Mike Dockry
Mike Dockry is a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation with traditional territories around Lake Michigan and a reservation in central Oklahoma. He was born and raised in Green Bay, WI. Mike is a nationally recognized expert in tribal forestry, tribal relations, tribal climate change planning, and building tribal partnerships. He works at the University […]
Sunny Fleming
Sunny Fleming serves as the Director of Conservation Solutions at Esri. Her career has been shaped by a consistent theme of applying GIS to solve real‑world challenges across conservation, environmental regulation, and parks and recreation management. Her experience spans monitoring and managing species and natural resources in the field to supporting agencies in policy development, […]
Elizabeth Vincent
Elizabeth Vincent is an Invasive Species Stewardship Technician for Six Rivers Land Conservancy and the Lake St. Clair CISMA. As a lifelong resident of the beautiful Great Lakes State, she has a strong passion for preserving Michigan’s unique natural landscapes and waterways. She gets the greatest satisfaction from garlic mustard pulls and treating Autumn Olive! […]
Steven Woods
Steven Woods works for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Stewardship Unit in the Parks and Recreation Division as a Regional Ecologist. In this role he oversees Natural Resource inventory and management on state parks, state forest campgrounds, boating access sites and trails in the northern lower peninsula. He has over 25 years of natural […]
Anjuli Jain Figueroa
Dr. Jain Figueroa serves as the Assistant Vice Provost and Director of Strategic Initiatives for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan. In this role, she leads cross-cutting internal and external efforts to advance the University’s priorities on sustainability, climate action, and environmental justice, and serves in a key role in developing and […]
Bryan Farmer
Bryan Farmer has worked for more than 28 years with the City of Farmington Hills Department of Special Services, where he has created and led hundreds of community programs and initiatives, including several award-winning facilities and services. His leadership and innovation in parks, recreation, and community engagement have made him a trusted voice throughout Michigan. […]
Mark Ballering
Mark Ballering had an introduction to plant ecology as an undergraduate and has spent the past 20 years restoring several hundred acres in southern Wisconsin. There have been many surprises and lessons learned. In 2008 Mark and his wife, Jennell, established a foundation named Green Forest, to ensure the land stays in conservation. In addition […]
Derek Shiels
Derek Shiels works at Little Traverse Conservancy where he is the Director of Land Stewardship. Prior to LTC, Derek worked with the Leelanau Conservancy and the Missouri Department of Conservation. He has degrees from Grand Valley State University, Taylor University, and Central Michigan University. Derek leads a team of ten and many volunteers that steward 27,000 […]
David Hassler
David Hassler is the Bob & Walt Wick Executive Director of the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University. With Poets for Science founder Jane Hirshfield, he and the Wick Poetry Center have led the Poets for Science initiative since 2017. In 2009, he cofounded Traveling Stanzas, a community arts project which brings poetry to […]
Charlie Brennan
Charlie Brennan is a regenerative designer, educator, and land steward with decades of experience in gardening, farming, conservation, Permaculture, and social ecology. He co-directs Garden Juju Collective, an international ecological landscaping and education firm, and co-designed and directs Gateway Farm Hub, a regenerative organic farm in southeastern Michigan. Charlie has worked with schools, universities, and […]