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With firm roots in environmental education and a passion for applying social science to answer sticky questions, Martha studies public perceptions, stakeholder values, and misconceptions to inform the development of messages, materials, programs, and training designed to increase engagement, foster hope, and strengthen capacity. Martha led the development and evaluation of Southeastern Forests and Climate Change, a secondary education module for Project Learning Tree, and its accompanying professional development workshops, training tools, and facilitator kit.

Her long-standing interest in facilitating strategies to engage the public in deliberative democracy was nurtured by her work with the Kettering Foundation’s Environmental Issues Forum activity with NAAEE in the late 1980’s, and she has used that experience to develop a community forum model that led to the approval of a woody biomass power plant in her region, and to develop a state-wide Extension program called Community Voices, Informed Choices (or CIVIC) for short, to lead deliberative and community actions to solve local problems. Martha is a past president and long time champion for NAAEE, and is a hallmark in environmental education research and practice.