Staff
The Forest History Society's knowledgeable staff includes a librarian, archivist, historian, and a certified forester. They work cooperatively to help everyone understand the many ways in which humans have interacted with the environment over time. The varied expertise of staff members ensures the success of our programs in research, publication, education, and special events.
If you have a research question, contact the library and archives staff. For general inquiries, please contact Andrea Anderson. Other questions might be answered on our FAQ page.
Our contact information is:
Mail:
Forest History Society
2925 Academy Rd.
Durham, NC 27705
Phone: (919) 682-9319
Fax: (919) 682-2349
Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
- Steve Anderson, President and CEO
As president and CEO, Steve oversees all FHS programs, events, and projects. Before joining FHS in 1997, he was a forest economist and forestry professor at Oklahoma State University.
- Andrea H. Anderson, Administrative Assistant
Andrea is the Society's office manager and has worked for FHS since 1991. She supports the President and handles board matters and book orders. Hers is the cheerful voice you hear most often when you call the Society.
- Janet Askew, Assistant Director for Administration
Janet is the Society's bookkeeper and is responsible for managing the Society's payroll and financial records.
- Lauren Bissonette, Librarian
Lauren joined the FHS staff in 2020. She is responsible for managing the library and providing reference assistance for users. Previously Lauren worked on digitization projects in the FHS archives and was also a Library Assistant for Wake County. Lauren holds an MLIS with a concentration in Cultural Heritage from Simmons University.
- Laura Hayden, Development Associate
Laura joined the FHS staff in 2018. She is working with FHS leadership to broaden the awareness of FHS in the community, increasing corporate support, and bringing new groups and financial support to the FHS Annual Fund.
- Eben Lehman, Director of Library and Archives
Eben joined the FHS staff in 2007. He is responsible for the oversight, management, and long-range planning of the archives and library. He also works on the digitization and cataloging of the Society's photograph collection, provides reference assistance, manages the FHS research databases, and processes archival collections. He co-edits and co-authors the blog "Peeling Back the Bark," and coordinates social media communications and outreach. His previous archival work includes several years with the Missouri State Archives.
- James Lewis, Historian
A former FHS Bell Travel Grant recipient, Jamie started with FHS in 2003. He researches and writes books and articles, serves as editor of the Society's magazine Forest History Today, co-edits and co-authors the blog "Peeling Back the Bark," conducts oral history interviews, provides reference assistance, consults on documentary films, and handles other special writing and editing assignments. Jamie served as an executive producer, writer, and historical consultant on the FHS-produced award-winning documentary America's First Forest: Carl Schenck and the Asheville Experiment. He is the author of The Forest Service and the Greatest Good: A Centennial History, the companion book to the documentary film, The Greatest Good, and edited the book Lands Worth Saving: The Weeks Act of 1911, the National Forests and the Enduring Value of Public Investment. He holds a PhD in U.S. history from Florida State University.
