Glenn College Alumni Awardees Exemplify Service Above Self

“Each awardee has made a meaningful impact in their field and community, and each reflects the Glenn College mission and our values of inclusive excellence,” said Acting Dean Stephanie Moulton. “Their accomplishments are inspiring.”

At its core, Todd Parfitt’s career exemplifies service above self. He has devoted his professional life to protecting and improving the environment, strengthening public institutions, supporting Wyoming’s communities and economy, and helping others become better leaders.

Parfitt retired this fall after more than three decades of dedicated service to the State of Wyoming.Under his leadership, the Department of Environmental Quality strengthened Wyoming’s environmental programs, expanded state regulatory authority, modernized public-facing systems and advanced major initiatives supporting Wyoming’s air, land and water resources.

Upon Parfitt’s retirement, Gov. Mark Gordon praised his service.

“Todd has been a steady, thoughtful and highly respected leader,” Gordon said in a news release. “His commitment to Wyoming’s environment and natural resources, along with his ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes, has strengthened the state’s environmental protections while supporting responsible economic development. Wyoming is better because of his service.”

Throughout Parfitt’s career, his goal has been to build a better relationship between the department and the public.

“We worked to build proactive dialogues with municipalities, county commissioners, and petroleum and mining associations to address concerns collaboratively,” Parfitt said. “We developed a culture focused on assisting entities, providing efficiency and creating process certainty.”

Some of his many achievements:

• Led Wyoming to take on state primacy for federal programs including carbon sequestration, coal combustion residuals, uranium and thorium licensing and critical mineral source material.
• Advanced coordinated efforts in the Upper Green River Basin to improve monitoring, reduce emissions and enhance public notifications during winter ozone events.
• Modernized public transparency through user-friendly portals that provide direct access to air quality monitoring data, emissions information, compliance records and permitting activity.

During his leadership involvement with the Environmental Council of the States, he helped align state and federal EPA roles and build respect across state regulatory approaches.

The Glenn College, then the School of Public Administration, set the foundation for his success.

“Coursework — like Dr. Mary Marvel’s focus on policy formulation, implementation and evaluation — taught critical thinking and listening to all sides,” he said, “which applied directly to every position I held.”

One thing he’s learned about public service that he hopes the next generation of leaders carries forward: engaging the public and listening before reacting.

“We often assume we know best,” Parfitt said, “but sitting down to listen to concerns — like having a cup of coffee with a rancher — builds trust and ensures we don’t miss the mark.”

Since her graduation from the then-Glenn School, Kelsey Ellingsen has been a consummate collaborator and champion for the Glenn College, helping strengthen connections between our alumni and the college community. Her intentional commitment to giving back and staying engaged shows throughout her years of service, from leading alumni engagement to serving as Alumni Society president, where she helped expand scholarship support and strengthen the board’s impact.

Ellingsen said she hopes that by being involved in the Glenn College, she can help students go out more confidently in the direction of their dreams.

“Being present in this community is really the time spent with students — the ability to celebrate their wins, find community with them, offer mentorship where I can — is really a beautiful contribution that I get to make,” Ellingsen said. “But in reverse, it’s wonderful to hear about their goals, to feel their energy. It leaves me recharged. Because truly there’s so much to solve left in the world, there are so many challenges, and it reminds me that those challenges aren’t on my shoulders alone, they are actually things we are doing together.”

“I think that by being present, being steady and giving students the unvarnished view of what my own path has looked like,” she said, “I can help clarify for them that actually the only thing they need to know is that they’re going to be sticking to this mission that we have together and that if they accept a winding path, their contributions will be the greatest that way.”

She feels strongly called to give back to the Glenn College, she said, because the work required in the public service sector is unending.

“That means we need a really strong pipeline of people who are bright and industrious, and that’s who is attracted to the Glenn College — the faculty, the staff, the students and the alumni, they’re all like this, and when they go forth, they carry that mission with them,” she said.

“It is truly special to be receiving the Outstanding Alumni Service Award from a college that has made so many contributions to me,” Ellingsen said. “It’s a reminder that many small actions can make a big impact.”

Since her graduation from the then-Glenn School, Kelsey Ellingsen has been a consummate collaborator and champion for the Glenn College, helping strengthen connections between our alumni and the college community. Her intentional commitment to giving back and staying engaged shows throughout her years of service, from leading alumni engagement to serving as Alumni Society president, where she helped expand scholarship support and strengthen the board’s impact.

Ellingsen said she hopes that by being involved in the Glenn College, she can help students go out more confidently in the direction of their dreams.

“Being present in this community is really the time spent with students — the ability to celebrate their wins, find community with them, offer mentorship where I can — is really a beautiful contribution that I get to make,” Ellingsen said. “But in reverse, it’s wonderful to hear about their goals, to feel their energy. It leaves me recharged. Because truly there’s so much to solve left in the world, there are so many challenges, and it reminds me that those challenges aren’t on my shoulders alone, they are actually things we are doing together.”

“I think that by being present, being steady and giving students the unvarnished view of what my own path has looked like,” she said, “I can help clarify for them that actually the only thing they need to know is that they’re going to be sticking to this mission that we have together and that if they accept a winding path, their contributions will be the greatest that way.”

She feels strongly called to give back to the Glenn College, she said, because the work required in the public service sector is unending.

“That means we need a really strong pipeline of people who are bright and industrious, and that’s who is attracted to the Glenn College — the faculty, the staff, the students and the alumni, they’re all like this, and when they go forth, they carry that mission with them,” she said.

“It is truly special to be receiving the Outstanding Alumni Service Award from a college that has made so many contributions to me,” Ellingsen said. “It’s a reminder that many small actions can make a big impact.”
 

Read the latest edition of Public Address, the Glenn College magazine.