BA, University of New Hampshire (English)
MA, Middlebury Institute of International Studies (International Environmental Policy)
MA, Middlebury Institute of International Studies (Public Administration)

Stephanie grew up in southern New Hampshire, where she developed a deep love for nature. During her summers, she spent time camping throughout New England and southern Canada, which fueled her fascination with humanity’s role in the natural world. She earned a Master’s in Public Administration and a second Master’s in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.

While pursuing her graduate studies, Stephanie worked with the North Fork Mono Tribe of the Yosemite Valley. From 2018 to 2022, she studied cultural burning practices and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) under Ron Goode, the Tribal Chairman of the North Fork Mono Tribe.

Stephanie was initially drawn to Pepperwood for its collaborative, science-based initiatives focused on fire and climate change in the North Bay. She appreciates the organization’s openness to Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and its commitment to integrating Indigenous science and perspectives into land stewardship. As an avid reader, writer, and learner, she is enthusiastic about her role in Communications at Pepperwood, particularly because there is so much important work being done to share.

Google Scholar Profile

List of Publications

Goode, R.W., Beard, S.F.* and Oraftik, C., 2022. Putting fire on the land: The Indigenous people spoke the language of ecology, and understood the connectedness and relationship between land, water, and fire. Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology, 42(1), pp.85-95.

*Published under maiden name, Beard