Kathy Baker Skafidas graduated from Ramapo College with an Environmental Studies degree in 1996. As an undergraduate, she worked with Dames and Moore Engineering Firm, NJ Audubon Sanctuary- Weis Ecology Center and the Mid Atlantic Environmental Conference hosted by Ramapo College. After graduation Kathy worked for George Little Management Inc, a nationwide trade show company. She was Show Coordinator for the Textile Show which hosted hundreds of vendors and 500,000 attendees at the Javits Convention Center.
Kathy went on to be the Coordinator, and then Director, of Skylands CLEAN Inc in Ringwood NJ. Her responsibilities there involved running day to day activities, grant writing, mapping and preservation of open space and farmland, smart growth planning efforts, watchdogging industrial uses such as mining and superfund sites, environmental litigation, river and stream corridor protection and cleanups, fundraising, and lobbying efforts in parts of Passaic, Bergen, Morris and Sussex County in New Jersey for 5 years.
After relocating to Warwick, NY in 2002, Kathy worked with the Vernon Civic Association on a State Planning designation matter and then was hired by Orange Environment, Inc as Executive Director where she stayed for 9 years. During her tenure as Executive Director, OE tackled many important regional issues like the Al Turi Landfill, protecting the Dutchess Quarry Caves, regional environmental impact of Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) fracked gas power plant, Open Space efforts, and local and county planning issues. Kathy developed and produced outreach events for OE such as large Earth Day Events, fundraising Barn Dances, and held many important workshops ranging from community training on SEQRA, permaculture and sustainable gardening, to public education and discussion on the climate change crisis.
After taking a bit of time off to be a mom and work in the schools, Kathy rejoined the Orange Environment, Inc. Board of Directors and eventually became Co-President. In 2020 she also began working as a legal assistant to a local attorney on real estate closings and environmental planning efforts for the firm. In late spring 2021, Kathy and her family are relocating to Seattle, Washington.