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QUALIFICATIONS
Strengths and attributes include :
- Extensive management, education and public relations experience non-profit settings especially with informal, community and neighborhood environmental and science education programs at state and local levels.
- Familiarity and involvement with environmental quality,
sustainability and sustainable development issues.
- Strong education curriculum, program design, teacher training,
and meeting facilitation skills.
- Longtime involvement with and knowledge of the environmental network
in Tennessee and the culture of the South.
- Knowledge in fund raising, grant writing, public relations,
and publication design arenas.
- Ability to empower volunteers, staff or others to work together to accomplish a goal and/or effect attitudinal or behavioral change.
- Experience and special interest in creating and implementing
new programs.
- Understanding of the ecological principals at work in ecosystems and the importance of preserving biodiversity with its connections to environmental sustainability for all life.
WORK HISTORY
Owner/Consultant, Kurtz Consultations 1987-Present
Provide services for non-profit environmental and education organizations, as well as small businesses and schools. Representative jobs include breakout group facilitation at environmental seminars and conferences, (e.g. Southeast Watershed Forums), curriculum design and teacher training for environmental education at schools, production of several activity/curriculum publications, design of sales and marketing brochures, landscape company purchasing, writing of text for a new website on air quality and ozone; design and implementation of workshop for volunteers to teach simple science concepts to elementary school children, coordinating award winning science mentor program for local Girl Scout council, clean air and media work at state and national levels (see above.)
Co-Director and Board member, Urban Century Institute 2005-Present
UCI works to develop, demonstrate and disseminate sustainable solutions. Several projects are underway including eco-industrial park development, biodiversity park creation, and building a 'green' neighborhood.
Clean Air Advocate, Tennessee Environmental Council (TEC) 2001-2002
Fulfilled TECs coalition responsibilities to promote clean air legislation at the Federal level to improve power plant emissions as part of the Tennessee Clean Air Task Force, a coalition of over a dozen Tennessee non-profit organizations. The Clean Air Task Force works closely with Clear the Air, a national non-profit organization in Washington D.C. The work involved Legislative visits, press conferences, promotion of editorials and letters to the editors as well as finding, educating and urging concerned citizens to contact their legislators.
State Representative, Tennessee National Environmental Trust 1999-2000
Working with Tennessee Environmental Council, a media campaign was mounted in Tennessee (along with 14 other states) centered around 3 television professionally produced ads that brought information and the need for action to the public concerning global warming. The work involved media contacts, conducting press conferences, meetings with editorial boards in key Tennessee cities, monitoring and reporting reactions, researching specific impacts of global warming for Tennessee, promoting letters to the editor, and coordinating a Pollution Solutions Tour featuring a solar powered Airstream trailer and alternative fuel vehicles for appearances in 3 major cities in Tennessee. After the media campaign, polls showed a slight increase in public awareness and belief that action needs to be taken by the government.
Campaign Manager Global Action Plan for the Earth, Inc. 1997-99
Initiated the Chattanooga Sustainable Lifestyle Campaign designed to empower citizens in neighborhoods to build community while taking actions which significantly increased natural resource savings in homes. Campaign is one of 6 campaigns in USA and the only one in the southeastern US. Through the campaign we involved volunteers in 300 households in 4-month programs to achieve behavioral change to benefit the environment. Financial support for local effort was secured from City Public Works, Scenic Cities Beautiful Commission, Chamber of Commerce, Air Pollution Control Bureau and EPA ($85,000 grant). Results were presented to both a National and a Southeast regional EPA Air Pollution Public Relations Conference. Job duties required fund raising and grant writing, recruitment and training strategies, coordination, meeting facilitation, plus scheduling and office management.
Adjunct Faculty Member UTC Department of Education 1992-95
Taught required basic course in Science Concepts to pre-service elementary teachers. Convened Lab Safety course for Science Education majors. Taught Introduction to Education summer course. Served as adjunct faculty representative for Dept. of Education on Adjunct Faculty Committee.
Education Specialist TVA Energy Center 1988-92
Designed curriculum and hands-on physical science activities as well as volunteer training programs for this new museum. Responsible for daily operations, programs and services for general public and teachers, and staff supervision. Trained Tennessee Valley Authority retirees as volunteers to conduct educational presentations in museum. Visitation: 25,000/yr.
Executive Director Chattanooga Nature Center 1982-86
Supervised all phases of this non-profit educational organization including management of $164,000 annual budget, publicity, membership, programs, building and grounds, community image, gift shop and special sales and other events. Staff of 10 (5 full time and 5 part-time); Nature and conservation educational programs served 34,000 visitors annually. Membership rose to 1700 during my tenure -- a 60% increase.
Education Coordinator Chattanooga Nature Center 1978-82
Developed and implemented the original curricula and environmental/natural history educational programming for this newly opening non-profit educational facility. Developed volunteer training program and trained naturalist staff of 2 as well as 30 volunteers annually to carry out the hands-on trail discovery activities for students at all levels. Conducted teacher training programs and workshops. Devised scheduling procedures for visitor registration, designed the teacher informational brochure distributed to area schools, and produced the monthly membership newsletter. Annual student visitation rose from 10,000 to 25,000.
EDUCATION
MA Education Administration & Supervision
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) 1991
Environmental Education - 9 hours graduate credit
UTC & Roane State Community College, Harriman TN 1976-1977
BA Elementary Education
Berea College, Berea KY 1967
INTERESTS & ACTIVITIES
Nuclear Free Advocacy and Climate Change
Sandy Kurtz has long been concerned about the negative impacts of nuclear power especially since Chattanooga is the most impacted by the seven nuclear reactors Tennessee Valley Authority VA operates. When TVA proposed completing previously cancelled reactors in Hollywood, Alabama just south of Chattanooga, a new group was formed to oppose this action in 2005. Bellefonte Environmental & Sustainability Team (BEST) was formed as a chapter of Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL). Dubbed the ‘zombie reactors’, it was the chapter’s grassroots organizing and training that brought citizen and media outcry to TVA attention. The plans were abandoned. Sandy went on to serve as BREDL Co-President until 2022. Currently she is a member of the National Sierra Club Nuclear Free team.
In 2015 she attended the Paris COP21 Conference with her granddaughter and continues to work on climate change issues primarily through Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light. She is a leader in implementation of Chattanooga’s Climate Action Plan.
Founding member, Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team 2008
Facilitator for the Chattanooga chapter of Tennessee Interfaith Power & Light
Founding member of Coho, Inc., a group establishing an intentional community in Chattanooga.
Public Interest Environmental Symposium 2002 Focus Group member/event planner
TVA Green Power Steering Committee member (representing environmental interests)
Tennessee Environmental Council Board of Directors, Secretary
Chairperson, South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance
Trust for Public Land Greenways Task Force Member, Chattanooga Project
Tennessee Environmental Education Association, founding member; past board president,
publications chairman, state conference chair; 2002 state conference committee member
Chattanooga Environmental Education Alliance member, Chattanooga Earth Day 2000 Co-Chairman
Chattanooga Environmental City Task Force member
AWARDS RECEIVED
Winner of Waterways' Big Splash Award as a “Community Water Champion" 2024
Tennessee Environmental Education Distinguished Service Award 2002
Environmental City Task Force 2002 Enviro-Hero
Moccasin Bend Girl Scout Council Appreciation Pin for coordination of
Eco-Island environmental science and math program for Brownie Scouts
Chattanooga Scenic Cities Beautiful Commission Community Betterment Award 1995
Tennessee Environmental Education Association contributions to environmental education 1983, 1985
Outstanding Young Woman of America 1978
Outstanding Senior Woman, Berea College 1966
Tennessee Environmental Protection, from Tennessee Environmental Council 2007
References available upon request
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