Terry Baker is a passionate and long-time SAF member, a seasoned leader, and a powerful advocate for forestry. His entire career has been intertwined with SAF (since 2002); in fact, Terry credits SAF with helping to develop him as a professional and he is paying it forward by mentoring students and young professionals.
Baker has a reputation for being a leader who values relationships, a leader who listens, and a leader who takes action. He has experience in building partnerships and strategic alliances to leverage outcomes and is expanding relationships with key partners and stakeholders to strengthen SAF’s voice and advance the profession as well as the members.
He has been involved in a number of external communication efforts to raise the profile of forestry and foresters. He was filmed for Colorado’s segment of America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell and interviewed for Tom Davidson’s young leader’s podcast series. Terry is working with Tom to develop a Leadership in Nature podcast series that focused on professionals of color.
Terry has worked for the USDA Forest Service as a forester, supervisory forester, District Ranger, and Deputy Forest Supervisor, in Florida, Oregon, Nebraska, Arizona, and Colorado, respectively. He has a Master of Forestry from Yale University (2007), a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources and Conservation from the University of Florida (2004), and a Bachelor of Arts in Agricultural Sciences from Florida A&M University (2004).
Baker believes that SAF has a powerful role to play in helping the public understand the valuable role that forestry professionals play in the sustainability of our nation’s forests, our local communities, and state’s economies.