Belmaker Fills StopPests Position

Dennise Belmaker

Dennise Belmaker has joined the StopPests in Housing Program at the Northeastern IPM Center. As extension educator, she will support the outreach and education efforts of the program, building relationships with housing providers, fellow trainers, governmental agencies, pest management professionals, and Regional IPM Centers.

"As a biologist and environmental professional, I believe deeply in education and outreach to the public," Belmaker said. "I am very excited to join this team of dedicated individuals. It is a great opportunity to make a positive contribution to communities and institutions of limited resources."

Prior to coming to the Northeastern IPM Center, she implemented programs and projects for the City of Ithaca and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. She has served on the Solar Tompkins volunteer leaders' team and is a board member of EVI Inc. and Learn@EcoVillageIthaca (the land stewardship and education non-profits of Ecovillage at Ithaca), where she promotes energy efficiency, conservation, and sustainability.

She has an M.A. in environment, society, and planning studies and a B.Sc. in biology, both from Tel-Aviv University in Israel. She brings broad experience working with private, public, and academic sectors.

While working at the Lab of Ornithology, she co-developed and coordinated a citizen science project called the House Sparrow Project, in which she translated scientific research for non-scientists. As a member of the StopPests team, she will reach out to residents, staff, and providers of affordable housing and engage them as partners in pest control.

"With Dennise, a native Spanish speaker, on the StopPests team, I look forward to bringing our resources and training materials to a broader audience through much-needed translation," said Susannah Reese, StopPests project coordinator. "She brings a diverse background in environmental sciences, program management, project coordination, and public outreach. Her skills, knowledge, and experience make her an excellent fit for this job."