About OPLI
The Oregon Paleo Lands Institute is an educational, community-based non-profit based in Fossil, Oregon. Our mission is to help northwest residents and visitors of all ages to explore, understand, and enjoy the world-renowned natural history of north central Oregon, the ancient and living landscapes of Oregon's last 400 million years, and the full fossil record of earth's last 50 million years.
We are partnering with other organizations in Oregon Solutions to provide and strengthen a sustainable economy throughout Oregon, especially rural Oregon. We offer trips, tour, hikes and workshops for adults, children and families that explore regional geology, do restoration work, and connect art and science. We work with schools, adult and community groups to broaden understanding of the Earth's history, and the lessons it holds for us today. We invite you to join us on future adventures! Oregon Paleo Lands Institute Board of Directors Roster (PDF)
Meet our Staff, Instructors, and Volunteers!
Anne Mitchell
Executive Director
E-mail: AnneM@PaleoLands.org
Favorite Quote: “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it” Jonathon Winters
Favorite Activities: Hiking and camping, rafting, skiing, travel, and reading.
Anne joined the OPLI as Executive Director in July 2009. She brings to her new position over 25 years of working in experiential and science education, educational video production, organizational development, operations management, volunteer coordination, and fundraising, for a variety of non-profit organizations. A varied career path has always led toward working for positive change – in environmental protection, media and democracy, community development, social justice, renewable energy, and most recently, historic preservation.
Anne has a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sociology, with a minor in Anthropology from Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. Right out of college, four years as a Natural History Instructor at OMSI’s Hancock Field Station near Fossil, and a year on a biological research team for the National Forest Service in John Day, inspired her long-time love of the landscapes and culture of central and eastern Oregon. Anne grew up in the Willamette Valley, has been to all 50 states and traveled and studied in Europe, worked as an archeologist in the desert S.W., and now loves to call Central Oregon home.
Dr. Ellen Morris Bishop
Programs Director
E-mail: EBishop@PaleoLands.org
Favorite Quote: “The real voyage of discovery is not seeking new landscapes, but having new eyes.” (Proust)
Favorite activities: Cycling, photography, hiking with dogs.
Ellen is the Programs Director of the Oregon Paleo Lands Institute. A geologist, writer, and photographer, her research helped define Oregon's ancient, exotic terrains, and her award-winning book, In Search of Ancient Oregon (2004, Timber Press) chronicles Oregon's geologic history. Other books include Hiking Oregon's Geology and Best Hikes with Dogs, Oregon. She holds a Ph.D. in Geology from Oregon State University. Ellen has taught at every level from elementary to university, connecting people to geology, the environment and the great outdoors.
Tracy K. Hubschmitt
Program Coordinator/Educator
E-mail: Tracy@PaleoLands.org
Favorite Quote: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” (Walt Emerson)
Favorite Activities: Backpacking, hiking, downhill skiing, soccer, traveling, and being a rockhound.
Tracy is the Program Coordinator of the Oregon Paleo Lands Institute. Originally from northern New York State, she found her way to Oregon, fell in love with the geology there, and stayed.
Tracy developed a love for rocks at a very young age. She would either be collecting them and/or trying to sell them. Still having the passion for rocks during her college age years, she majored and earned her B.A. degree in Geology at Alfred University in New York State. Afterwards she said goodbye to New York State and went west to her new home and job at the Teton Science Schools in Jackson Hole, WY as one of the two Field Research Station Managers. There she loved the idea of having the outdoors as an actual classroom where one could teach.
Wanting then to teach outdoors but do Geology too, she found herself traveling on towards Oregon to work at the OMSI Hancock Field Station in Clarno as an Outdoor Science Instructor. While living and working there for two years, Tracy fell in love with Oregon and became passionate about the geological history of the area. She decided then she wanted to stay to study it more.
