Meet Our Board

President

With over two decades of experience behind the camera, Craig is a seasoned wildlife photographer that focuses his work on capturing the raw beauty and elusive moments of the Lower Sugar River. His portfolio showcases intimate portraits of wildlife, awe-inspiring landscapes, and the delicate balance of ecosystems from the wooded wetlands of the Albany Wildlife Area down to the grassy floodplains of the Ferguson Forest Preserve in Shirland, Illinois. Craig aims to tell stories that inspire conservation and foster a deeper connection with the natural world through his photos.
Living in Brodhead since 2002 has provided Craig with easy access to a wide variety of public spaces along the Lower Sugar River Watershed to expolore. There's a very good chance that if you're at one of these many places you'll run into him looking for birds, mushrooms, insects, or other wildlife. Don't be afraid to say hi even if he looks like he's focusing on his photography, he's always happy to talk to you.

Vice President

Having grown up in the endless rolling corn and bean fields of the southwestern Iowa Loess Hills, Susan’s unexplained fascination with wild places (she’s convinced it was Tarzan movies) led her across Iowa to the banks of the Mississippi River and eventually to the more subtle landscapes of the Sugar River Valley of southern Wisconsin and Green County. With an undergraduate degree in Botany from UW-Madison and nearly twenty years of experience as an ecologist with Applied Ecological Services, she has enjoyed endless hours in the field on this continent and abroad studying ecosystems and working with landowners to solve ecosystem health problems. Susan is inspired and fascinated by people who have a strong connection with nature and the land. Since her involvement as a founding board member of LSRWA, she has met a steady stream of people who articulate in the most compelling way their love for the places they care about. As she puts it, “I work for them.”

Secretary

Jill grew up in the Washington D.C. suburbs. Public Service was always a part of her family’s vernacular. She attended college at The University of Colorado - Boulder and The University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. She has a B.S. degree in Secondary Education and a minor in Political Science. She has been active in LSRWA on their Education and Outreach Team, is the Seasons of the Sugar River art show coordinator, is active with stream sampling, and participates in numerous LSRWA educational outreaches. She enjoys spending time with her family, photographing nature, learning about great art, and knitting.

Treasurer

Nathan has been involved with the LSRWA as a volunteer since its initial citizen science watershed sampling efforts in 2011. Besides appealing to his enthusiasm for hands-on exploration of streams and landscapes of all kinds, he was especially moved by the concept of the geographic watershed as an organizing basis for community and stewardship. Nathan is eager to now serve on the LSRWA Board of Directors and help perpetuate such principles and efforts in the Lower Sugar River Watershed. Nathan is proudly a son of the Midwest having grown up in Indiana, Iowa, and Ohio, and settled in Wisconsin in 2004. Professionally, Nathan is a botanist, a natural areas manager, and a native seed grower. Particularly he pursues a goal to discover and bring the total native floristic diversity of the local community and larger region forward in ecological restoration projects.

Erin grew up in a small, rural town in Minnesota enjoying the outdoors (including camping, fishing, biking, hiking, walking, and gardening). In high school, she first became mesmerized learning about different properties in herbs and making homemade shampoo, chapstick, tinctures, and teas. Even with a B.S degree in Apparel Design and Development, she always found her way back outside.
In 2023, she had fantastic botanical field experience at Three Waters Reserve that changed how she looked at our world, ecosystems, and our precious water supply. Since then Erin has become more involved with the LSRWA, helping with citizen science projects and now is Projects Manager for the Lower Sugar River Field Station.

Board Member

Aryn grew up in rural Wisconsin being taught to appreciate nature. Since then she has dedicated her life to protecting the environment. From teaching environmental education to working hands on with farmers in sustainable ag and renewable energy production she strives to leave the world a greener place. Outside of work Aryn spends her free time coaching a national baton twirling team, tackling home renovation projects, or snuggling with her cats. Aryn has a BS in Environmental Science and an MS in Environmental Conservation.

Board Member

Board Member

Bob has been around creeks his entire life. He grew up on a farm in Dodge County, Wisconsin. He received his B.S. degree in Biology from UW-Eau Claire and his Waste Water degree from Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac, WI. Bob has worked for Grande Cheese Company for the past thirty-three years and currently, he manages the wastewater treatment plant for their Juda facility. Bob is no stranger to LSRWA. As a citizen scientist, he enjoyed performing assessments of our watershed's creeks and is committed to finding ways to reduce phosphorus levels throughout the Lower Sugar River Watershed. Prior to employment at Grande he worked as a pre-school teacher, an organic gardening instructor, and a manager of an agricultural program at a living history ranch in Colorado Springs, CO. Bob still enjoys organic gardening, rock collecting, photographing the beauty of our watershed and spending time with his family.

Our Team