Alumni Association Board

Alumni Association Board Members

If you would like to connect with a member of the YSE Alumni Association Board, please email the YSE Office of Development and Alumni Services for contact info.

Officers

Terry Baker ’07 MF

President 
Washington, D.C. 
2nd term ends in 2027

Terry Baker is the CEO of the Society of American Foresters. He oversees all of SAF’s programs and collaborates with his Board of Directors to establish a strategic vision committed to the scientific sustainable management of America’s forests. He strives to build strong relationships with partners that leverage our unified voice as a profession. Terry serves on the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) board of directors to maintain the presence of forestry professionals in sustainable certifications.

Prior to his selection as SAF CEO in September 2018, Terry served in various roles within the USDA Forest Service. His almost 20-year federal career started in his home state of Florida on the Apalachicola National Forest. From there, he held positions on several other national forests in the western and southeastern US. He has been a wildland fire fighter, forester, and administrator of over 1 million acres. Terry earned a master’s degree in forest management and policy from YSE in 2007, and a bachelor’s degree in forest resources and conservation at the University of Florida in 2004. While a MF student at YSE, Terry was heavily involved as a Forestry Club and Student Affairs Committee member. Terry values the connections and communities he was part of as a student and considers these relationships one of the most important aspects of his time at YSE. Terry has maintained that sense following graduation serving as a class agent, returning for guest lectures, and advising prospective and new students. Scholarships, awards, leadership mentoring, and strengthening international connections all lead back to creating a more diverse and inclusive YSE student and alumni body. As someone who “stumbled across” the profession of forestry and natural resources, Terry takes every opportunity to broaden awareness of this amazing field.

Lois Morrison ’93 MES/MBA  

Vice President  
Chicago, IL 
1^st term ends in 2027 

Lois Morrison brings extensive background in conservation policy and management and great appreciation for her time at YSE. She has held leadership positions at The Nature Conservancy’s Great Lakes Program, Council of Great Lakes Governors, and the Clinton Administration’s President’s Council on Sustainable Development. 

Lois is actively involved in the Harold M. and Adeline S. Morrison Family Foundation, an organization committed to supporting champions of environmental justice and the benefits of spending time in nature. 

Board service is an important part of Lois' life and has included Rare, Blue Sky Funders Forum, Wild Earth Allies, Chicago Botanic Garden, Lake Forest Open Lands, Friends of the Chicago River, and Victory Gardens Theater. Lois is also an engaged supporter of National Geographic. Lois received her undergraduate degree from Penn and her MES/MBA from Yale. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Justin Daab, two college-age daughters, and their dog, Milo. 

Haydi Boething Danielson ’85 MES/MPPM 

Secretary 
Santa Cruz, CA   
1^st term ends in 2027 

Haydi grew up on a tree nursery near Los Angeles, where she and her three sisters learned to work hard and love nature. She earned joint MFS and MPPM degrees as one of the first graduates of the program and began her career as a financial analyst at Westvaco in New York. After marrying Damon, a fellow SOM alum, she returned to California to work in her family's nursery business, one of the largest in the West, and also contributed to Monrovia Nursery's quality management efforts. 

Haydi has served on various boards in the nursery and urban forestry fields, including the California Urban Forestry Advisory Council and the Nursery Growers Association, where she was board president. Now retired, she enjoys golf, tennis, and supporting nonprofits such as the Nicaragua College Fund, Free Guitars 4 Kids, and the Rotary Club of Woodside/Portola Valley.  

Eva Mueller ’84 MF

At Large Executive Committee Member 
Rome, Italy
Additional languages: German, Italian, French
1^st term ends in 2026

Eva became a forestry professional at Yale at a time when, in her home country Germany, there were practically no women in forestry. The School was the starting point for an international career that took her to five continents while she moved from field-based work in developing countries to global leadership positions. Her work focused on forest policy and governance, particularly in the context of addressing food security, poverty, biodiversity loss and climate change. 

Currently she is an international consultant after retiring from her last position as Director General of Forests, Sustainability and Renewable Resources of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (2019 – 2021). Before joining the German Government, she spent fourteen years with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome where she was Director of Forestry Policy and Resources. Previous assignments included three years with the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) in Japan, ten years with the German Agency for International Development (GIZ) in Costa Rica, one year with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Kenya and two years with CARE International in Rwanda. 

Tendro Tondrasoa Ramaharitra ’05 MESc 

At Large Executive Committee Member 
North Port- Sarasota, FL/ Madagascar 
Additional languages: Malagasy
1^st term ends in 2027 

Dr. Tendro Tondrasoa is an environmental scientist and adjunct professor at the State College of Florida, Bradenton. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, with extensive international experience in environmental conservation and disease ecology, particularly in West Africa and Madagascar. 

Dr. Tondrasoa is the Vice President and founder of Diffusion Global Inc., a Florida-based non-profit organization. Since 2019, he has served as a lead expert for Yale's ELTI program. Additionally, he worked as a Senior Communications Officer with the United Nations Development Programme, delivering ecosystem restoration courses to over 16,000 participants worldwide, focusing on climate change, sustainable practices, and environmental stewardship. 

 

Board Members

Paloma Caro ’16 MEM

Santiago, Chile
Additional languages: Spanish 
2nd term ends in 2026

Paloma is a consultant for landscapes and forest policy issues in international development, and has experience in different countries, sectors, and topics of Latin America. As a consultant, she has worked with teams researching, and supporting environmental projects on capacity building, rural development, and global environmental policy and governance. Currently, Paloma works at the World Bank, and prior to joining the organization, she worked for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and WWF at their Chile offices. Paloma studied Agronomy in the Universidad Católica de Chile, and holds a Master of Environmental Management from YSE.

While at Yale, she supported several efforts to create platforms that foster broader connections and dialogue, including the Conference on Sustainable Development in LAC and the Graduate Latinx Network.

Shafqat Hussain ’02 MEM, ’09 PhD

New Haven, CT 
2^nd term ends in 2026 

Shafqat is a professor at Trinity College where he teaches environmental anthropology. Most of his work is focused on understanding the social dimensions of conservation, specifically snow leopard conservation in northern Pakistan. A resident of New Haven, he has been active in the Environmental Leadership Mentoring Program and has participated in the annual YSE Reunion Weekend. During his time on the board, Shafqat intends to support efforts to increase the diversity of representation at YSE at every level, as well as opportunities for collaboration between the YSE Alumni. 

Cameron McKenzie 

Newton, NJ 
Appointed term ends in 2027

Cameron is a research associate with the Yale Applied Science Synthesis Program, where he analyzes the data and design of natural climate solutions projects to identify ways to strengthen credibility and build trust in carbon markets.

He previously served as a Presidential Management Fellow and Community Engagement Specialist with the USDA Forest Service, leading efforts across 20 states in the Midwest and Northeast to connect communities to nature and support co-stewardship of cultural and natural resources. Earlier, he worked with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s urban reforestation program and led community-based environmental stewardship and education initiatives with AmeriCorps and Engineers Without Borders.

While at Yale School of the Environment, Cameron researched canopy ecology in tropical montane cloud forests through the Tropical Resources Institute and Institute for Biospheric Studies. He also served as a Green and Equitable Workforce Development Fellow with the Yale Center for Environmental Justice.

Cameron holds a BSE in Chemical and Biological Engineering from Princeton University, completed Yale’s Environmental Leadership and Training Initiative certificate in Tropical Forest Restoration, and serves on the board of Yale Blue Green.

Monica Nuñez Salas ’18 MEM

Twin Cities, MN / Lima, Perú
Additional languages: Spanish and Mandarin
2^nd term ends in 2026

Twin Cities, MN / Lima, PerúMonica is a Political Ecology PhD student at the University of Minnesota Department of Geography. Formerly a professor at Universidad del Pacífico (Perú), where she taught Environmental Law and started an Environmental Management Clinic. Trained as a lawyer, Monica has worked in international development and capacity building through projects with USAID, UNDP, UNEP, the World Bank, and government entities in South America and South Asia. Her doctoral research focuses on the social and environmental effects of the collaboration between China and Latin America. Monica looks forward to connecting our international community of alumni, and contributing to a student community that reflects a wide range of experiences and viewpoints.

Phil Rigdon ’02 MF

Washington State 
2^nd term ends in 2026 

Phil Rigdon is a member of the Yakama Nation, a tribe in Southcentral Washington State. He has served for over fifteen years as the Superintendent of the Yakama Nation Department Natural Resources, where he has overseen a wide range of programs spanning forestry, fisheries, wildlife, water, and environmental protection.

Phil began his career as a wildland firefighter and went on to build extensive experience across natural resource management, including salmon recovery, water rights, and climate-related challenges. His work reflects the Yakama Nation’s leadership in treaty rights and resource stewardship, particularly in regional efforts to restore salmon populations and protect culturally significant lands and waters.                 

James Souder ’18 MEM 

Barcelona, Spain  
1^st term ends in 2027 

Originally from Virginia, James has a background in environmental and social sustainability, with experience in NGOs focused on urban gardening, food waste reduction, peacebuilding, and climate action. His work emphasizes  applying systems thinking and science-based methods to meet human needs within planetary boundaries. After studying industrial ecology and green design at YSE, James moved to Amsterdam to work with Metabolic, a global systems change agency focused on circular economy solutions. 

James is currently based in Barcelona, studying Degrowth, Environmental Justice, and Political Ecology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

James is also deeply involved in community activities. He is an avid photographer, singer, and saxophone player. He is passionate about strengthening international alumni connections and advancing inclusion within the YSE community. He aims to bridge the gap between current students and alumni, ensuring their diverse needs and interests are reflected in YSE’s priorities.

Jim Spencer ’95 MEM

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 
Appointed term ends in 2026 

Jim Spencer is Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School at Louisiana State University and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the East West Center. His scholarship focuses on urban and environmental planning and policy, with a particular focus on land use and pandemics; community-based water supplies & infrastructure; globalization; and urban inequality. 

Prior to his academic career, Jim held staff positions at the Ford Foundation and non-profit organizations working on community development. He holds a B.A. from Amherst College, a Masters of Environmental Management from Yale University, and a PhD from UCLA in Urban Planning. 

Jim is honored to serve on the YSE Alumni Association Board, especially as it relates to how the school can support an increasingly diverse nation and world of decision-makers to manage our growing environmental challenges. Serving as an academic leader in the fields of urban & regional planning, as well as real estate and community development, he is enthusiastic about helping YSE find that increasingly needed link between scholarly excellence and practical impact. 

Student Representatives

Shira Lyss-Loren ’27 MEM 

First Year Student Representative
New Haven, CT / Seattle, WA 
Additional languages: Spanish

Shira has a background in climate strategy, with experience spanning corporate sustainability, partnership development, and systems-based approaches to decarbonization. Her work focuses on advancing operational change that builds business, community, and ecosystem resilience.

At YSE, Shira is deepening her skills in climate and financial modeling, corporate sustainability, and data analysis. Her broader interests include circular economy solutions, integrating climate and nature-related risks into business strategy, and strengthening collaboration across sectors to drive systems-level change.

Zoe Kanga ’24 YC, ’26 MEM5

Second Year Student Representative
New Haven, CT / New Orleans, LA 
Additional languages: Mandarin and French

Zoe is a graduate of Yale College, where she studied Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Justice and earned a certificate in advanced Chinese.

Growing up in New Orleans, her work is shaped by a deep interest in environmental justice, including research on Cancer Alley, the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal, and Indigenous food systems. She is currently an Environmental Justice Community Fellow at the Yale Center for Environmental Justice.

Her broader interests include global sustainable development, corporate sustainability, and international affairs.

Paige Wagar ’27 MF/JD

Joint Student Representative
New Haven, CT
Additional languages: Mandarin and French

Paige Wagar ’27 MF/JD is a dual-degree Master of Forestry and JD student dedicated to using law as a tool to connect people to place. Her professional and academic interests center on federal public land management, conservation real estate, and easement negotiations, with a personal passion for trails and uphill running.

Her experience includes work with the National Park Service and in conservation-focused legal and land management, where she has engaged in public lands stewardship and conservation transactions.

Paige is especially motivated by fostering meaningful engagement across generations of environmental professionals.

If you would like to connect with a member of the YSE Alumni Association Board, please email the YSE Office of Development and Alumni Services for contact info.