Bluegrass PRIDE-Personal Responsibility In a Desirable Environment

Executive Committee

	Craig Dawson, Executive Director of the Powell County Industrial Development Authority, serves as the Bluegrass Area Development District representative on Bluegrass PRIDE. As economic development director for Powell County, Mr. Dawson coordinates industrial development, main street renaissance, and tourism development initiatives in the area. Being home to Natural Bridge State Park, and the Red River Gorge, tourism is “big business” in Powell County. The appearance of the area is therefore important in presenting a positive image to tourists. As a result, Craig was instrumental in developing the Powell County PRIDE program approximately 5 years ago. Craig can be reached at (606) 663-2156 or via email at powellindustrial@bellsouth.net

	Kevin Kidd, a Senior Marketing Consultant at WKYT-TV in Lexington, was born and raised in western Kentucky, and spent his formative years learning to love and appreciate the outdoors in and around Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and the Ohio River. He is an avid outdoorsman, and enjoys hunting, fishing and camping. Kevin attended Union College and Eastern Kentucky University, and resides in Lexington. . He can be reached at (859) 566-1217, or via e-mail at kevin.kidd@wkyt.com

	Malissa McAlister serves as a Kentucky River Basin Coordinator through funding from the Kentucky River Authority. In this role, she provides assistance for local watershed improvement efforts through water quality data assessment, stream management recommendations, and grant project development. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Centre College and a master’s degree in environmental science from Indiana University-Bloomington. Malissa has also worked for the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, Kentucky Division of Water and as an environmental policy analyst at The Council of State Governments in Lexington. Malissa now lives close to her hometown of Danville with her husband, Richard, and two young sons, Alec and Iain. Her favorite activities include playing superheroes with her sons, enjoying the outdoors, and playing tennis. She can be reached at (859)548-8454 or by e-mail at mlmcal2@uky.edu.

	Bill Patrick is an attorney in Anderson County. His primary areas of concentration are criminal defense, real estate, domestic relations and civil litigation cases. Bill is a Kentucky native who received his bachelor degree from the University of Kentucky, his Masters of Business Administration from Eastern Kentucky University, and his Juris Doctor from Northern Kentucky University. Most of Bill’s free time is spent tending to his small farm, which is adjacent to his home on the Kentucky River. He also enjoys boating and skiing on the river with his 8-year old daughter, Alex. Bill serves as the Chair of the Bluegrass PRIDE Board, and he can be reached at (502) 839-4527 patrickfamily11@aol.com.

	Dea Riley, driley@rileymarket.com



	Jane Wilson Eller is currently Executive Director of the Kentucky Environmental Education Council, a state agency whose mission is to improve, increase and coordinate environmental education in the Commonwealth. She has held this position since 1995. Prior to 1995, she served as director of a child abuse prevention program and before that as associate director of a research center at the University of Kentucky. Ms. Eller holds a bachelor’s degree and two master degrees from the University of Kentucky. Ms. Eller is currently serving her second term as a member of the National Environmental Education Advisory Council, a federal commission that advises the EPA and Congress on issues related to environmental education. She is also a member of the State Education and Environment Roundtable, a consortium of 16 states that conducts research on the most effective strategies for teaching about the environment. She was recently appointed to the Certification Advisory Committee of the North American Association for Environmental Education. Ms. Eller is married to Dr. Ronald Eller, a Professor of History at the University of Kentucky. They have three children and two grandchildren and live in Fayette County. Jane currently serves as PRIDE's Vice Chair.

	Rachel Cole, Kentucky American Water rcole@kawc.com, 859/268-6307 Rachel currently serves as PRIDE's Secretary/Treasurer

	Kate Shanks serves as the representative of the Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet. She has been with the cabinet since 2003 as the agency’s environmental education coordinator. Kate provides guidance and assistance to educators within and outside the cabinet and has also served as the coordinator for Kentucky’s Earth Day campaign. She assisted in developing the Kentucky Green and Healthy Schools program and represented the cabinet during the revision of the state master plan for environmental education, Land, Legacy and Learning II. She is a certified environmental educator is also a board member of the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education. Prior to joining the cabinet she worked as a naturalist and park manager in Fayette County. She holds a B.S. in Natural Resource Conservation and Management and a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky. She lives in Frankfort with her husband, Greg. When not working they enjoy hiking, camping and backpacking together.