Meet Penn State's New Forestry and Wildlife Extension Educators

Meet Calvin Norman
Hi there, my name is Calvin Norman. I am the new Forestry and Wildlife Extension
Educator for Cambria and Blair Counties. My path to Penn State has been rather windy, but it has given me experience in many aspects of forestry and natural resources along the way.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Michigan Technological University, with a dual degree in Forestry and Wildlife Ecology and Management. I earned a Master
of Science in Forest Resources from Clemson University. At Clemson, I worked at Marine Recruit Depot Parris Island on developing a better prescription for Chinese tallow, a small-to-medium invasive tree species that is native to China but found all across the southeastern United States. While conducting this research, I was able to carry out several prescribed burns. Besides working on Chinese tallow, I researched the impact that deer had on the forests surrounding Clemson and completed the Deer Steward Level 1 course from the Quality Deer Management Association. My education has given me opportunities to manage and understand invasive species, wildlife, and prescribed fire.

Before beginning my master's, I worked as an industrial forester for a regional timber firm in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where I co-managed 10,000 acres of forestland. In addition to managing industrial forestland, I helped to manage land for private forest landowners, an experience that has helped me to understand the practical application of forestry and land management.

I have experience and knowledge in many facets of forestry - from research to industrial forestry to wildlife management - and I am excited to bring that experience and knowledge to help the people, forests, and wildlife of Pennsylvania. I am passionate about forest management, managing forests for wildlife, and helping landowners make the best decisions about their forests.

When I am not working, I enjoy being in the woods with my fiancée. I like trail running, hiking, and Nordic skiing. I also like fly fishing, hunting, and backpacking.

I am looking forward to meeting and serving the people of Pennsylvania! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach to me at cmn5525@psu.edu or 814-472-7986.

Meet Katie Schmidt

Hello! My name is Katie Schmidt and I am the new Forestry Educator for Penn State Extension in McKean County. I am originally from Slippery Rock, PA and graduated from Penn State in May 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science and a Forestry minor. After graduation I worked for a private consulting company and then at the Lawrence County Conservation District as the Watershed Specialist. In 2017 I decided to return to school to pursue a master's degree and ended up at Oklahoma State University where I received my M.S. in Natural Resource Ecology and Management, specifically focused on forestry. For my thesis I studied the water use efficiency of Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar), switchgrass, and native tallgrass prairie. I graduated from OSU in December 2019 and have now found myself once again at Penn State! My areas of interest and experience include invasive species management, wildlife, water quality and conservation, outreach, and education; however, I am always eager to learn and expand my abilities. In my free time I enjoy reading, hunting, hiking, and kayaking with my boyfriend and our four dogs. I can be reached at kns5242@psu.edu or 814-887-5613.