PENNSYLVANIA PARKS AND FORESTS FOUNDATION APPOINTS DR. JAMES GRACE TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Camp Hill, PA –The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF), the only non-profit whose mission is Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests, today announced the appointment of Dr. James Grace to its board of directors, effective January 1st, 2016.
Dr. Grace held the position of Deputy Secretary in the PA Department of Environmental Resources, as well as State Forester of the Bureau of Forestry. He was central to Pennsylvania’s state forests becoming the nation’s first certified public forest in 1995.
Dr. Grace received his bachelor of science in forest management from University of Vermont in 1970, his master of forest science from Yale University in 1972, and his Ph.D. in Forest Resources from Penn State in 1978. Dr. Grace served as the Goddard Chair at Penn State. He is a past PPFF Award winner of the Joseph Ibberson Government Award.
“PPFF has a long working relationship with Dr. Grace and we look forward to working with him in this new capacity,” said Marci Mowery, President of PPFF. “His knowledge of forestry, recreation, and visionary leadership will be an asset to our work.”
Dr. Grace’s three year term will begin in January 2016. He will join four additional new board members including George Fernandez, Senator Stewart Greenleaf, Tina Molski, and Dr. Christopher Sciamanna.
Additional members of the board include: Chair, George Asimos, Esq; Vice Chair, Maria Montero, Esq.; Treasurer, Gary Smith; Secretary, Brian Clark, Esq.; Jim Fields; Gus Frederick, Maxine Harrison, Rep. Mark Longietti, Barb Sexton, Mary Soderberg, and Rob Wonderling. Advisory board members consist of: William Forrey, Jon C. Oliver III, Linda McKenna Boxx, and Mary Weber.
About the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation
Founded in 1999, the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation supports 120 state parks and 2.2 million acres of forest by coordinating volunteers, activities and donations through its 38 chapters. The mission of the foundation is to promote and support the natural and cultural resources of Pennsylvania’s state parks and forests through leadership in recreation, education, conservation and volunteerism.