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Distinguished Service
Award: Lisa Deaton
VFA presented the
Distinguished Service Award to Lisa Deaton on Saturday
evening at our annual convention in Norfolk. The
Distinguished Service Award was created in 1984 as a
prestigious award to be given on special occasions to
recognize significant contributions to forestry and / or
related resources in Virginia.
Deaton has guided the
Project Learning Tree (PLT) program for the state for
many years. PLT in Virginia is co-sponsored by VFA, the
Virginia Department of Forestry, and the College of Natural
Resources at Virginia Tech. Virginia PLT hosted the
national PLT convention in 2006 in Virginia Beach, and
Deaton was a guiding force in the success of this
convention. Deaton was awarded the Gold Star award, PLT’s
highest honor, by Kathy McGlauflin, Vice President –
Education, with the American Forest Foundation at the
Virginia Beach convention. McGlauflin was on hand in
Norfolk at the VFA convention to help us surprise and honor
Deaton. Deaton was recently named to the National Operating
Committee for PLT, a prestigious honor that requires
election by her peers across the country.
Past President Easton
Loving shared the following comments from educators and
co-workers that have been touched by Deaton’s work in his
presentation of the award: |
Photo: left to right - Carl Garrison, Virginia
Department of Forestry, Lisa Deaton, Paul Howe
Executive Vice President, VFA, Kathy McGlauflin
American Forest Foundation and Dr. Paul Winistorfer,
College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech. |
“She has
been a dedicated environmental educator for more than 20
years. She has helped children and adults understand the
importance of caring for our forests.”
“She reaches
out on a person to person level with all educators through
the lines up to the agency heads.”
“She is truly a pleasure to work with and an asset to DOF.
She’s open-minded, practical yet creative, and adaptable to
many situations thrown her way. She goes out of her way to
help people, and I’m always hearing compliments about her –
from individual assistance she has given someone, to big
events she has helped to make successful.”
Despite her demanding work
schedule with PLT Deaton maintains the demands of raising
twin teenagers and keeping track of a husband that logs for
a living.
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