while also holding all accountable.

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Fundraising

Since 2004, I have raised over $4.02 million in grants and agreements, not counting an HHMI award of $2 million as a primary contributor. At Clemson, the programs I led generated $322,000 annually. With Cascades Raptor Center, my efforts (on multiple fronts) consistently helped us increase income (earned and otherwise) by $100,000 annually. In my work with IAE, I have quadrupled staff size and written $9.9 million in grants.

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Communication

I have written for a wide variety of audiences from technical reports, scientific articles to marketing messages. I am comfortable communicating in writing, but also in person. I continually work to make my communication be as impactful, accurate and respectful as possible. 

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Strategic Thinking

I have been fortunate to collaborate with experts in creativity, business management, non-profit consultants and philanthropists. All of these connections have resulted in an ability to think strategically about  processes or projects that I am involved in. I am highly skilled in developing meaningful workshops that build tighter connections between people, create safe space for alternative voices and encourage frank discussion.

Work experience

May 2021Present

Program Director, Ecological Education

Institute for Applied Ecology

I manage grant-based projects of varying size, write grants, compile, edit, and dessiminate curricula, and generally manage our efforts to connect people to nature. We work across age groups to provide ecological education and opportunities to be in nature, sometimes at sites that are being managed or restored by IAE. Seven staff and two contractors work on our Sagebrush in Prisons (SPP) and Mojave Desert Plants programs. This program partners with federal agencies and eleven prisons in the American West for growing plants to replant areas impacted by wildfire. Staff provide ecological education to incarcerated adults while also supporting their efforts to grow over 490,000 sagebrush plugs per year. Crew members receive certificates to bolster job opportunities after incarceration. Most of our efforts are focused on underserved and under-resourced communities and people. 

2016May 2021

Associate Director

Cascades Raptor Center

I was responsible for bookkeeping and budgeting, human resource issues, management of technology including software associated with donors, phones, website, email, point of sale, internet infrastructure, and keeping Microsoft office suite and computers on site up to date and functioning. In addition, I wrote/tracked grants, and developed metrics for assessment of internal efficacy. I also worked to improve our abilities to deliver conservation messages related to birds of prey. This included networking our Avian training team to the local STEM hub, editing material for teachers,  and providing access to supportive courses to drive effective messaging. 

May 2013Sep 2015

Applied Ecologist

Botanical Research Institute of Texas

I served as the face for public outreach and local research focused on rangeland management/restoration, native plant conservation and education. These responsibilities involved assessing local needs, developing and delivering content appropriate to adult audiences. Results of work often relied upon and contributed to BRIT's herbarium with over 1 million specimens. While there, I developed templates and standards for BRIT's burgeoning ranch and development consulting work; developed programming in conjunction with the city on increasing the number of residents growing native plants; led efforts toward public acceptance of prescribed burns and led county-wide conversations with stakeholders (city/county officials, water-focused agencies and large landowners) to improve awareness of and efficacy of efforts to conserve water.

Aug 2006May 2013

Extension Assistant Professor

Clemson University, School of Forestry, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

I designed, built and directed the Master Naturalist program and coordinated the Master Gardener program for the state of SC. This included writing curricula and also creating online versions of each program, developing a database for volunteer hours capture, developed fundraisers, and hosted annual conferences for both programs. In addition, I led graduate student research, the last of which was focused on safrole degradation in Sassafras albidum through preparation informed by traditional knowledge.

Jan 2002Aug 2009

Senior Lecturer, Director for SPRI

Clemson University, Department of Biology

I taught undergraduate and graduate courses, including plant biology, ethnobotany, senior seminar and environmental science. Several courses were developed specifically for science teachers. Under the SC LIFE program (an HHMI-funded project), I led the Summer Program for Research Interns (SPRI) that paired talented HS juniors with research faculty at Clemson, co-taught field-based science courses for teachers, and organized research symposia.

Portfolio

A few relevant products are highlighted here. I am sole author of some, collaborations with others. Please ask. A complete vitae is available upon request.

Education

20002006

Ph.D. Plant Physiology

Clemson University

"Ethnobotany with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: A path to sustaining traditional identity with an emphasis on medicinal plant use"

19961999

M.S. Botany

Clemson University

“An in vitro protocol including extraction and analysis of  Hydrastis canadensis, a native American medicinal plant”

19921996

B.S. Biology

Western Carolina University

Honors project: “Conservation of rare Appalachian endemic,  Geum radiatum through tissue culture”

SKills

  • Adept at the use of Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Premiere and some experience with other Adobe products
  • Competent design skills with other design-based programs (Canva), and photography, videography in support of this.
  • Microsoft Office 365, Google Suite, WordPress (and other web software), database programs (FileMaker Pro), donor software, VOIP software, and a host of others. 
  • Experienced in tissue culture and other plant production processes, especially growing native plant materials. 
  • Experienced artist in hand Papermaking, dyeing with natural dyes and planted aquaria.
  • Vocalist