Tag Archives: Evergreen Public Service Center

New directions for SPP-Evergreen team

By SPP Co-Director Kelli Bush

Following six years of dedicated leadership from Dr. Carri LeRoy, Evergreen’s team for the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) enters a new era. We are so pleased that Carri will continue to support and influence SPP as our Senior Science Advisor. SPP is also now a Public Service Center for The Evergreen State College, playing a greater role in Evergreen’s campus community and receiving increased recognition and support. Together we are continually improving and growing SPP, and we know there’s still so much more to do!

SPP partners from Evergreen and Washington State Department of Corrections have just completed updates to SPP’s mission and vision statements. The new text represents greater emphases on education and change, acknowledgement of current environmental and justice system challenges, values shared by SPP partners, and a more succinct, stand-alone mission statement.

Mission Statement: We empower sustainable change by bringing nature, science, and environmental education into prisons.

Vision: In response to the dual crises of ecological degradation and mass incarceration, we aim to reduce recidivism while improving human well-being and ecosystem health. SPP brings together incarcerated individuals, scientists, corrections staff, students, and program partners to promote education, conserve biodiversity, practice sustainability, and help build healthy communities. Together, we reduce the environmental, economic, and human costs of prisons.

Butterfly technician Kristina Faires receives a certificate for her academic and technical accomplishments in the program; program coordinator Seth Dorman poses with her to recognize her achievements. Photo by Keegan Curry.

Going forward, our top priority is identifying mechanisms to award college credit to incarcerated participants in SPP certificate programs. Education is the most effective way to reduce recidivism. These certificate programs serve as high quality apprenticeships where participants receive extensive training, education, and experience addressing complex conservation issues, delivering environmental education, or participating in our workshop series. Recently, Dr. Carri LeRoy provided valuable review that informed significant improvements to SPP certifications. We are so grateful she plans to continue providing certification oversight to ensure program quality and consistency. SPP’s certificate recipients are clearly worthy of academic recognition; they demonstrate advanced environmental knowledge and application on a daily basis.

Our programs are unconventional, and retrofitting accreditation to existing practices is a challenge, but this long-time effort seems to be gaining momentum. Acknowledging SPP certificate completion with college credit could serve to complement post-secondary education with allied prison education programs and/or inspire continued education post-release.

As always, thanks for your partnership and support of SPP. We’re so pleased to be offering these programs with you!

Big news for the SPP-Evergreen team

Dear SPP partners and friends,

I am pleased to make some Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) announcements!

The Evergreen State College recently decided to change SPP’s campus status from a Faculty Project to a Public Service Center. SPP had grown far beyond the scope of a Faculty Project since I took over the co-directorship in 2011. An exciting outcome of this new transition is that establishing SPP as a Public Service Center allows a new model for the directorship.

I am pleased to announce Kelli Bush as SPP’s new Co-Director! She is filling my former role leading the Evergreen side of the partnership. Kelli and her excellent counterpart at Washington State Department of Corrections, Steve Sinclair, will oversee SPP’s programs statewide, and guide and consult on SPP-modeled programs internationally.

Kelli Bush releases Oregon spotted frogs in 2015. Photo by Sadie Gilliom.

In her 8 years as Program Manager, Kelli has shown herself to be an effective, detailed, and diplomatic leader. She has handily managed the Evergreen side of the SPP partnership, is a thoughtful and supportive supervisor, and has kept all the bits and pieces of this program working smoothly. During my tenure as Co-Director, I could not have asked for a more capable Program Manager than Kelli. As my responsibilities as a faculty member at the college cycled through more demanding transitions, Kelli took up much of the ambitious and challenging work of shaping and implementing programs. I am delighted to formally recognize her talent, vision, and capacity as a leader.

Kelli Bush and Steve Sinclair co-present SPP at American Correctional Association’s conference in August, 2017.

SPP’s Director for WA Corrections Steve Sinclair shares a high regard for Kelli:

“I have had the privilege of knowing Kelli since around 2008. Since that time and as I assumed new roles for SPP, my interactions with Kelli have increased and re-affirmed what I know from my earliest interactions: Kelli is truly dedicated to the mission of SPP, she brings organization and a steadfast determination to the work of SPP. Kelli has played a key leadership role in maintaining operations throughout the many transitions. In her new role, I am sure her vision will drive SPP to new and greater accomplishments.”

This transition to a Public Service Center is essential: organizational and program development and operations require day-to-day decision-making at every level. Even with this shift, SPP will still receive important faculty support and input. As Senior Science Advisor and a member of SPP’s Advisory Panel, I will ensure the ongoing academic strength of SPP programs, and optimize my involvement around scientific contributions. Relieved of administrative duties, I will be able to give more focus to engaging additional members of the faculty which will increase the range and diversity of expertise available to staff.

Dr. Carri LeRoy ready to release Oregon spotted frogs in 2012. SPP staff photo.

I would like to extend a huge thank you to all of you for your roles in helping us to build and champion SPP. We extend special gratitude to the college’s leadership and the Board of Trustee‘s for supporting this organizational transition. I look forward to my interactions with all of you in the future. Thank you for all you do for SPP!

~Carri
Carri J. LeRoy, Ph.D.
Member of the Faculty, Freshwater Ecology
The Evergreen State College

In 2011, Carri and Kelli celebrating the butterfly program with partners, filling up the Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly greenhouse at MCCCW.

Kelli and Carri share a laugh with Joslyn at SPP’s ten year celebration in 2013. Photo by Danielle Winder.