Meet the Board
The GSNN directors have been focused on environmental issues and education for many years. They recognize that it is now critical to work collaboratively with others throughout the United States to help our nation to rethink the ways public education serves its crucial role in the development of a sustainable society.
JIM McGRATH, President/Executive Director & Co-founder/MN
Jim is the President/Executive Director for Green Schools National Network and Executive Producer for www.greenschoolsnationalconference.org.
Jim was the founding principal of Oakwood Environmental Education Charter School and EAA STEM Aerospace Charter School. As the Dissemination Coordinator for both charter schools he has worked with Green Environment Focused Schools and STEM Schools across America and developed “How To Become A Green School” online graduate course.
He was awarded the Wisconsin Environmental Education Administrator in 2004. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Education; M. S. in Health & Physical Education; M.S. Educational Administration; Specialist Certification in Education Leadership.
JENNY SEYDEL, Secretary/Treasurer, WI
Jennifer Seydel, Ph.D. is a School Designer with Expeditionary Learning, www.elschools.org. Expeditionary Learning is a national EL school reform model contributing to positive results at scale across urban, rural, and suburban schools, both district and public charter. She has a B.A. in Education, an M.S. in Environmental Education, and holds her Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from Antioch Graduate School of New England. Prior to her role with EL, Jennifer was on the faculty at Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts and was the director the S.A.G.E. Project, an education reform collaboration among local, state and national organizations.
ALISON SUFFET DIAZ, Board Member, CA
Alison Suffet Diaz, Founder and Executive Director of Environmental Charter Schools, Lawndale, CA www.echsonline.org and www.ecmsonline.org She is responsible for driving strategic development, as well as fundraising, fiscal/capital budget management and oversight of administrative operations. ECS has also developed the Green Ambassador Training Institute to support educators and organizations to replicate the best practices demonstrated at its school. ECHS in Lawndale, California has become an award-winning high school, recognized nationally for its innovative programs. Alison earned her teaching credential from Cal State Dominguez Hills, B.S. in Business from State University of New York, Albany and Juris Doctorate from Temple University Law School.
MARK SORENSEN, Board Member, AZ
Mark W. Sorensen, Flagstaff, AZ www.starschool.org has been an educational leader of schools serving Navajo students for thirty-six years. His work as Principal, Superintendent, Advisor and Mentor of indigenous schools has focused on improving the quality of Native American and Native Hawaiian education, and on supporting Native American tribes and communities in developing full service, culturally relevant and ecologically sensitive schools. He has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, and is currently the co-founder, Governing Board President, and Executive Director of The STAR School, the first off-grid solar and wind powered charter school in the U.S.
Susan Gottfried, Board Member, NC
Susan Gottfried, Executive Director, Evergreen Community Charter School in North Carolina, www.evergreenccs.org Evergreen has received the designation of honor school of excellence. She has a B.S. degree in Special Education; M.Ed. in Special Education, Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of NC-Greensboro. Susan has worked as a School Improvement Consultant with the Southern Regional Education Board providing consultation, coaching and professional development to schools across the country implementing the school reform model, High Schools That Work/Making Middle Grades Work. Susan strives to create structures and processes within which her highly skilled and passionate faculty and staff can create magical learning opportunities for children.
SUSAN TOTH, Board Member, FL
Susan is the Director of Education at the Pine Jog Environmental Education Center www.pinejog.org /College of Education/Florida Atlantic University, she has been a regional coordinator for educational and professional development programs; and adjunct faculty developing and/or teaching college-level environmental education courses.
Susan has served as a Board member for North American Association for Environmental Education, and has served as a consultant for the Environmental Education and Training Partnership (EETAP), developing and teaching EE courses for a national audience.
She is also the coordinator of the Palm Beach County Green Schools Recognition Program and its annual conference, Learn Green.
Al Stenstrup, Board Member, Washington, DC
Al Stenstrup is the Director of Education Programs for the American Forest Foundation and Project Learning Tree. www.forestfoundation.org He has worked in education for nearly 40 years – including teaching at both the middle school and university level, directing a nature center, and now serves as the director of a national environmental education program. Al has been an advocate for Green Schools at the state, national and global levels.
Shawn Hayes, PhD, Board Member, CA
Shawn is the Chief Academic and Research Officer for HealthCorps www.healthcorps.net where he is charged with curriculum development, program implementation, and research. Dr. Hayes received his PhD in integrative physiology from the University of California, Davis. Before HealthCorps, Dr Hayes worked in healthcare and academia. Dr Hayes was a professor at Penn State Medical Center and UC Davis. He founded Neotropical Grassland Conservancy and the Peer Mentor Program at UC Davis
GCSNet Co-Founders and Former Directors: Senn Brown, former executive director GCSNet and Wisconsin Charter Schools Association; Doug Thomas, former vice-president GCSNet and executive director EdVisions Schools, Minnesota; Mike Bakalis, president American Quality Schools, Illinois; Jim Tangen Foster, former UW River Falls Instructor, Wisconsin; Sara Laimon, former vice-president GCSNet, founder of Green Ambassadors, California; Oliver Barton, former principal Common Ground (Charter) High School, Connecticut; Julie Spalding, former teacher and co-founder Fox River (Charter) Academy, Wisconsin; Michelle Bouchard, President, HealthCorps, Inc; Sherry Wilson, Former Director, Kansas Association of EE and Green Schools
