Eric Howden, a Mukwonago River watershed dweller since 2004, has become our Watershed Coordinator. Eric is married to Gina, and they have two children, one of whom attends Eagleville School, a Mukwonago School District Charter school with an environmental education focus, where Eric chairs the PTO Green Team committee.
Eric has a very diverse background in outdoor leadership and education. From 1996-2000 he was an Outward Bound instructor in northern Minnesota and led canoeing, sea kayaking, backpacking and sled dog trips. He instructed youth, young adults, adults, parent/child, life/career renewal, expeditionary learning school, urban youth and university students.
He was a graduate teaching assistant at Aurora University where he received a Master’s of Science in Recreation Administration with an Outdoor Pursuits emphasis.
After that he developed and managed an annual schedule of 60+ outdoor and adventure education workshops for adults and youth as an Outdoor Education Programs Manager, for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) in Blairstown, New Jersey.
From 2004 to 2010 he served as Director of Adventure Education at the Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership School (OWLS). OWLS was based at George Williams College of Aurora University until 2009 when it moved to Holiday Home Camp in, Williams Bay, Wisconsin. There he directed teambuilding and adventure education programs that served approximately 3,000 participants /100 groups per year through single/multi-day programs. Eric created and supervised the delivery of customized curriculum such as leadership development, goal setting, improved communication and problem solving skills, interpersonal relationships building and the enhancement of self-efficacy.
Eric will serve in this half time position and fulfill the requirements of our two 2013 educational, capacity building grants and will work closely with the board and committee volunteers to prioritize and execute educational and watershed protection and restoration programs; support membership, donor, and volunteer recruitment and retention; support public relations and communication strategies; and support financial development initiatives.
We are very excited to have Eric in this position and look forward to working with him to continue along the path of the Friends ongoing capacity building, and watershed awareness and protection programs.