Faculty Bios  

Academic Director: Dr. Angie Moline 

Angie Moline is the director of the Dorrance Summer Conservation Experience and a Lecturer in Environmental Science at Northern Arizona University.  She is an aquatic ecologist and her research focuses on the conservation and management of desert streams and springs. Angie weaves the landscape and ecology of the Colorado Plateau throughout her classes because students demonstrate a deeper level of understanding when academic topics are connected to this fascinating place. She has taught field-based courses across the western USA and Mexico for NAU, the Wild Rockies Field Institute, Prescott College, and Outward Bound.

Dr. George “Wolf” Gumerman 

Wolf Gumerman, Director of the University Honors Program and Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University, is an archaeologist who applies his research to broader societal concerns, including collaborating with the Hopi Cultural Preservation Office to promote cultural preservation. Using archaeology and elder knowledge he connects Hopi youth with their past. The collaboration has produced four films and a museum exhibit that present the youth’s perspective on Hopi culture and history. Wolf also has a strong interest in food and culture stemming from his 20 years of research on the north coast of Peru and from his interest in sustainable food systems. He is Co-founder and past Co-editor for the Journal Heritage Management and publishes primarily on topics related to prehistoric foodways. Wolf teaches a range of interactive courses on composition and literature, archaeology, theory, human evolution, and food and culture.

Dr. Kelley Hays-Gilpin 

Kelley Hays-Gilpin is Professor of Anthropology at Northern Arizona University, and Curator of Anthropology at the Museum of Northern Arizona. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Arizona, and has nearly 30 years of experience studying rock art, pottery, and other visual arts in the Southwest. She has authored numerous articles and books, including Ambiguous Images: Gender and Rock Art (AltaMira Press), which won the 2005 Society for American Archaeology book award. Her current research focuses on the long-term histories of Hopi and Zuni communities and their relationships with land and water through the production of visual arts.

Jacob Fillion, M.A.

Mr. Fillion has over 30 years of experience working in both the public and private sectors and has a Masters degree in Education from George Washington University.  He is currently the Environmental Education Branch Chief and International Programs Coordinator at Grand Canyon National Park where he has been since early 1998.  At Grand Canyon Jacob has developed an interdisciplinary environmental education program that reaches over 50,000 young people annually through on-site curriculum-based programs, Junior Ranger programs, overnight camps and distance learning programs.  Most recently he has begun developing international programs for Grand Canyon; he was instrumental in establishing Grand Canyon National Park’s first sister park – Yuntaishan World Geopark in China.  Prior to working with the Park Service he worked in Washington DC for 15 years, 10 years for the Peace Corps as the Environment Sector Specialist in the Office of Training and Program Support working on projects in Central and South America, Eastern and Central Europe, Africa and the Pacific Islands.  Jacob was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay from 1979 – 1982 as an agricultural extension agent.  In the private sector Mr. Fillion was the Director of Education and Programs at the Engineers and Surveyors Institute in northern Virginia and an instructional systems designer for a small consulting firm in Washington, DC.

Wayne Ranney 

Wayne Ranney’s passion for Southwest geology took root during his years as a backcountry ranger in the Grand Canyon. As a geologic interpreter, Wayne leads and participates in geology-oriented river trips, backpack adventures, and international expeditions. Wayne is the author of three award-winning books and numerous popular articles. He has written for Arizona Highways, Sedona Magazine, and Earth Magazine. His three books, Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, Carving Grand Canyon, and Sedona Through Time have received numerous awards. There is nothing Wayne enjoys more than teaching in an outdoor classroom….

Dr. Thomas D. Sisk 

Tom Sisk, the Charles Olajos and Ted Goslow Endowed Chair of Environmental Science and Policy for the Southwest is an ecologist whose work focuses on three interrelated goals: improving our understanding of ongoing environmental change; engaging others in the challenges, societal relevance, and rewards of conservation; and helping to provide solutions to emerging problems facing policy makers and land managers. Tom has worked around the world developing a broad perspective on science, government, and the environment. His experiences provide insight into the relationship between science and management, as well as the challenges associated with translating sound science and progressive policy into on-the-ground action. Sisk’s laboratory group researches a broad range of topics related to the restoration and conservation of biodiversity and sensitive habitats, combining field study, geographic analysis, and spatial modeling. Tom’s courses in conservation biology, landscape ecology, and environmental policy and leadership emphasize theory in the natural and social sciences, and grounds student experience in field study and real-world applications. Tom serves on numerous advisory and editorial boards and is a certified Senior Ecologist of the Ecological Society of America and an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow.