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Our Staff
Our program would not be possible without the contributions of thousands of community leaders world-wide

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (volunteer)

Dr. John R. Moore, Chairman Mr. David E. Deppner, President Mr. Oscar V. Gruspe, Treasurer Ms. Grace G. Deppner, Recording Secretary (non-voting) Mr. Peter Falk Mrs. Mahlu Herman Mr. Bedru Sultan Mr. Franz N. Stuppard Mr. John Leary

ADVISORY COUNCIL (volunteer)

Dr. Mizani Kristos, West African Development Dr. James Brewbaker, University of Hawaii Mr. William Campbell, Seasoned Energy Mr. Steve McCrea, Global Climate Change, FL Dr. Malcolm Novins, George Mason University Dr. Pascal Woldemariam, Greener Ethiopia Dr. Noel Vietmeyer, The Vetiver Institute Mr. Sean Griffin, Forestry & GIS Specialist Mr. Mark Dafforn, National Academy of Science, Wash. DC Mr. John Kyle, Advisor on Business Management

Headquarters (Silver Spring)

	Dave and Grace Deppner, Founders, Executive Director For more than 30 years, Dave Deppner and his wife, Grace, have worked to develop a program that empowers local communities to restore tree cover and life to lands degraded by deforestation. In 1988, they started TREES FOR THE FUTURE to reach more communities in need. Since that time, TREES has helped more than 6,500 villages in Asia, Africa, and the Americas to develop environmentally beneficial projects.

	Gorav Seth, International Programs Manager Gorav developed a keen interest in agroecology, agroforestry, and permaculture while studying Plant Biology at UC Berkeley. He took this interest out into the world, working on projects in the USA, Honduras, India, Costa Rica, and the Bahamas. In 2004, he completed his MBA in International Business under the Millenium Fellowship from the George Washington University. At TREES, he is coordinating our country programs, developing our India program, expanding our monitoring and evaluation systems, and maintaining the IT systems and our website.

	Ethan Budiansky, West Africa and Haiti Ethan is working on our West African Program, along with Haiti and other french speaking countries. As an Agroforestry Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal for 2 and a half years, he worked on community based natural resource management. He has a dual masters degree in Natural Resource Management / Sustainable Development and International Affairs from American University and the University for Peace in Costa Rica.

	Jeff Follett, Latin America and the Caribbean Jeff Follett served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Suriname, and is coordinating our new South America/Caribbean Program. He is also coordinating our distance agroforestry training program. Presently he is contacting local groups in Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia, while also assisting the expansion of the Central America program.

	Francis Deppner, Southeast Asia Coordinator Francis Deppner has joined Trees for the Future to develop and manage our business partnerships. Francis is the son of TREES founder Dave Deppner, and has been around the organization since its inception in 1989. He is currently majoring in International Business at the University of Maryland, College Park.

	Heather Muszynsky , Fundraising Heather Muszynsky graduated from St. Mary’s College in 2007 with a degree in Anthropology. While studying, she spent six months in the Gambia, West Africa, taking classes at the University of the Gambia and working with a women’s community garden project. She also taught English at a primary school and had the opportunity to travel throughout Senegal as well. Once she returned to the United States, Heather went to New Orleans to volunteer with the Common Ground Collective. She took part in multiple bioremediation of community gardens projects, built solar showers and assisted in collecting and removing debris from the lower 9th ward. She is excited to contribute as much as she can to an organization she believes in.

	Jeffrey G. Manuel, Member/Partnership Services Jeffrey brings 7 years of experience from the healthcare industry where he assisted thousands of hospitals and doctors, and 6 years of management and customer service experience. Jeffrey will assist our members and business partners to achieve our goals in planting millions of trees.

	Ryan Murphy - Tree Pals Coordinator Ryan came to Trees for the Future in January 2009 after returning from his Peace Corps service high in the Peruvian Andes. There he worked with an indigenous environmental group to promote sustainable ecotourism, built improved stoves, taught resource awareness and English at the local school, hosted a radio show, harvested potatoes and herded sheep. He came back from Peru ready to find a career in development and small scale sustainable agriculture and landed at the door of Trees for the Future. Ryan is now developing the Tree Pals program and will be helping the fund-raising team at the office.

	Leandro Monteiro - Business Partnerships Coordinator In October Leandro Monteiro joined our team at the main office in Silver Spring, Maryland. Leandro will be taking over Gabriel Buttram's position as Business Partnerships Coordinator, as Gabe was stationed in Ethiopia as of October. Leandro has a professional background in marketing and communications and looks forward to using these skills to coordinate current partnerships and to seek out new partnerships with businesses interested in helping to grow our program. As a native of Brazil and an International Studies major in college, he is excited to be working in an environment where he can put his experience to use for a great cause and work with great people around the world.

	Catherine Bukowski, Training Program Coordinator Catherine Bukowski graduated from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in 2004 with a MS in Forest and Natural Resource Management. During 2005 she worked for SUNY-Research Foundation and the non-profit Tropical Forestry Initiative in Costa Rica on demonstration agroforestry projects and tree nursery management. From 2006 to 2009 she served with the U.S. Peace Corps in Honduras. The first two years she worked with women’s groups on agricultural and tree nursery trainings, helped maintain various tree nurseries with help from Trees for the Future as well as participated in other agricultural and watershed management activities. Her third year she served as a supporting staff member to the Lancetilla Botanical Garden and Research Center where she worked with environmental education in primary schools, organized environmental awareness events and participated in agroforestry training and community tree nurseries.

	John Leary, Consultant - West Africa Drawing from experience as an agroforestry trainer and volunteer for the Peace Corps in Senegal, as well as from ecotourism and conservation projects in East Africa, John supports our work with his technical knowledge on agroforestry systems, project design and management, sustainable agriculture and income generating activities. John worked full time for TREES for nearly 4 years, and is now managing our programs in Senegal and Mali as a consultant.



International Field Staff and Volunteers

	Joshua Bogart, Central America Regional Coordinator Josh completed his 3rd year with the Peace Corps Honduras on Dec 31, 2007, and started working for TREES the next day. In the Peace Corps, he has been working on protected areas management, and has started reforestation, diversification of production, and bio-gas projects. He is completing his masters in Forest Entomology from the State University of New York, and he has a bachelors in Biology (honors) with a minor in Environmental Studies.

	David Tye, East Africa Regional Coordinator From 2001-2003, David served in the Peace Corps as an Environment Volunteer in Tanzania, where he focused on agriculture, agroforestry, and natural resources management. Following his time in Peace Corps, David worked as a program associate for an international development organization in Washington DC, and then studied at American University where he received his Masters in International Development. David is excited to work with Trees for the Future because of their commitment to working with local communities to improve the lives of rural farmers in countries throughout the world.

	Gabriel Buttram, Ethiopia Coordinator Gabe received a Master's degree in International Relations from American University, and another one in Natural Resource Management/Sustainable Development from the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. Before that, he spent two years in Lesotho, Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer working primarily with agro-forestry and livelihood development.

	Danilo Zabala, The Philippines Danny has been into development work for the past 18 years and has gained invaluable experiences in this matter. He is currently working with people’s organizations (POs) in developing sustainable farming systems on the uplands. Danny has a degree in Agriculture at the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation. He also has a background in mass communications. He accepts commissioned work, and is an occasional journalist.

	Stephanie Vidad, The Philippines Stephanie operates a home-based computer services business. Her clients include students, business persons and groups. Steph is a graduate of Computer Systems Design and Programming at the AMA Computer Learning Center. Being a nature lover and having a profound concern in the environment is the reason why she joined the group.

	Omar Ndao , Senegal Omar has been a farmer and tree planter in Senegal for 20 years. Inspired by his father who taught him the value of a tree, Omar followed his father's footsteps and continues to help people throughout Kaffrine, Senegal to reforest degraded lands and implement agroforestry technologies in crop fields. Since beginning with Trees for the Future, Omar has helped plant nearly a half million trees.

	Abdou Diane , Senegal Abdou is now helping Omar further develop our Agroforestry training site, and will be an active part of our Senegal program for many years to come.

	Subramanian Periswamy, India Subramanian's organization, the Rural Development and Afforestation Society, is one of TREES' oldest partners in India. Subramanian is leading tree planting efforts in and around the community of Tiruvannamalai, and is also helping distribute treeseed to other local NGOs.

	Sagapala Gangisetty, India Mr Gangisetty is a schoolteacher, and is also the founder and director of The Green Tree Foundation. He has been working with farmers and villagers in the drought-stricken state of Andhra Pradesh for over eight years, trying to promote a "Green Tree Rich Society" in this state that is experiencing catastrophic droughts and an epidemic of farmer suicides.

	Mohamed Traore, Mali Representative A graduate from the University of Bamako, Mohamed now works for the Malian Association for the Conservation of Fauna and the Environment. As an agroecolgist, Mohamed coordinated Trees for the Future's seed distribution and agroforestry trainings in Mali, and he delivers integrated pest management and market gardening training to rural communities.

	Timote Georges , Haiti Timote studied at the University of Peace in Costa Rica, where he met Ethan Budiansky and Gabe Buttram. A few months down the road, Timote returned to Haiti, where he has helped TREES to develop a much stronger program in an incredibly challenging situation.

	Fernanda Peixoto, Brazil Representative After spending 7 years in the United States, Fernanda decided in 2008 to go back to her home in Brazil. She craved the beautiful weather but also wanted to do something to help the farmers in her area. Her family has a history of Farming in Sao Paulo and Mato Grosso. Her connections and expertise have been crucial in developing our Brazil program.



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	Trees for the Future \| P.O. Box 7027 \| Silver Spring, MD 20907 \| 1.800.643.0001 or 1.301.565.0630 \| Skype: treesftf