Alison has a PhD from the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability and is now the Program Manager for the Western Lake Erie Basin Advisory Group and Science Panel.

TSN Conference 2026

January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 10:15 am – 11:15 am // Room 106 // Breaking Down Silos to Manage Lake Erie HABs: Evaluating the First Two Years of the WLEB Community Advisory Group // Harmful algae blooms remain an urgent, annual hazard for Lake Erie, primarily driven by nutrient pollution from agriculture. In 2023, the University of Michigan Water Center convened the Western Lake Erie Basin Community Advisory Group to bring together rural, agricultural, and municipal stakeholders in the watershed to work with state agencies to inform Michigan’s Lake Erie Domestic Action Plan (DAP). After over two years of facilitated community engagement in the watershed through the Advisory Group, a new DAP has been published; conferences, member meetings, field tours, small group meetings, and webinars have occurred; and the community has formed stronger connections across silos. During this session we will explore the impact of the Advisory Group’s feedback on revisions to the 2025 DAP, farmers’ motivations to participate in the Advisory Group, and how farmers perceive gaps and progress on phosphorus management in the WLEB in 2025 compared to before participating in the group.