Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Law & Policy Division Chair, Environmental Studies & Management Ames Hall 112 One Brennan Circle Poultney, VT 05764-1199 Email: purdomr@greenmtn.edu 802-287-8384; Fax: 802-287-8080
"Process is important. Whether rolling a kayak, helping a cow give birth, or deciding how to plan a community's future, how we go about things can be as important as what we do. Without careful attention to process, we can often do more damage than good. I'm excited to be at a college where students are full of passionate ideas and commitment. Working with students to find the best process to achieve their goals is exciting and rewarding. Living in a community where we can have class and conversation on the lawn or on the river makes teaching at Green Mountain College a delight."
Education 1996: Juris Doctorate, Cum Laude, Vermont Law School, Vermont 1996: Master of Science in Environmental Law, magna cum laude, Vermont Law School, Vermont 1992: Bachelors of Science, Scientific Journalism, Linfield College, Oregon Courses Taught
Environmental Studies, Law & Policy classes Watershed Management & Planning Nonprofit Management and Policy Introduction to Environmental Studies Environmental Advocacy, Public Policy & Corporate Responsibility Land Use Planning Wilderness Policy and the Law Public Policy and the Environment Environmental LawPhilosophy of Law General Education Classes Images of Nature American Government World Regional Geography Law and Society Seminars & Honors Programs Topics at the US Supreme Court Honors Seminar in Leadership First-Year Honors Seminar The Environmental Professional College Positions & Service Director, College Honors Program (2002-present) Director, Pre-law Advising Program (2001-present) Faculty Council Executive Board (2005-present) Director, Summer Advising Project (2004) New England Association of Colleges & Schools Accreditation Self-Study Steering Committee (2003-2005) Curriculum Committee (2002-2004) Environmental Studies Committee (2001-present) Advisor to the DEEP Scholar Program (2001-2003) Member of multiple faculty search and review committees Awards & Recognitions Recipient, Award for Exemplary Teaching, 2003-2004 General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, United Methodist Church Academic Honors Vermont Law Review: Managing Editor, 1995-1996; Member, 1994-1995 Outstanding Student Award, Watershed Protection, 1995 Douglas M. Costle Environmental Moot Court quarter-finalist, 1993 The Linfield Review Managing Editor, 1991-1992 Employment Experience Acting Director (2000-2001) Director of Development & Marketing (1999-2001) Merck Forest & Farmland Center, Rupert, Vermont Chief administrative officer in charge of day-to-day management and overall fundraising for 3,150 acre nonprofit conservation organization. Duties include financial management of $400,000 annual budget, legal and liability review, designing education programs centered around mission of teaching sustainable land use to over 10,000 each year, and coordinating all fundraising and marketing efforts for the organization. Adjunct Professor (Spring 2000-Spring 2001) Green Mountain College, Poultney, Vermont Taught one class each semester. Classes included: American Government (1000 level) and Nonprofits and Policy Making (3000 level). Attorney (1997-1999) Witten, Woolmington, Bongartz & Campbell, P.C., Manchester and Bennington, Vermont Associate attorney responsible for collaborating with other attorneys and managing own litigation, administrative, municipal, environmental and transactional practice. Primary responsibilities include appearing in courts and before administrative panels, composing pleadings for both administrative and court practice, caseload management, coordination with clients and partners in preparation and presentation of cases, and supervising staff. Specializations include municipal land use planning, administrative law, Act 250. Judicial Law Clerk (1996-1997) Hon. J. Garvan Murtha, Chief Judge, United States District Court, Brattleboro, Vermont District of Vermont Researched and drafted civil and criminal legal decisions for the Court; assisted in conduct of trials; prepared jury charges and bench memoranda; assisted in drafting bench memos and appellate opinions when Judge Murtha sat by designation on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Summer Associate (1995) Rudman & Winchell, P.C., Bangor, Maine Summer legal associate with second largest law firm in the city; responsible for and participating in litigation, administrative, employment law and constitutional law practice and procedure. Legal Intern (January-June, 1996) Vermont Water Resources Board, Montpelier, Vermont Researched and drafted decisions for administrative board. Participated in board hearings, rules making hearings and conferences, and legislative testimony. Grant Writing Coordinator (Sept 1995-June 1996) Vermont Law School Faculty Grant Program Initiated and designed school-wide grant writing program for faculty and staff projects. Wrote handbook and oversaw upstart of program; oversaw student workers within the program. Community Page Editor, Reporter (1992-1993) The Ashland Daily Tidings, Ashland, Oregon Wrote and edited stories for local daily newspaper on community events, education, local politics and the courts. Recent Presentations & Conferences "A New Paradox of Wilderness Restoration: Public Participation and Public Virtue," William Throop and Rebecca Purdom, Binghamton University, Luther College, Nov. 2004. "The ESA Meets the Sparred Owl; Conflicts in Genetics and Public Policy," Rebecca Purdom, A Delicate Balance, Green Mountain College, Fall 2004. "Preserving Restoration as a Substantive Policy Goal," William Throop and Rebecca Purdom, Society for Ecological Restoration, August 2004. "Protecting Biodiversity by Preserving Wilderness: A Reconsideration" William Throop and Rebecca Purdom, Society for Conservation Biology July 2004. "Why Wilderness Now?: Science, Public Perception and Wildlands Policy" William Throop and Rebecca Purdom Conference on Environment and Community, Saratoga, NY, February 2004; University of Vermont 2004. "The Legal and Philosophical Challenges of Design" William Throop and Rebecca Purdom Society for Ecological Restoration, November 2003. Vermont Campus Compact Environmental Service Learning Conference, "Service Learning at Green Mountain College; Client Conundrums and Partner Possibilities: The Service Learning Client," Middlebury, Vermont (June, 2003). Preservation Trust of Vermont Annual Conference, "Citizen Initiatives in Small Communities, Framing Your Community Project for Success," Rutland, Vermont (May, 2002). Society for Human Ecology, Northeast Regional Conference "New Models for Sustainable Corporate-Nonprofit Partnerships," Keene, New Hampshire (April, 2002). Northern Taconic Research Consortium, "Investigating Historical Land Use Patterns in the Northern Taconics, and the Implications for Conservation," Manchester, Vermont (November, 2001). Publications "The Legal and Philosophical Challenges of Design" William Throop and Rebecca Purdom Ecological Restoration, accepted with revisions, Fall 2005. "Why Wilderness Now? Science, Public Perception and Wildlands Policy" (working title) William Throop and Rebecca Purdom, in revisions for submission in Fall 2005. "The Dangers of Proxy Wilderness: Increased Scientific Understanding Meets Static Public Policy Hopes," (working title) Rebecca Purdom, working manuscript. "Whence Act 250: Public Policy Theory and the Hard Facts of Vermont’s Land Use Law," Rebecca Purdom, unsubmmitted manuscript, 2004. A Citizen's Guide to Wetland Reclassification under the Vermont Wetland Rules. Vermont Water Resources Board, coauthor, 2002. Conservation Biology and The Courts: Holding the Forest Service to Low Standards. Vermont Law Review note, 1995. On file at Vermont Law School. A Comprehensive View of Proposed United States Forest Service Proposed Ecosystem Management Rules and Proposals for using Conservation Biology in Public Forests. Vermont Law School, 1996. Courses & Lectures Environmental Law for NonLawyers. UVM Summer Program. Instructor, UVM Environmental Studies Department (Summer 2003). The Social Process of Law: A Taste of What Every Environmental Studies and Natural Resources Major Should Know about the Law. UVM Introduction to Environmental Studies, Steven Libby, Guest Lecture, (Winter 2002) Environmentalism in Vermont: The Good Guys, the Bad Guys, and Vermont's Act 250. UVM NR 204, Steven Libby, Guest Lecture (Winter, 2002) The Justices and Lake Tahoe: Watersheds Reach the Supreme Court. UMV Introduction to Environmental Studies, Dr. Amy Seidl, Guest Lecture (Fall 2001). Community-Based Land Conservation Series. Collaboration with UVM, Equinox Preservation Trust, Vermont Land Trust and others to teach community-level conservation strategies to citizen groups, municipal governments, and others. (Summer 2000) Business Entities and Corporations. Women's Small Business Program, Trinity College (Rutland Campus) Fall 1997, Spring 1998, Fall 1998 Reclassifying Wetlands: A Citizen's Guide. Vermont Audubon Society Lecture Series, Proctor, Vermont, Spring 1996. Conservation Biology, Island Biogeography and U.S. Environmental Policy. Seminar Series, Vermont Law School Spring 1996. You Can't Take it With You: Leaving Your Forest to Your Heirs. Ridgeline Program Series, Merck Forest & Farmland Center, Spring 2000. Co-presenter. Current Boards & Memberships Vice-President, Board of Trustees, The Nature Conservancy of Vermont Supervisor, Poultney-Mettawee Natural Resources Conservation District Secretary, Vermont Association of Conservation Districts American Bar Association, Member ABA Section on Natural Resources and the Environment, Member Vermont Bar Association, Member
