The Team

Clint Patterson

Head Forester

Office Info:
Forester's Cabin
CPO: 2133
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: clint_patterson@berea.edu
Clint grew up in Illinois in the small towns of Brownstown and St. Elmo where he spent most of his time outdoors, exploring the land around him with his grandpa and step-dad. This time is what originally made Clint interested in forestry work. Appropriately, when Clint entered college, he decided to get his B.S. in Forestry at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and then his Master's degree in Forestry at the University of Kentucky. He was a District Forester for 9 years, and has been with Berea College's Forestry Department now for 7 years. A creative, big-picture thinker, Clint likes to draw and write, and finds an appreciation for the enchantment of forests, knowing that an open-minded approach to learning can break barriers and make new strides in fields of science such as forestry. Here at Berea, Clint loves working in the College Forest because of the beauty and history of this land and the enjoyment that other people can take from this place because of his work.

FORESTRY

Glen Dandeneau

Assistant Forester

Office Info:
Forester's Cabin
CPO 1771
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: glen_dandeneau@berea.edu
Glen Dandeneau is the Assistant Forester at Berea College. Born into a military family in Manchester, New Hampshire, Glen moved around a lot before settling in Berea, where he was lived for the past 34 years. Glen graduated from Berea College in 1987 with a B.A. in Agriculture. Glen loves reading, playing sports, and music. In fact, he's been in three separate bands, and even released two CDs! However, his love for the outdoors is what drew him to his eventual career in forestry. Glen says he is passionate about life, and he loves the work he does in the natural environment, getting to learn about the dynamic and complex biological world around him. Glen loves that his work in forestry allows him to work with so many people. As the department's labor supervisor, Glen works closely with labor students and enjoys learning from them and sharing his knowledge. Glen is a joyful, upbeat person and shares his joy wherever he goes!

Forestry, Flora, Fauna

John Abrams

Ecologist

Office: Forestry Outreach Center
CPO 2084
Phone: 859-756-3315
Email: john_abrams@berea.edu
John Abrams is a Berea native working at the Forestry Outreach Center as an ecologist. He attended Eastern Kentucky University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Wildlife Management. John has worked professionally on research involving bats, birds, and reptiles. In his free time, John enjoys hiking, birding, kayaking and just being outdoors. If you have any questions involving the wildlife or plant life of the forest, feel free to email him at john_abrams@berea.edu

Education, Hiking, Trees

Wendy Z. Warren

Forestry Outreach Center Director

Office Info:
Forestry Outreach Center
CPO: 2084
Phone: 859-756-6094
Email: wendy_warren@berea.edu Wendy Warren has been an interdisciplinary educator for over thirty years, working with kindergartners through graduate students. Wendy holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and currently serves as Director of the Forestry Outreach Center. She also works as Regional Seminar Coordinator for The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Education and Human Rights (TOLI). As a writer and educator for social and environmental justice, Wendy has published articles, book chapters, and is currently writing a book for publication by UK Press. Wendy notes the importance of a creative approach to education that creates conditions through which students might learn and practice empathy. Her dual focus on human diversity and biodiversity is a continual reminder that the world operates as an interconnected whole.

Education, Forestry

Abbie Phelps

Horse Care & Barn Technician

Office Info:
Horse Barn
CPO: 2133
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: phelpsa3@berea.edu
Abbie was born in Kentucky and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee. She returned to her birth state to attend Berea College, graduating in 2021 with a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources. During her studies, she focused on Equine Science. Abbie believes if we take care of horses, they will take care of us, and she applies this philosophy daily to her work with Berea College's nine equine employees.

FORESTRY

Forestry Horse Program

Kayla Zagray

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Office Info:
Forestry Outreach Center
CPO: 2084
Forestry Outreach Center
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: zagrayk@berea.edu
Kayla Zagray has a strong passion for animals and environmental education. Being from Ohio, Kayla attended Kent State University and earned a Bachelor's degree in Zoology. She completed two AmeriCorps service years are the Center before starting full-time in April of 2022.

Education, Outreach

Phil Vogel

College Forester

Office Info:
Forester's Cabin
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: vogelp@berea.edu
Phil and his wife Olivia live in Jessamine County. He studied Forestry at the University of Kentucky and went on to work for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Natural Resources Program as a nurseryman before coming to work with us as a Forestry Technician!! Phil currently volunteers as a groundskeeper for a church camp and enjoys music, songwriting, art, and American literature.

FORESTRY

John Hite

Forestry Horse Program Specialist

Office Info:
Horse Barn
CPO: 2133
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: hitej@berea.edu
John grew up in Florida and Kentucky making him both an ocean and a mountain man! John graduated from Berea in 2019 and immediately started working at the College with the logging horses. He likes to spend his time outdoors working with the horses or his personal farm animals, hiking, caving, and scuba diving. His passion for conservation and restoration of these Kentucky lands he calls home is what drives him every day!

FORESTRY

Sam Tackett

Forestry Horse Logging Technician

Office Info:
Horse Barn
CPO: 2133
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: tacketts@berea.edu
Sam Tackett is from Stinking Creek, Tennessee. Sam is a TN Master Logger and certified Biological Woodsman. Coming from a family with loggers, saw millers, and stockman on both sides, Sam brings a lifetime of draft animal experience. As well as mechanical and draft powered logging knowledge and ability. When Sam is not enjoying logging or farming with his Suffolk Punch horses, he spends his time with his wonderful wife, Christy, and their four children.

FORESTRY

Zen Dean

Forestry Horse Logging Technician

Office Info:
Horse Barn
CPO: 2133
Phone: 859-756-3315
E-Mail: deanz1@berea.edu
Zen was born in Florida, where he lived for the first 9 years of his life before moving to Kentucky. He loves to be in nature and on the water. After graduating from Madison Southern High School, his love for the outdoors led him to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program at Berea College. He graduated with his Bachelor's in 2023 and immediately joined the team at The Mitchell Farm.

FORESTRY

Zeke Williams

FOC

Zeke is a fourth year at Berea College studying Archaeology and Geology. He loves to learn about the forest and what's in it! Right now Zeke is learning the plants of the Pinnacles and is more than happy to assist with any questions about rocks, programs that you would like to see, and anything else at The Pinnacles. Zeke encourages that anyone with questions about topics like these can communicate with him through email: williamsz2@berea.edu.

Fall 2023 - Present

Abigail Kingston

FOC

Abigail is a junior Environmental Science major who transferred to Berea in the fall of 2023 after volunteering at the FOC since summer of 2022. She is passionate about raising trees, rewilding lawns, and learning the ways of all of Kentucky's native flora. Her favorite plant is Arundinaria gigantea, also known as giant river cane.

Fall 2023- present

Conti

FOC

Conti is a sophomore at Berea College who is dual majoring in Appalachian Studies and Peace and social justice. They originally came to Berea because of the Dolly Parton pinball machine, but stayed for the great education! Conti loves everything about the outdoors and hiking. They have found a place at the FOC as the van driver for Saturday hikes and working on keeping the center in order!

Fall 2024 - present

Spencer Birt

FOC

Spencer is a first year studying Sustainability and Environmental Studies. He likes studying ecosystems and how natural systems interact. He is apprenticing to work on the website, and despite the occasional tendonitis pain, loves hiking and going for walks. Current project work includes assisting with recycling logistics and helping Bereans experience the college forest through online programs and videos.

Fall 2024- present

Spencer Powell

Horse Logging Technician

Office Info:
Forester's Cabin

E-Mail: powells@berea.edu
Spencer comes from a heritage of many generations of teamsters and team-drawn loggers along with team-drawn farmers. Several of his relatives on his mother's side came from Clay County, Kentucky, to log for Berea College back in the day. Aside from his love of horses, Spencer also loves being out in nature, so what better job than horse logging! He appreciates a good pair of mules/horses to which his life is indebted for their service to my family for many generations.

FORESTRY

Our Team - Meet the forestry folks!

Clint Patterson

Glen Dandeneau

John Abrams

Wendy Z. Warren

Abbie Phelps

Kayla Zagray

Phil Vogel

John Hite

Sam Tackett

Zen Dean

Current Labor Students

Zeke Williams

Charlee Benton

Cecilia Mora

Abigail Kingston

Connor Harris

Conti

Reuben Hicks

Spencer Birt

Past Team Members

Jeriel Byron-Dixon

Natasha Caldwell

Claire Mast

Ivory Riley

Abegail Blakey

Lilli Shelton

Simon Davies

Spencer Powell

Lie Ford

Nova Lee

Charity Gilbert

Buddy “Trey” Prather III

Alison Adkins

Kennet Manley

Kya Norman

Vanessa Carroll

Citlaly Cruz Garcia

Joseph Marks II

Ilona Perler-Tomboly

Ashley Mike

Julia Roberts

Patience Martin

Chase Denny

Stephen Nwaloziri

Tim Thiessen

Jordan Byrnes

Gabriella Epley

Eunice Jarquin

Alex Wilson

Joseph Mecham

Jasmine Reitze

Senna Jenkins

Edie Jo Wakin

Utsa Seth

Finn Mahoney

Elijah R. Hicks

Michelle Berendsen

Blake Day

Cameron Stites-Stevens

Caleb Flege

Chase, Melany, Malaya

Hunter McDavid

Rachel Hidding

Trent Powell

Aloyce Riziki

Nhan Phan

Imelda Saintilma, Nhan Phan, and Armando Buenrostro

Olivia Dobson

Emily Newton

Lucas Collett