Forestry Women Who Rock: Molly Pitts - Episode 25

Talking Forests

Molly Pitts appeared on the America's Forests with Chuck Leavell PBS episode in Colorado check it out (http://www.americasforestswithchuckleavell.com/watch/episode-2-colorado)!

Molly Pitts was born and raised in the White Mountains of Arizona and later attended college at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. She graduated in 1998 with a BS in Forestry. Shortly after graduation, she was hired to work as a woodland forester for the White Mountain Apache Tribe. She worked full-time until starting her family in 2002 and then worked part-time until the fall of 2004, when she was hired as the Executive Director for the Northern Arizona Wood Products Association (NAWPA). NAWPA is a non-profit trade association that promotes forest restoration and wood utilization. Molly worked for NAWPA for 8 years, during which time she worked extensively on the White Mountain Stewardship Project, served as the Co-Chair for the Governor’s Forest Health Council, and was an active member of the 4FRI steering committee.

Starting in 2008, Molly also acted as a consultant for the Northland Pioneer College Small Business Development Center, where she worked with the forest industry businesses throughout Apache and Navajo County to assist with business plans, financing, grant writing, grant administration, and marketing/advertising. She also participated in the Workforce Development Taskforce, which was put together to look at increasing and training a skilled workforce for the local forest products industry. As part of this taskforce, Molly helped to develop, administer, and analyze a student survey to determine the interest in a natural resources program at the local community college level. Molly also researched various natural resources programs and outlined a framework for a new natural resources program for the college.

In January of 2012, Molly and her husband moved to Salida, Colorado so that Jim could take a District Ranger position with the USFS. Once settled, Molly started graduate school at Oregon State University and started volunteering with the local USFS. Molly graduated from OSU in the spring of 2014 with a Masters in Natural Resources. Upon graduation, Molly started her own consulting firm (Pitts Resource Consulting, LLC). Molly is currently the Rocky Mountain States Director for Healthy Forests, Healthy Communities, is serving as the Executive Director for the Colorado Timber Industry Association, and is the Colorado Programs Manager for Intermountain Forest Association.

Molly served as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Southwest Society of American Forests from 2007-2012 and as the Chapter Chair for the Southeast Colorado Chapter of the Colorado/Wyoming Society of American Foresters from 2012-2018. Molly and her husband Jim have two sons: Colby (age 16) and Caden (age 14) and two bird dogs. Molly is a very active person and enjoys camping, backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and in general spending time outdoors.

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