UDALL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Posted: 10/15/2020
The Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation (Udall Foundation) is pleased to announce that Dr. Alicia Harris became Director of Education Programs on September 14, 2020. Mr. Bret Muter was promoted to Deputy Director of Education Programs on the same date after serving several months as the Acting Director.
The Udall Foundation’s Education Programs include the Morris K. Udall and John S. McCain III Native American Graduate Fellowship in Tribal Policy, the Native American Congressional Internship, the Stewart L. Udall Parks in Focus® Program, and the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship.
Dr. Harris has over 20 years of experience in student aid program administration. Prior to joining the Udall Foundation, she worked for the United States Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Minority-Serving and Under Resourced Schools Division as Acting Director. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Oklahoma City Community College. She has also worked for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as a Scholarship Coordinator managing state student aid programs. Dr. Harris began her student aid program career working for the Oklahoma Guaranteed Student Loan Program.
”The Udall Foundation is delighted to welcome Alicia as its new Director of Education Programs,” said Udall Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Mr. Eric Eberhard. “Alicia’s experience leading both Federal and university-based education programs, including her strong ties to Tribal Colleges and Universities, historically Black colleges and universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions from her work at the Department of Education, will strengthen the full suite of the Udall Foundation’s education activities as well as its outreach to traditionally underrepresented students.”
Dr. Harris holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Education in Industrial Safety from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from Oklahoma State University.
Mr. Muter has been deeply connected to the work and mission of the Udall Foundation since he was selected as a Udall Scholar in 2005. After completing his undergraduate studies, Mr. Muter returned to Tucson in 2006 to intern with the Udall Foundation’s Education Programs where he was first introduced to the Stewart L. Udall Parks in Focus® Program (Parks in Focus®). Since then, he has worked for the Udall Foundation as a Program Assistant, a Program Coordinator, and, most recently, as the Program Manager for Parks in Focus® and Acting Director of Education Programs. Hailing from Michigan, Mr. Muter has more than 15 years of experience in developing and facilitating outdoor and environmental education programming around the country.
”Bret’s leadership of the Udall Foundation’s Education Programs as Acting Director has been exemplary,” said Udall Foundation Executive Director Dr. David Brown. “We are delighted that Bret will continue to bring to bear his extensive institutional knowledge and vision for growth on the agency’s Education Programs portfolio as a member of the Udall Foundation Leadership Team.”
Mr. Muter holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology from Ferris State University and a Master of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University.
About the Udall Foundation
The Udall Foundation awards Scholarships, Fellowships, and Internships for study in fields related to the environment and to Native Americans and Alaska Natives in fields related to health care and Tribal public policy; connects youth from underserved communities to the Nation’s public lands and natural resources to foster greater understanding, appreciation, stewardship, and enjoyment of those lands and resources through photography, positive outdoor experiences, and environmental education through Parks in Focus®; provides funding to the Native Nations Institute for research, education, and outreach on Native American and Alaska Native health care issues and Tribal public policy issues; provides funding to the Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy to conduct policy research and outreach on the environment and related themes; and provides impartial collaboration, consensus-building, and conflict resolution services on a wide range of environmental, natural and cultural resources, Tribal, and public lands issues involving the Federal Government through the John S. McCain III National Center for Environmental Conflict Resolution.
More Information
For additional information about the Udall Foundation's Education Programs, please contact Alicia Harris at (520) 901-8524 or harris@udall.gov or Bret Muter at (520) 901-8569 or muter@udall.gov.
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