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Board of Trustees

Who We Are

  • Joseph K. Sheldon, Ph.D. - Chair
    Joseph K. Sheldon, Ph.D. - Chair

    Joe retired after 36 years of teaching and research at Eastern University and then Messiah University. He served on the summer faculty of Au Sable institute from 1987 – 2009. Joe and his wife Donna moved to Whidbey Island in 2007 where they built and now live in an award-winning green home adjacent to the Pacific Rim campus. His published works are on insect ecology and Christian environmental stewardship (two books and numerous articles). When Au Sable Institute launched their Pacific Rim campus in 1997, Joe taught the Field Biology of the Pacific Northwest from 1997-2009. He served as founding Vice Chair of the PRI board from 2009 – 2015 and returned to the PRI board in 2023. Joe loves leading field trips to enjoy Creation – birds, insects, and…. See you in the field!

  • Eric Steinkamp - Vice Chair
    Eric Steinkamp - Vice Chair

    Dr. Eric Steinkamp is a professor of Life Sciences at Northwest University in Kirkland, WA.

  • Teresa Ellis
    Teresa Ellis

    Teresa, a long term volunteer at PRI has served as Treasurer in 2019 and 2020. She is a member of the Coupeville Lions Club and is active in many community based and charitable events on Whidbey Island. Teresa also served as the President of the Penn Cove Water Festival.

  • Ioana Popescu, Ph.D. - Trustee
    Ioana Popescu, Ph.D. - Trustee

    Ioana is a Biology professor at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri since 2001 and was a visiting professor at Whitworth University in Spokane in 1999-2000. She taught Field and Systematic Botany at Pacific Rim several summers between 2004-2010. For 15 years Ioana and her husband George Gibeau volunteer 1-3 months every summer PRI helping with a variety of projects, while enjoying great times with the people, plants, and places on Whidbey Island and the Puget Sound. Ioana is the curator of PRI's Herbarium Collection.

  • Ron Bodamer -Treasure
  • Allie Choi
  • Jim Peskuric
    Jim Peskuric

    Jim lives in Coupeville and spends much of his time volunteering for non-profit organizations that focus on environmental science, education and habitat restoration. He is an Island County Master Gardener and a Sound Water Steward with ties to several other local non-profits. Jim has volunteered at Pacific Rim Institute since 2019 and brings his connections to the community, environmental stewardship, forestry and program management to the board.

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