Speaker Biographies

Bob Harrington, State Forester, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) began his career with Montana DNRC in 1983 as a hydrology technician, and then worked as a forester on the Stillwater State Forest near Whitefish, MT, and the Central Land Office in Helena, MT.  Bob also worked as a property manager of state trust lands on the Central Land Office, and as the Area Manager for the Southern Land Office in Billings, MT.  He assumed the role of Montana State Forester in January 2003. He received a B.S. in Forest Resources Management from the University of Montana in 1983. Bob is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Tanzania), and has strong interests in forest management issues, outdoor recreation, and world affairs. 

Angela Farr, Biomass Utilization Coordinator, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, administers Montana’s Fuels for Schools and Beyond program, which has 11 projects around the state, from small-scale, pellet-fired systems to a 13 million BTU boiler system for the University of Montana-Western campus in Dillon. Angela grew up in Missoula; she graduated magna cum laude from Whitman College and earned an M.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. 

Dr. Beth Dodson, Assistant Professor, University of Montana College of Forestry and Conservation, conducts research focused on the economic and operational feasibility of forest operations designed to meet multiple resource goals.  Dr. Dodson earned a MBA and a MS and PhD in Forest Engineering from Oregon State University where her master’s research centered on the issues of thinning for fuel reduction in northeast Oregon and the economic impact of that practice.  She has prior working experience in the timber industry as co-partner of a logging company.

David Atkins, Program Manager, Fuels for Schools and Beyond Initiative, US Forest Service works for the State and Private Forestry branch of the Forest Service Northern and Intermountain Regions.  His area of emphasis is in the utilization of biomass.  He has been the Program Manager of the Fuels for Schools and Beyond Initiative since inception in 2001, which highlights the use of small-scale biomass heating systems.  David earned a B.S. in Forest Science from Humboldt State University, 1979 and an M.S. in Forest Ecology from the University of Montana, 1996.

Brian Patrick, Superintendent of Schools in Townsend, has twenty years of administrative experience in Montana schools and is the current President of the School Administrators of Montana.  He is actively involved in energy issues on a statewide basis and is helping plan an Energy Summit for schools in January.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Western Montana College and earned his Masters Degree in Educational Administration from Montana State University in Bozeman. 

Nick Salmon, CTA Architects and Engineers, has been the senior project manager for the majority of the completed projects and feasibility studies for the Fuels for Schools and Beyond projects since it's beginning in 2003.  Born in Boston and raised in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont, Nick received two degrees in Architecture from the University of Cincinnati and held adjunct professor of architecture positions at the University of Cincinnati and Montana State University, Bozeman.

Mia Whitfield, School-To-Work Program Coordinator and Administrative Assistant, Townsend K-12 School District #1, works with K-12 teachers and students to increase awareness about career choices and possibilities through various methods including the creation of school-based enterprises run by the students and teachers.  As an assistant to the superintendent of schools, Mia helps with district projects including grant writing to help with funding needs.  When she started working for the school district in 2001 she brought over 23 years of experience in management and business to her position.

Eric Merchant, Air Quality Policy and Planning Supervisor, Air Resources Management Bureau, Montana Department of Environmental Quality began his professional career as an environmental consultant primarily working on issues related to air quality and industrial waste.  Since that time he has worked for the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in various air quality regulatory positions ranging from writing air quality permits for industrial pollution sources to his current position as supervisor of the Air Quality Policy and Planning section managing issues related to protection of the National and Montana ambient air quality standards through State Implementation Plan (SIP) development, administrative rulemaking, and related regulatory activities.  Eric holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree specializing in Environmental and Occupational Health from the University of Minnesota.