The College of Forestry is honoring International Women's Day with a special coffee hour on March 9 from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. in the PFSC Atrium. Join us to share perspectives and network with women-led organizations within the college and beyond!

Speaker bios

CARRIE BERGER  
Carrie Berger began her college journey thinking she’d become a doctor, then a social worker, before ultimately discovering her home in forestry: a field that lets her care for both people and the land. Now the Fire Program Manager for Oregon State University’s Forestry & Natural Resources Extension, she brings three decades of forestry and fire experience to her work. Her path reflects the power of following your values, embracing unexpected paths, and finding purpose at the intersection of people and the land they depend on.

PRIYA RAJARAPU 
Priya Rajarapu is an assistant professor and Christmas tree specialist with experience in Christmas tree production in two of the nation’s leading producing states—North Carolina and Oregon. She brings a broad background in entomology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and insect ecology. Her passion for supporting communities by developing applied solutions that improve grower practices and promote sustainability led her to a position in extension at Oregon State University. In this role, she focuses on creating practical, sustainable strategies that enhance tree health and reduce economic losses for growers. In her free time, Priya enjoys gardening, mentoring, dancing, and crocheting.

ANNETTE PATTON 
Dr. Annette Patton is the statewide specialist in watershed science in the Forestry and Natural Resources Extension program. Her research and collaboration specialties include landslide and hillslope processes, upland watershed hydrology, and community-led research for geohazards risk reduction and land management. After growing up in Corvallis, Annette earned a BS in Geology from Whitman College and a MS and PhD Geosciences at Colorado State University. 

Tabling participant bios 

COLLEGE OF FORESTRY INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
In alignment with the College of Forestry’s overarching commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the International Programs Office aspires to create a safe, welcoming and supportive environment for OSU students going abroad and those coming to OSU from around the world.

We’ve sent women interns to study bioluminescent mushrooms in Brazil, report on fire ecology on the Spanish coast, track primate conservation in Malaysia, and more. We support incoming women scholars from around the world, including Afifa Zahid from Pakistan, Sharina Ridzuan from Malaysia, and Sadete Zela from Albania, who come to the College of Forestry as visiting scholars.

We have about 72% women-identifying participants on our outgoing study abroad programs (above the national average of 67%). We make sure that our students feel safe, as many are going abroad for the first time. We prioritize diversity in our guest lecturers and visits, so students are able to see representations of themselves in the real world. Our goal is to make international opportunities approachable and accessible to all students, regardless of gender. 

OREGON WOMEN IN LUMBER   
Oregon Women in Lumber (OWL) is a community-driven organization dedicated to supporting, developing, and connecting women across the forest products and building materials industry. Founded to create space for leadership growth, meaningful relationships, and shared learning, OWL focuses on empowerment, education, and industry visibility. On May 13, OWL will host a high-energy half-day conference experience blending an inspiring keynote on energy intelligence, industry insights, elevated networking, and hands-on action planning—designed to recharge participants, strengthen connections, and equip women with practical tools to lead with clarity and confidence. 

OREGON WOMEN IN TIMBER   
Oregon Women in Timber was founded in 1978 to support the forest sector through education. Since 1991, OWIT’s pre-K to 8th grade Talk About Trees (TAT) program—which provides trained facilitators and an age-appropriate, hands-on, science-based curriculum to all Oregon schools, free of charge—has reached nearly 4 million Oregonians. Alongside its ongoing support of TAT, OWIT’s educational advocacy and outreach has evolved along with the make-up of its membership. Today’s OWIT members are foresters, mill workers, loggers, teachers, students, truck drivers, administrative professionals, landowners, and a diverse array of people who value and support science-based forestry education for all Oregonians. From kids in the woods days to career fairs, social media to our Women Who Know the Woods video series, landowner education events to a full-on celebration of October as Forest Products Month, OWIT is proud of its nearly 50 years of being an all-volunteer, statewide non-profit dedicated to “creating awareness and appreciation for the value of trees” and increasing “understanding about the protection, management and conservation of the renewable forest.”

We are especially proud of our OWIT at OSU student chapter, spearheaded and led by current College of Forestry students. They are the future leaders of OWIT and of a forest-literate Oregon. 

OSU EXTENSION TABLE 
This table will feature info and materials from various Extension initiatives, and there will be opportunities to meet and talk with women in Extension.  

• Carrie Berger, Extension Fire Program manager, leads experiential, learner-centered outreach, education, and engagement efforts to cultivate fire-adapted communities and resilient landscapes across Oregon.
• Annette Patton, Forest Watershed Extension Specialist, collaborates with local land managers, community leaders, as well as state and federal scientists to empower communities, support risk reduction, and inform land management practices.
• Priya Rajarapu, Christmas Tree Extension Specialist, works with growers throughout Western Oregon to improve tree health through interdisciplinary research to develop sustainable management practices and improved genetics.
• The Women Owning Woodlands Network (WOWNet) is a peer-to-peer learning network designed to empower women who own or manage woodlands. WOWNet provides educational opportunities for women to learn about forest management, share their experiences and build a supportive community. 

WOMEN IN FOREST MANAGEMENT 
Women in Forest Management (WIFM) is an organization that exists to empower and connect women and those that support them. This group is for anyone working in all aspects of forest management as well as all forest management objectives. In the future, we will be planning and promoting events that provide professional development, training, networking, and mentoring opportunities for women and their allies in forest management, including an annual conference.  

WIFM is not a group exclusively for women. While we focus on promoting networking and development opportunities for women in the profession, we also aim to support and learn from all individuals who champion women in forestry. We believe that each individual’s diverse perspective, shaped by unique experiences, is vital to achieving shared goals and fostering collaboration within the industry. 

This activity is part of International Women’s Day celebrations. See the full list of activities.