80 FR 19085 - Announcement of the Board of Directors for the National Environmental Education Foundation

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 68 (April 9, 2015)

The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation (doing business as The National Environmental Education Foundation or NEEF) was created by Section 10 of Public Law 101-619, the National Environmental Education Act of 1990. It is a private 501(c)(3) non- profit organization established to promote and support education and training as necessary tools to further environmental protection and sustainable, environmentally sound development. It provides the common ground upon which leaders from business and industry, all levels of government, public interest groups, and others can work cooperatively to expand the reach of environmental education and training programs beyond the traditional classroom. The Foundation promotes innovative environmental education and training programs such as environmental education for medical healthcare providers and broadcast meteorologists; it also develops partnerships with government and other organizations to administer projects that promote the development of an environmentally literal public. The Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as required by the terms of the Act, announces the following appointment to the National Environmental Education Foundation Board of Directors. The appointee is Ms. Jeniffer Harper-Taylor, president of the Siemens Foundation, where she leads one of the nation's preeminent nonprofit organizations dedicated to STEM education.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 68 (Thursday, April 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19085-19086]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08214]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-9925-98-OA]


Announcement of the Board of Directors for the National 
Environmental Education Foundation

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency; Office of External Affairs and 
Environmental Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation 
(doing business as The National Environmental Education Foundation or 
NEEF) was created by Section 10 of Public Law 101-619, the National 
Environmental Education Act of 1990. It is a private 501(c)(3) non-
profit organization established to promote and support education and 
training as necessary tools to further environmental protection and 
sustainable, environmentally sound development. It provides the common 
ground upon which leaders from business and industry, all levels of 
government, public interest groups, and others can work cooperatively 
to expand the reach of environmental education and training programs 
beyond the traditional classroom. The Foundation promotes innovative 
environmental education and training programs such as environmental 
education for medical healthcare providers and broadcast 
meteorologists; it also develops partnerships with government and other 
organizations to administer projects that promote the development of an 
environmentally literal public. The Administrator of the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, as required by the terms of the Act, 
announces the following appointment to the National Environmental 
Education Foundation Board of Directors. The appointee is Ms. Jeniffer 
Harper-Taylor, president of the Siemens Foundation, where she leads one 
of the nation's preeminent nonprofit organizations dedicated to STEM 
education.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding this Notice 
of Appointment, please contact Mr. Brian Bond, Senior Advisor to the 
Administrator for Public Engagement, U.S. EPA 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. 
NW., Washington, DC 20460. General information concerning NEEF can be 
found on their Web site at: http://www.neefusa.org.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Additional Considerations: Great care has been taken to assure that 
this new appointee not only has the highest degree of expertise and 
commitment, but also brings to the Board diverse points of view 
relating to environmental education. This appointment is a four-year 
term which may be renewed once for an additional four years pending 
successful re-election by the NEEF nominating committee.
    This appointee will join the current Board members which include:
     Decker Anstrom (NEEF Chairman) Former U.S. Ambassador, 
Retired Chairman, The Weather Channel Companies.
     Diane Wood (NEEF Secretary) President, National 
Environmental Education Foundation.
     Carlos Alcazar, Founder and Chairman, Culture ONE World.
     Megan Reilly Cayten, Co-Founder and Chief Executive 
Officer, Catrinka, LLC.
     David M. Kiser, Vice President, Environment, Health, 
Safety and Sustainability, International Paper.
     Wonya Lucas, President, Lucas Strategic Consulting.
     Shannon Schuyler, Principal, Corporate Responsibility 
Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
     Jacqueline M. Thomas, Vice President of Corporate 
Responsibility, Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.
     Raul Perea-Henze, MD, MPH, Managing Director, HORUS 
Advisors, Washington, DC.
     George Basile, Ph.D., Professor, School of Sustainability, 
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.
    Background: Section 10(a) of the National Environmental Education 
Act of 1990 mandates a National Environmental Education Foundation. The 
Foundation is established in order to extend the contribution of 
environmental education and training to meeting critical environmental 
protection needs, both in this country and internationally; to 
facilitate the cooperation, coordination, and contribution of public 
and private resources to create an environmentally advanced educational 
system; and to foster an open and effective partnership among Federal, 
State, and local government, business, industry, academic institutions, 
community based environmental groups, and international organizations.
    The Foundation is a charitable and nonprofit corporation whose 
income is exempt from tax, and donations to which are tax deductible to 
the same extent as those organizations listed pursuant to section 
501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The Foundation is not an 
agency or establishment of the United States. The purposes of the 
Foundation are--
    (A) subject to the limitation contained in the final sentence of 
subsection (d) herein, to encourage, accept, leverage, and administer 
private gifts for the benefit of, or in connection with, the 
environmental education and training activities and services of the 
United States Environmental Protection Agency;
    (B) to conduct such other environmental education activities as 
will further the development of an environmentally conscious and 
responsible public, a well-trained and environmentally literate 
workforce, and an environmentally advanced educational system;
    (C) to participate with foreign entities and individuals in the 
conduct and coordination of activities that will further opportunities 
for environmental education and training to address environmental 
issues and problems involving the United States and Canada or Mexico.

[[Page 19086]]

    The Foundation develops, supports, and/or operates programs and 
projects to educate and train educational and environmental 
professionals, and to assist them in the development and delivery of 
environmental education and training programs and studies.
    The Foundation has a governing Board of Directors (hereafter 
referred to in this section as `the Board'), which consists of 13 
directors, each of whom shall be knowledgeable or experienced in the 
environment, education and/or training. The Board oversees the 
activities of the Foundation and assures that the activities of the 
Foundation are consistent with the environmental and education goals 
and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency and with the 
intents and purposes of the Act. The membership of the Board, to the 
extent practicable, represents diverse points of view relating to 
environmental education and training. Members of the Board are 
appointed by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
    Within 90 days of the date of the enactment of the National 
Environmental Education Act, and as appropriate thereafter, the 
Administrator will publish in the Federal Register an announcement of 
appointments of Directors of the Board. Such appointments become final 
and effective 90 days after publication in the Federal Register. The 
directors are appointed for terms of 4 years. The Administrator shall 
appoint an individual to serve as a director in the event of a vacancy 
on the Board within 60 days of said vacancy in the manner in which the 
original appointment was made. No individual may serve more than 2 
consecutive terms as a director.

    Dated: April 2, 2015.
Gina McCarthy,
Administrator.

Jeniffer Harper-Taylor

    As President of the Siemens Foundation, Ms. Harper-Taylor leads one 
of the nation's preeminent nonprofit organizations dedicated to STEM 
education. During more than a decade of service she has impacted 
students, teachers and schools on a national scale, introducing tens of 
thousands of young people to opportunities in STEM. Today she oversees 
an annual investment of more than $7 million in innovative education 
programs that support, recognize and encourage the scientists and 
engineers of tomorrow.
    Ms. Harper-Taylor joined Siemens in 1999 as a university 
recruitment manager. She then joined the Siemens Foundation as Program 
Manager in March 2000, subsequently serving as Program Director and 
Vice President before being named President in March 2010. Throughout 
her tenure she has spearheaded partnerships with such education leaders 
as the College Board, Discovery Education, the National Science 
Teachers Association and Oak Ridge Associated Universities to broaden 
the reach and impact of the Foundation's programs.
    Ms. Harper-Taylor is a charter member of the Advisory Board for the 
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Office for 
Access and the Advancement of Public Black Universities. She also 
serves on The Conference Board's Contributions Council, a group 
dedicated to advancing the practice of corporate philanthropy. 
Previously, she served as the Diversity Council Chairperson for Siemens 
Corporation, USA.
    Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Ms. Harper-Taylor has played 
an active role in various community organizations in her hometown, 
including the Atlanta chapter of Big Brothers and Big Sisters and 
membership in the NAACP and Urban League. She takes pride in the legacy 
of Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a graduate of 
Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she earned her 
Bachelor's degree.
[FR Doc. 2015-08214 Filed 4-8-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6560-50-P