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Jennifer Browning, Executive Director, joined Biodiversity Project as the Executive Director in the fall of 2007. She brings to the position 15 years of experience in the field of environmental education and communications, as well as a dedication and passion for protecting the environment. In addition to the traditional executive director duties, she works directly with the Mississippi River Network, guiding this 10-state, 30-member coalition in implementing a national public education and a policy campaign. Prior to joining Biodiversity Project, she worked for ten years as a consultant for organizations such as the Field Museum, National Wildlife Federation, Chicago Botanic Garden, USDA National Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy. Jennifer holds a B.S. in ecology from the University of Illinois and offers a combination of expertise in the natural sciences, leadership development and best communication practices.
Email: jbrowning at biodiverse.org |
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Rebecca Dill, Project Manager, oversees our multifaceted regional outreach campaigns and the associated coalitions. For example, she manages a coalition of municipalities collaborating on a stormwater education program in eight cities in the Rock River Basin of Wisconsin. In addition, she is guiding the creation of a Habitat Conservation Plan for the endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly in Will County, Illinois. In this project, she expertly guides the coalition members, who have many divergent interests and priorities, to consensus on key issues. Rebecca joined the Biodiversity Project team in April 2008. She received a B.S. in geology from the College of William and Mary and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Public Service Management. Email: rdill at biodiverse.org |
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Rebeca Bell, Communications Manager, assists in the development of key messages and creation of all of Biodiversity Project’s communication materials, including brochures, websites and workshop materials. She also manages Biodiversity Project’s media relationships and plays a key role in shaping and implementing communications projects, programs and campaigns. In addition, she manages 1 Mississippi, the public education and outreach campaign for the Mississippi River Network. With a background in grassroots organizing, rhetoric and writing, Rebeca manages our communication efforts so they are both inspirational and persuasive. She holds a degree in political science from Denison University and a Master’s degree in writing and rhetoric from DePaul University.
Email: rbell at biodiverse.org |
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Kimberly Blair, Office Manager, joined Biodiversity Project in April 2011. She assists with every facet of Biodiversity Project’s current work. Kimberly received her B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Environmental Studies from Illinois Wesleyan in 2006 and is currently pursuing her M.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from Northeastern Illinois University. Prior to joining Biodiversity Project she was an environmental educator for 6 years and has worked in multiple capacities for the US EPA. She enjoys running, learning new things and the color orange.
Email: kblairs at biodiverse.org
Nancy Paraskevopoulos, Mississippi River Campaign Organizer, joined Biodiversity Project and the Mississippi River Network in January 2011. Nancy works with the 35 member organizations of the Network to implement the public communications campaign, called 1 Mississippi, throughout the ten-state River region. She builds member capacity, refines campaign strategy and recruits and trains campaign volunteers and interns. After graduating with a BA in English Literature from the University of Cincinnati, Nancy moved to Chicago to work with environmental nonprofit organizations. She has a sound background in student and community organizing and is excited to put those skills to use for the Mississippi River. Nancy spends her free time reading, learning about outer space, and eating dessert.
Email: nparas at biodiverse.org
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Bill Wenzel, Mississippi River Network Policy Manager, is a consultant providing policy development and strategic planning services to farm, food and environmental organizations and business. Bill is a 1981 graduate of the Hamline University School of Law. He has served as Chief of Staff and Agriculture & Environmental Resources Committee staffperson for two former Wisconsin State Senators. He has a long history of grassroots activism with more than 20 years of experience in federal and state policy development and advocacy on agricultural, environmental and rural development issues working in collaboration with family farm, sustainable agriculture, organic, food safety and environmental groups. After having spent the last 10 years focused on agricultural biotechnology regulation and policy, he welcomes the opportunity return to work on the environmental and agricultural issues impacting the Mississippi River and its citizens.
Email: bwenzel2 at aol.com
Colm Driscoll, Assistant Program Manager, joined Biodiversity Project in April 2009. A passion for ecology and hydrology was fostered from a young age growing up in California with frequent trips to the Pacific Ocean and Yosemite National Park. After six-plus years in public accounting and finance, Colm decided to focus his efforts on issues much closer to his heart by joining Biodiversity Project and enrolling in the Illinois Institute of Technology's Masters in Environmental Management program. He graduated in May 2010.
Email: cdriscoll at biodiverse.org |
Board of Directors
Chair: Gary Wilson
Grimard Wilson Consulting, Inc.
Great Lakes Town Hall Editor
Oak Park, IL
Vice Chair: Sara Race
Senior Environmental Compliance Specialist
Commonwealth Edison
Evanston, IL
Carol Fialkowski
Environmental Educator, Chicago Wilderness
Retired
Burr Ridge, IL
Kari Lydersen
Freelance Journalist
Chicago, IL
Rey Phillips
Assistant Corporation Counsel
City of Chicago Department of Law
Chicago, IL
John Sentell
The Wetlands Initiative
Chicago, IL
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