Kathryn C. Ferge
Echo,USA
Overview
38
38
years of professional experience
Work History
State Tribal Liaison/Outreach & Beginning Farmer Rancher Coordinator
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
10.2011 - 10.2022
- Build relationships on behalf of Oregon NRCS to strengthen outreach and service to federally recognized Indian tribes, historically underserved audiences, beginning farmer ranchers, urban producers as well other identified socially disadvantaged producers
- Analyzes service underserved audiences and tribes, identifying barriers to program participation; develops and implements strategies to enhance service and ensure equity
- Initiates contacts and builds cooperative relationships with tribal groups and organizations, introducing these groups into the planning process and facilitating their input for effective implementation of programs
- Led the effort to expanded tribal engagement from four tribes to all nine Oregon tribes; established a Tribal Advisory Council that meets regularly with state leadership; engage tribal partners with other technical resources; coordinate with national tribal organizations for service and outreach
- Provides grant assistance to Oregon Leadership, includes developing white papers highlighting key components of new USDA grants to assist leadership in outreach messaging; tracking tribal grant awards and other awards to nontraditional audiences
- Develops and conducts research to determine outreach needs for key tribal and underserved audiences; provides guidance to leadership on necessary improvements and implements approved actions
- Provide leadership for FPAC Trainings: team developing communications with customers course, teaching cadre for Extending Outreach to All Customers, facilitate Oregon Working Effectively with American Indians developed course in conjunction with Tribal Advisory Council, hosted Working Effectively with Hispanic Producers
- Leads development and implementation of the state Outreach Plan, guiding the work of the Public Affairs, Partnership, Outreach team in exploring opportunities to broaden engagement with tribal partners, and all nontraditional farmer and ranchers, including urban producer. This includes coordinating activities with FPAC agencies and Rural Development when appropriate
- Leads outreach to high school-based agricultural and natural resource programming, such as FFA, to encourage interest in agricultural NRCS and USDA careers, with special emphasis on tribal students
- Maintains key working relationships with state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and other partner groups to leverage NRCS programming and funding and to promote an all-lands approach to natural resource management
- State lead for new national programming for FPAC/RD Beginning Farmer Rancher Coordinator and POC for Urban Ag
- Special Projects: Lead initial PL 566 Watershed Planning effort serving a 5-month collateral duty as coordinator and served as District Conservationist on a 3-month detail as Wasco Co
Acting District Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
04.2011 - 10.2011
- Detailed as lead to the largest field office in Oregon, providing oversight to a staff that managed 441 active contracts, on 32,155 acres
- Led a team of three planners, three technicians and three students/interns
- Dismissed and hired temporary staff
- Guided staff to meet imminent deadlines to secure additional funding
- Developed 95 Conservation Reserve plans, secured approximately $150,00 in extra funding for various NRCS programming
- Developed a team environment, clearly outlining the roles of temporary staff; developed a guide to differentiate the roles of conservation planners and temporary staff
- Mediated disputes from clients with planning or contracting issues
Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Coordinator
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
01.2008 - 03.2011
- Guided the work of the Columbia Blue Mountain RC&D, providing leadership and technical support a volunteer, non-profit board of directors, comprised of representatives from county government, port authorities, county soil and water conservation districts, and local tribes serving the counties of the John Day/Umatilla Basins
- Developed a five-year, strategic plan to guide Council work, including, expanding service to regional tribes, including garnering the first tribal member to sit on the Council
- Tracked regional community, economic and environmental trends and developing recommendations on how the Council could address those needs; incorporated outreach to tribes and underserved and socially disadvantaged groups
- Provided oversight for approximately 45 rural development projects covering a variety of fields, such as rural entrepreneurial development, juniper biomass utilization, ag energy efficiency, invasive weeds educational programming, watershed restoration, and irrigation systems improvement
- Guided the fiscal management for the council, developing and tracking annual budgets, writing and administering grants and developing coalitions to further Council resources; including fund raising; in just over three years led the Council in raising over $1 million for their project portfolio
- Expanded opportunities for underserved agricultural producers by developing the Value-added Producers program
- Managed part-time staff, student interns and project-specific volunteers. This included providing oversight to Resource Assistance for Rural Environment (RARE) interns to conduct outreach activities to small and underserved farmers, including Hispanic and tribal farmers. The work of two of the interns was presented to the NRCS state leadership team
Business Writing
Self-Employed
01.2001 - 01.2003
- Provided natural resource-based economic development services, assisting individuals and businesses working in agricultural or related industries
- Key projects included, but were not limited to: Writer and Editor of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP). A collaboration with representatives from various natural resource related departments to synthesize plans with bearing on the WQMP for a comprehensive plan that honored past and current water management efforts
- Coordinated service for the Umatilla County Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Steering Committee, incl guiding a 14-member volunteer committee in the development of a multi-faceted commemorative effort, which included collaboration with the Confederate Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, ensuring events and materials adequately portrayed the historical significance of tribal engagement with the Corp.
Public Relations and Marketing Director
Blue Mountain Community College
11.1988 - 01.2003
- Led public relations and marketing activities for the BMCC service district that included Umatilla, Morrow and Baker counties, with satellite services in Grant and Union counties
- Cultivated collaborative relationships with the Board, leadership, faculty and staff to enhance marketing efforts and student experience
- Analyzed demographic trends within the region to ensure outreach efforts spoke to the audiences within the region, including Hispanic and tribal communities, and non-traditional
- Developed promotional and commemorative events; coordinated participation in community events; fostered positive relationships with a variety of community agencies, business, and organizations
- Developed various publications such as the schedule of classes, college catalog and promotional materials
- Built positive relationships with newspaper, radio and television representatives wrote press releases, public service announcements and articles, developed advertisements
- Administered the departmental budget, coordinated funds allocated from other sources
- Organized and coordinated funding and informational campaigns, the largest of which was the $15.7 million bond campaign
- Led the development, training, and implementation of a team-based departmental relationship marketing plan; included collaborating with 20 diverse departments
- Collaborated with college instructors and staff to develop the first college web site
Public Relations and Writing Business
Self-Employed
05.1984 - 11.1988
- Developed a writing and public relations business serving the agriculture and natural resource community
- Provided public relations services for organizations such as the Oregon Watershed Improvement Coalition (OWIC), the NW Center for Holistic Resource Management, Country Natural Beef, Sherman County Soil and Water Conservation Service
- Wrote for print media such as Capital Press, Agri-times Northwest, The Dalles Chronicle
- Assisted Allan Savory and the Savory Center in promoting Holistic Resource Management
- OWIC hosted then Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt
Education
MA - Business Communications
Jones International University
Centennial, Colorado01.2003
BA - Technical Journalism, General Agriculture Minor
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon06.1983
Skills
- Flair for developing high functioning partnerships between NRCS and tribal partners
- Skilled facilitator, includes meeting & workshop planning, organization and hosting
- Success in working with contentious personalities
- Proficient grant writer and manager and fundraiser
Affiliations
- Echo FFA Alumnus
- Oregon FFA Alumnus
- Oregon Women for Agriculture
Instructor Course Developer
- Communication Skills for Conservation Professionals, 2021
- Extending Outreach, 2019
- Oregon Working Effectively with American Indians, 2019
Training
- Oregon State University Small Farms Conference, 2022
- Oregon Community Food Systems Beginning Farmer Rancher Convening, 2021
- National Beginning Farmer Rancher Training, 2020
- Coos, Lower Umpqua, Siuslaw Tribe History & Culture Training for Agencies, 2018
Special Skills And Abilities
- Flexible. Served three details and one major special project in 10 years working for NRCS.
- Trained facilitator, including Portland State University Lean Training.
- Flair for developing high functioning, diverse collaboratives.
- Demonstrated success in working with contentious, sometimes volatile personalities.
Timeline
State Tribal Liaison/Outreach & Beginning Farmer Rancher Coordinator
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
10.2011 - 10.2022
Acting District Conservationist
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
04.2011 - 10.2011
Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Coordinator
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
01.2008 - 03.2011
Business Writing
Self-Employed
01.2001 - 01.2003
Public Relations and Marketing Director
Blue Mountain Community College
11.1988 - 01.2003
Public Relations and Writing Business
Self-Employed
05.1984 - 11.1988
BA - Technical Journalism, General Agriculture Minor
Oregon State University
MA - Business Communications
Jones International University
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