You have skills in social media, curriculum
development, grant writing, creating and
managing programs and projects, community
facilitation, public-private partnership, and
more. These are all super helpful skills to
be bringing to SMA. Where do you see your
priorities in the near and longer term?
Right now, I'm prioritizing ensuring a strong foun-
dation for the organization in terms of finances,
policies, committee structure, and communications.
From there, I'm looking to reenergize and strengthen
existing SMA programs, particularly those focused
on learning, networking, and mentoring. Then comes
working with the Board and members to even more
meaningfully position SMA as a leader in the urban
forestry world as new money (for example, in the
U.S. via the Inflation Reduction Act) and new focus
(i.e., climate change threats) puts the spotlight on the
need for the work. With acknowledgment of climate
change and more awareness of the role of trees in
mitigating it, this is a pivotal moment we can tap into
to do big things. There's no better time to be in the
tree business! I want SMA members to know that I
and the SMA board members are in their corner and
stand ready to help them successfully navigate the
many upcoming opportunities for urban forestry.
Leslie with her husband Jeff Berckes, an environmental scientist.
This is a pivotal moment we
can tap into to do big things.
There's no better time to
be in the tree business!
urban-forestry.com 15
