Center for Ag Conservation Welcomes Elaine Hinrichs to the Team

Elaine Hinrichs joined Penn State Extension’s Center for Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training (CACAT) as the GIS Technical Support Lead and Trainer. She will join her CACAT teammates in providing education, training, and technical assistance to conservation professionals and agricultural landowners implementing agricultural best management practices within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Elaine will provide assistance to users of the ACAP GIS reporting tool and also develop and administer training resources for other GIS tools that may be useful to ag conservation professionals.

Elaine grew up in Iowa and Centre County, Pennsylvania, and is now based in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. She holds a post-baccalaureate certificate in geographic information systems (GIS) from Penn State and a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Oberlin College. Elaine advanced stormwater projects at a water utility through education, outreach, and web management in her previous work. She also helped the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) develop guidance on best management practices for protecting the bay watershed.  

Outside work time, Elaine enjoys running, hiking, coaching youth sports, and spending time with family and friends.