Derek Tepe

Skills

Excel, Google Suite, ArcGIS Pro, Salesforce CRM, Visual Thinking Strategies training (VTS), Certified Interpretive Guide training, NY State License Canoe and Hiking Guide

About

I am an experienced and passionate professional in the fields of sustainable development, climate resiliency, and environmental education. I will be graduating in May 2023 from the Sustainable Communities graduate program at Binghamton University, New York.

My professional experience runs the gamut of international and domestic community development and climate resiliency strategies. Most of my development experience abroad has been focused in Southeast Asia, involving the development of long-term community partnerships to achieve community sustainability and climate resiliency across Thailand and in northern Laos. Before working in Asia, I received hands-on experience in community development in Central America, including a sustainable engineering internship in Honduras.
Domestically, I have worked with leading climate advocacy organizations like The Wild Center in northern New York to develop educational programming at the intersection of ecology, culture, environmental justice, and climate action in the context of New York's Adirondack Park.

I am currently the graduate manager of the Binghamton University Food Pantry, directing daily operations and gaining valuable management experience while learning about community food justice and public health issues. My capstone project is a critical analysis of the student-volunteer model for achieving community development abroad, drawing on past my past professional experiences to provide fresh insight on the benefits and limitations of the volunteer development framework.

As I approach graduation, I'm looking to join organizations whose missions and values align with my own---as both a citizen concerned about the consequences of unchecked climate change, and a passionate and knowledgeable professional with the skills and experiences to do something about it.