Jane Whitmire Is a Ph.D. Student Studying Public Administration and Natural

Jane Whitmire

Jane Whitmire is a Ph.D. student studying public administration and natural resource/environmental policy at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in Flagstaff. She was inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi in 2007. Jane holds a BS in Business Management (with honors) from Arizona State University West and an MA in Sustainable Communities (with distinction) from NAU. In addition, she is a graduate of the Center for Rural Leadership, a two-year program funded by the Kellogg and Marley Foundations and administered by the University of Arizona. While Jane’s master’s thesis focused on open space protection, her current primary research interest is the role of civic engagement in community planning and natural resource sustainability. Her professional experience includes organization and management consulting, research and marketing.

Jane has served on numerous local and regional non-profit boards. She is a co-founder of the Verde Valley Land Preservation Institute, an organization whose mission is to develop and implement strategies to preserve and enhance the natural open space of the Verde Valley. She has received state-level awards for her work in historic preservation and community service. As a community advocate and volunteer in civic engagement and public participation processes, Jane has served as a Planning and Zoning Commission Member and Chair in her community. She was appointed to represent the Natural Conservation Board on the Verde Valley Regional Plan Team and was appointed by the Town of Camp Verde to serve as a member of the Verde Valley Open Space Steering Committee. She has lived and worked in the Verde Valley of Arizona for over fifteen years.