Are you looking for ways to work outdoors this summer? Have you always been intrigued by the conservation corps? Do you want an excuse to be in the mountains all summer? If you’ve answered yes to all the above or just want to learn more about the conservation corps experience, RSVP to our second virtual panel of conservation corps alumni. These alumni will share their experiences working in the conservation corps. You will get the chance to ask questions and receive guidance on how to apply to work with the conservation corps and what career path options there are for after the corps experience.

 Job seekers, VR/Transition Counselors, Educators, Parents, and Community members welcomed to attend. After this panel, we will be sharing details about our CorpsTHAT Conservation Crew as well as other programs throughout the country this summer.

RSVP at the bottom of this page to get zoom link access! We hope to see you there.

Interpreters from Trail Blazing Interpreting Agency  will be provided for this webinar and are sponsored by Conservation Corps of Minnesota Summer Youth Program

Panelist:

Bee Gehman (they/she) – CCM

A white queer-identified person standing, looking directly at the camera, smiling. Bee with short brown curly hair, is wearing a red pair of glasses. They are wearing a green boilersuit with a black watch and a leather wrist bracelet. Their background is a light gray.

M.Ed., Founder and CEO of jooux (Deaf Sexual Wellness Center) is an AASECT certified sexuality educator, with more than a decade of experience in providing caring, contentious, thoughtful sexual health and education services and professional training for educators and interpreters. Currently the Director of the Deaf, Deafblind, & Hard of Hearing Services at the Family Tree Clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota. Bee is passionate about education and access to evidence-based healthcare by providing sexual health education for people of all ages, professional training, and promoting affirming and comprehensive sexuality education in Deaf K-12 academic programs. She is a firm believer that advocacy and education cannot happen without genuine connections and dismantling systems of oppression.

Conservation Corps Experience: 

Minnesota Conservation Corps (Before it was called Conservation Corps of MN and Iowa) Summer Youth Corps

2007 & 2009 as a crew leader

2010 as an assistant director

Gina De Naples Sando (she, her) – SCA and AmeriCorps 

A woman is wearing a gray shirt with a white logo that says “DCR VIRGINIA, Virginia State Parks and black pants. She is holding two fossils. Behind her is an end of a hallway with a white cooler, white dresser, and two doors (one gray and other white).

My name is Gina Sando and I live in northern Virginia. I’ve always loved the outdoors and have always been outside in some way or another my entire life. I have two degrees in natural sciences and a degree in sustainability. I am currently a Lakefront Programmer with the Fairfax County Park Authority, in which I create, plan, and implement educational, natural, historical, and outdoor recreational programs. 

Conservation Corps Experience:

2015 – served through the Student Conservation Association as a Hudson Valley Corps member with Palisades Interstate Park Commission, based out of Bear Mountain State Park approximately 50 miles north of New York City. 

2017 – served as AmeriCorps Interpretive Trails crew member at York River State Park in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Keith Doane (he, him) – CCM and Isle Royale National Park

A white man is leaning back on a fence post that oversees a large body of water. Keith is wearing a gray shirt, beige pants, work boots, and a U.S. star studded cap. Keith is holding a sandwich. Next to him is a blue water bottle and a red backpack with an unidentified blue object hanging out the backpack and a blue work helmet. There is a cut out part of a body wearing a white shirt on the right side of the picture.

Born and raised half of my life in Minnesota. I left my anchor over there in Minnesota after now living here in the Washington DC metro area for a total of 17 years. Obtained BA in government in 2014. Interned at the Capitol Hill with Representative Mark Takano of Riverside, CA area. Public policy and public advocacy is always my passion. However, I love technology, hand-on crafts, projects, etc. I am now a Technical Expert at an Apple store at Georgetown store (western of DC).

Hobbies: Cycling, hiking and volunteering. 

Conservation Corps Experience:

2009-2012 summers: Minnesota Conservation Corps (now Conservation Corps Minnesota + Iowa) 

Went to Isle Royale National Park twice. Conservation Corps is one of my most favorite jobs!

John Wilcox (he, his) – SCA

A brown-haired white man wearing a red button-up shirt with blue button and collar. He is wearing an orange shirt inside the red button-up shirt. His background is cloudy gray.

Life Experience: 

Lives in Boston and works as a Transition Specialist at Horace Mann School for the Deaf.    37 years as Outdoor Educator. Outward Bound Instructor specializing in mountaineering at COBS; and in sailing at HIOBS. Worked as an outdoor educator and camp administrator in various camp settings. Founder of Deaf Youth Outdoor Leadership – a 503c non-profit organization serving deaf youth in the New England region. Youth Opportunities Program Instructor, Appalachian Mountain Club training youth workers wilderness skills including backpacking. Founder of Deaf Sailing Adventures, a for-profit sailing organization in Greece. NOLS Instructor Course Graduate.

Conservation Corps Experience: SCA (Student Conservation Association) Trail Crew Supervisor for Deaf High School Students at Olympic National Park, 1990

Chriz Dally (she, her) – SCC

A black and white picture of a white woman in professional wear. She is wearing a necklace and she is wearing her light-colored hair down. Her hair length is just past her shoulders. Her background is a light gray while her picture is bordered by a blue border that arches around the top of the picture.

The experiences with SCC helped to spark a passion to serve where Chriz developed a strong background in leadership and nonprofit management with over 25 years of progressive responsibilities and commitments within the nonprofit sector. In 2016, Chriz received a Deaf Community Leader award from Hamilton Relay and Distinguished Service Award from Kansas Association of the Deaf in recognition for her volunteer work, teaming with community members and legislators for the successful passage of a statewide bill mandating a “Language Assessment Program for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Children” (otherwise known as the LEAD-K bill). Currently, Chriz is the Executive Director of the Deafhood Foundation, Board President of the Museum of Deaf History, Arts & Culture, and Chair of the Kansas Commission of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.  

Conservation Corps Experience:

Chriz was involved with the Student Conservation Corporation (SCC) and provided services in Estates National Park, Colorado in summer of 1986, Snoqualmie Parks, Washington in summer of 1987, and initially in Olympics National Park, Washington in summer of 1988 before having to drop out due to health reasons.

Are you an outdoor organization or agency that wants to advertise your job positions to the Deaf community?  Please contact us to share your job postings through our job spotlight events.