Plenary Speakers

Donna Cassese, Government Relations Consultant, Sappi 

Donna worked for Sappi for over 40 years with diverse roles in forestry, operations, and manufacturing. After nearly 15 years as a forester in both Maine and Alabama she transitioned into managerial roles in the Woodyard, Waste Treatment, Pulp Sales, and Human Resources at the Somerset Mill in Skowhegan, Maine. Donna then held the position of Plant Manager at Sappi's Allentown, PA converting facility before transitioning into the Supply Chain group at the Somerset Mill. In 2006 Donna became the Director of Inside Sales for North American Operations and in 2008 assumed responsibility for the Westbrook Mill as Managing Director. In 2014 Donna returned to forestry as Director of Wood Supply Strategy for Sappi’s mills in Maine and Minnesota. Now retired she currently works as a consultant for Sappi leading government relations work in Maine. Donna graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. in Forest Management and in 2017 received the School of Forest Resources Distinguished Alumna Award.

Marianne Patinelli-Dubay, Environmental Philosophy Program, SUNY-ESF

Marianne leads the Environmental Philosophy Program at SUNY-ESF’s Huntington Wildlife Forest. She is primarily focused on developing educational programs in ethics, applied directly to forestry and land management professions. Initiatives in this program bridge humanities content with field knowledge in order to understand the relationship between scientific research and the policy it advances, and to address the issues that arise from the impacts of science on human and non-human communities. Marianne serves as Chair Elect of the SAF Adirondack Chapter and the national History and Philosophy Working Group. Every aspect of her work is in service to an optimistic future for forests and the communities that they sustain.