Advanced Seminar - Instructor Roster

Michael Wood -- Lead Facilitator

Mike Wood holds an Ph.D in Sustainability Education from Prescott College, a J.D. from the University of Montana School of Law, and a M.S. in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana School of Forestry. He lived and worked in western Montana for over 15 years until moving to Flagstaff, AZ in 2006. He will be returning to Missoula on a part-time basis beginning in 2013 and plans to relocate year-round to Missoula within the next four years.

Mike is very interested in improving the social capacity of organizations to address challenges that arise when confronted with uncertain futures. Mike’s passion around this topic is derived from his interest in moving our society toward more sustainable, environmentally healthy relationships with each other and the natural world. While Mike once practiced environmental law, he left his traditional legal practice to engage communities and organizations in transformative social processes focused on resolving environmental disputes outside the adversarial system. For over ten years, Mike has worked through the University of Montana, College of Forestry and Conservation in the design, implementation and facilitation of the United States Forest Service's Middle Leader Program. Within this context and elsewhere, he has led numerous workshops and sessions that offer participants the opportunity for deep self-reflection focused on discovering our own leadership potential and the self-imposed barriers that often keep them from transforming themselves and their organizations. 

Mike is particularly interested in facilitating dialogue within organizations that fosters identification of the organization's underlying interests related to environmental sustainability, AND building the capacity of the organization to act in accordance with these underlying interests through developing organizational leadership skills and abilities. His primary emphasis area is in the field of emotional intelligence and the intersection of emotion and change within organizations grappling with sustainability challenges in an uncertain future.

The core of Mike’s work involves the creation of “a safe space” or context for individuals, groups and organizations to realistically re-define their understanding of what is possible, particularly when confronted with unexpected change and/or uncertainty. The key transition involves moving form “victimhood” to “empowerment” through facilitated dialogue, group interaction and self-reflection.

Mike's published dissertation entitled “Modeling Sustainability Through Collaboratively Organizing” is available on-line through Proquest. He currently lives in Flagstaff, AZ with his wife and two step-kids and is an avid trail runner and skier. 

Gerald Evans

Warren and Betsy Wilcox Faculty Fellow
Professor of Management and Information Systems
School of Business Administration
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT

Dr. Evans earned his Ph.D. from The Claremont Graduate University School of Behavioral and Organizational Studies. His undergraduate degree is from The University of Great Falls and he earned two Masters Degrees from Montana State University. He currently teaches in the areas of Information Systems, Leadership, and The Contemporary Organization. He has won several teaching awards including the department undergraduate teaching award in 2002-2003 and 1991-1992, and the Outstanding MBA Faculty Award in 1998-1999, 1996-1997, and 1995-1996 His research areas include technology leadership and information systems evaluation.

Additionally, Dr. Evans is active in consulting in the business and professional community. Recent activities include leadership training for the US Forest Service, strategic planning for several healthcare organizations, and negotiation training for the Montana Department of Transportation. Dr. Evans serves on the Board of Directors of the Montana Chamber of Commerce Foundation which sponsors the Montana Governors' Cup Golf Tournament, the Montana High School Business Challenge, and Leadership Montana.

Orville L. Daniels

• Graduate forester from Colorado State University
• 37 years with the US Forest Service as a field forester, District Ranger, Recreation, fire and timber staff officer, Job Corp Center Director and ultimately as Forest Supervisor on the Bitterroot and later the Lolo National Forest.
• During career received graduate level training in organizational development from University of California.
• One of the modern pioneers in fire use applications particularly with prescribed natural fire in wilderness and began the first prescribed natural fire program in the nation in 1972.
• Continues to teach Fire Use for Managers at the National Training Academy in Marana Arizona emphasizing the role of fire in ecosystems and the responsibilities of decision makers in fire use.
• Oversaw creation of the first national forest long-range management plan under the National Forest Management Act of 1976.
• Interest in ecosystem dynamics led the Lolo National Forest in creating one of the early and successful ecosystem management programs.
• Instrumental in creation of the Arthur Carhart Wilderness Training Center.
• Under his direction the Lolo National Forest created the first wildlife interpretive program under auspices of the national Watchable Wildlife initiative.
• Developed the Missoula Trails initiative helping build interconnected trail systems in the valley with linkages to the surrounding mountains.
• Extensive policy development work with SAF, Wilderness Society and the Center for the Rocky Mountain West.
• Since retirement from the Forest Service, Orville has been a trainer and consultant for the Forest Service, Park Service, BLM and a variety of private organizations dealing with strategic planning and leadership issues.
• He also serves on various non profit boards including being President of Missoula Children's Theater, Montana Community Foundation and others.