Stephanie Fuller is the Director of Promotions and Economic Development for the Forest Workforce Training Institute. She oversees the marketing and promotional efforts of FWTI’s brand, ForestryWorks®, conducts economic and workforce related research and projects, and is responsible for the expansion of ForestryWorks® programming across the United States. She is also the author of the forest industry specific children’s book series the “Tiny Timber Crew” featuring titles Lucy Meets a Logger, Travis Visits a Tree Farm and Sam Visits a Sawmill.
Stephanie is a graduate of Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics and is a part of a fourth-generation logging family from Chambers County, Alabama. She is a member of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and has been actively involved with the Piedmont District Log-A-Load for Kids Foundation and Alabama Loggers Council her entire life. Stephanie resides in central Alabama and enjoys spending time at the lake and with her six nieces and nephews.
Reach Stephanie by email: sfuller@forestryworks.com
From Stephanie:
"It’s fitting that my degree was printed on paper because pulpwood was the very thing that afforded me the opportunity to go to college. The forest industry has directly supported my family for four generations and getting to work every day to improve the lives of the people and industry that raised me is the most important job I could ever have."
Maggie Pope is the Director of Education for the Forest Workforce Training Institute whose goal is to educate individuals about the incredible career opportunities in the forestry and forest products manufacturing industries. By working with students, parents, and educators, ForestryWorks® aims to connect current and future jobseekers with incredible career pathways within the industry. Maggie is responsible for expanding the high school credentialing programs throughout the ForestryWorks® affiliated states, as well as developing new curriculums based on industry needs.
Maggie attended the University of South Alabama, majoring in business and entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, she moved back to Clarke County to put her passion for helping others, entrepreneurial mindset, and communication skills to work. After serving as a Career Coach for three years, she joined the ForestryWorks® Team as a Workforce Development Coordinator where she used her connections with the Department of Education and local educators to grow the Alabama Forest Worker Credentialing Program to certify more than 200 teachers and 6,000 students.
Maggie is married to Jesse Pope, and they reside in Thomasville, AL, with their two toddler boys, Charlie and J.W. Their family adventures mainly consist of being outdoors, looking for bugs, and doing various yard projects. They attend church at Grove Hill Baptist, where she is the Awana Director of the Children's Ministry.
Reach Maggie by email: mpope@forestryworks.com
From Maggie:
"I owe a lot to the forest industry. It has provided jobs for multiple generations of my family, instilled in me a deep love and respect for the stewards of our forests, and given me countless fond memories with my dad, who taught me about work ethic and creating a legacy by adding value to the lives of others."
David Benefield is a Workforce Development Coordinator for the Forest Workforce Training Institute. His role is to support the development and expansion of high school curriculums, to provide teachers with training, certification, and workshop opportunities, and to increase teacher and student awareness of the forest industry and employment opportunities.
David received a bachelor’s degree from Auburn University, and a master‘s degree from Alabama A&M, both in agriscience education. He retired from Cullman High School in 2024, where he served as an agriscience teacher and FFA advisor for 30 years. While FFA advisor, David coached several state-winning teams in forestry judging and agricultural mechanics. He was recently awarded the prestigious Honorary American FFA Degree, recognizing his contributions to agriculture, agricultural education and FFA at the national level.
David’s love of agriculture led him to a career where he could share that passion with others. As part of a multi-generational family farm, David learned skills and life lessons that shaped him into the person he is today, and he was able to share those skills and lessons throughout his teaching career and is continuing to do so in his role with ForestryWorks®. David and his wife, Kelly, a retired elementary teacher, have two children and reside in Cullman.
Reach David by email: dbenefield@forestryworks.com
From David:
"My love of the outdoors, whether putting my hands in the dirt, working with my livestock, or managing the forests and wildlife on my property, has given me the opportunity to work in an area that provides a lot of satisfaction at the end of the day. My desire as I transition to this next chapter of my life is to continue working with those in food, fiber, and natural resources to make a difference in the lives of those it impacts each and every day."
Kara Foreman is a Workforce Development Coordinator for the Forest Workforce Training Institute where she manages the ForestryWorks® Ambassador Program, expands K-12+ learning resources, and champions the creation of new assets to showcase the Tiny Timber Crew™ children’s book series.
Kara discovered her passion for her family’s land as she watched her husband and children enjoy its wildlife, recreational opportunities, and the sheer aesthetics of the property. After moving to their family farm in Crenshaw County in 2017, Kara decided to go back to school to pursue a forestry degree to aid her husband in farm operations. She graduated from Lurleen B. Wallace Community College’s Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Department.
Kara has a 26-year performance background as a ballet dancer, including her time as a Walt Disney World performer. Her passions extend beyond ballet now, as she has added timber advocation, education, and workforce development to the list of things she is most passionate about. Kara is also a dedicated mom of three (plus one on the way) who enjoys homeschooling her children, baking sourdough bread, and enjoying time with her family on the farm.
Reach Kara by email: kforeman@forestryworks.com
From Kara:
"As my husband and I took on rebuilding our family farm starting in 2015, it has brought many trials. We both agreed early on that our work ethic and determination to bring the farm out of dormancy would be the very characteristics that led us to success. Although it will forever be a labor of love, reimagining family legacy and dreams is something that should always be fought for."
Jordan Littrell is a Workforce Development Coordinator for the Forest Workforce Training Institute. She serves as an industry liaison, working with industry partners to understand and support current workforce challenges. She also promotes the forest industry through career fairs, field days, and other programs designed to introduce K-12 students to forestry-related jobs.
Jordan graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After graduation, she worked in the medical field as a surgical assistant, but soon felt called to move back to her hometown and work at her family’s sawmill in Morgan County. She grew up “behind the scenes” of the mill her whole life and worked in their human resources department for 4 years before joining the FWTI team. She was proud to be part of producing forest products being shipped and utilized worldwide.
Jordan is using her creativity, skills, and personal experience in the forest products manufacturing industry to connect with students across Alabama and encourage their interest in the forestry family. She lives in North Alabama with her quail hunting buddy, Rip, a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. In her free time, Jordan enjoys reading, hiking, traveling, and spending time at the lake with friends and family.
Reach Jordan by email: jlittrell@forestryworks.com
From Jordan:
"Something I am so thankful that my parents instilled in me when I was very young is to not be afraid of hard work! Whether you are an employee or an employer, a little hard work goes a long way and is a trait that will always be valued and respected by everyone around you. The forest industry is made up of some of the hardest working people I know. Don’t ever be afraid to put in the work and go the extra mile, even when no one is watching. Hard work will always pay off in the long run and will get you places you never even knew you could go!"
Emily Vanderford serves as a Workforce Development Coordinator for the Forest Workforce Training Institute. In her role, she supports the marketing and promotion of the ForestryWorks® brand and works to continue growing the team’s outreach efforts in forestry-related career promotion and education programs.
Emily is a Tuscaloosa County native who was drawn to forestry because of her love of being in the woods with her dad from a young age. She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in forestry from Mississippi State University. Early in her studies, Emily realized her passion was not just working in the woods, but also sharing her love of natural resources with others. This desire opened career and service opportunities like student recruitment, Extension research, natural resources education and outreach, and work in the hospitality industry.
Before joining the Forest Workforce Training Institute, she worked with the Alabama State Parks Division of DCNR where she served as the Coordinator of Planning and Visitor Services. Emily and her husband, John, reside in central Alabama with their three children. She is a college gymnastics and baseball fan, enjoys bowhunting, and loves to spend time with her family.
Reach Emily by email: evanderford@forestryworks.com
From Emily:
"I am thankful for my parents who taught me the importance of recognizing the blessings and resources we have been given, and to be diligent in our stewardship of those resources. That perspective has given me such an appreciation for Alabama’s natural resources, forest industry, and the hard-working people who take care of them."