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Jennifer Browning, Executive Director, is a fifteen year veteran in the field of environmental education and communication. For the past ten years she has been the President of Quercus Consulting and has worked with more than 25 organizations assisting them with their communication and education needs. Jennifer holds a BS in Biology from the University of Illinois. She resides in Chicago with her husband, three children, two dogs and two cats and a large garden. She loves bird watching, camping and hiking and recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Email: jbrowning at biodiverse.org |
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Rebecca Dill, Manager of Special Projects, joined the Biodiversity Project team in April 2008. Growing up in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a health food store named after her, Rebecca received a BS in geology from William and Mary. Living a sustainable, environmentally conscious life has always been an important part of her life. Rebecca spends her free time biking and running to explore the never-ending neighborhoods of Chicago, and reading and cooking when the weather is not cooperating.
Email: rdill at biodiverse.org |
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Ben Mjolsness, Program Manager, joined Biodiversity Project in September 2008 after completing his Master’s degree in Environmental Management at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He received his B.A. in English (DePaul University, Chicago) and has nearly ten years experience working with local and regional governments, non-profit organizations, and community groups in Chicago and northeast Illinois. Ben lives in Chicago with his girlfriend, dog, and three cats, and is an active member of the city’s independent music community.
Email: bmjolsness at biodiverse.org |
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Jessica Belle Smith, Director of Communications, joined the Biodiversity Project in July 2008 with a background in non-profit marketing and communications. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English and an M.F.A. in Poetry, Jessica appreciates the power of well-chosen words and effective communication. Jessica serves as a volunteer marketer with the Taproot Foundation, focusing on branding, key messaging and website content for environmental groups. Born and raised in Northern Michigan, Jessica loves being in, on, or near any body of water, particularly if it involves fishing with her father.
Email: jsmith at biodiverse.org |
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| Brenna Wannous, Great Lakes Town Hall Manager, joined the Town Hall team in the fall of 2007 after interning for a semester at the Biodiversity Project. She grew up in a farming community in southeastern Minnesota, and moved to Madison, WI in 2004 to pursue her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Brenna graduated in May of 2008 with degrees in International Studies, Environmental Studies, and Geography, through which she developed a strong interest in local food production and environmental conservation. Brenna enjoys camping, hiking, and biking in the Great Lakes area, international travel, gardening, and reading.
Email: bwanous at biodiverse.org |
Advisors, Consultants, and Adjunct Staff
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| Jane Elder, Senior Advisor, was formerly the Biodiversity Project's Executive Director. Jane brings more than twenty years of experience in the environmental movement to the Biodiversity Project, with expertise in both policy and communications. She serves as a liaison to leaders in the environmental community, developing the partnerships that are essential to our work. Jane was the primary author of our "Road Map," facilitated the majority of our workshops and continues to be a speaker at Biodiversity Project and other conferences. Before coming to the Biodiversity Project, Jane directed the Sierra Club's Ecoregion Planning Program, and served as Great Lakes Program Director and Midwest Representative for the Club. She holds degrees in Land Resources (MS, 1991) from the University of Wisconsin, and Communications (BA, 1976) from Michigan State University.
Email: jane at janeelderstrategies.com |
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| Marian Farrior, Communications Specialist Consultant, previously worked for Biodiversity Project for six years. She has a wide array of skills, including program planning, program management, evaluation, research synthesis, and training. She researched and wrote "Emerging Trends in Communications and Social Sciences" for a National Science Foundation project.
On her own she helped create a Web site on the emerging field of Conservation Psychology. She has provided organizational change trainings to Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute at Northland College in Ashland, WI; training topics included Managing Polarities, Learning Styles and Theory, Appreciative Inquiry, Logic Model, and Communications Strategies.
Email: marianfarrior at sacredtrees.org |
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| Paige Wilder, Web Consultant, previously worked for Biodiversity Project for four years. Paige provides support for our Web related work, including our Web sites and online message kits. She is currently completing a MS in environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with plans to enroll in veterinary school in 2010.
Email: pwilder4 at yahoo.com |
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| Renee Lertzman, SymbioCycles Fellow, came to Biodiversity Project in the fall of 2006, thanks to the generosity of SymbioCycles Fund. Renee is pursuing her PhD research on psychology, emotions and environmental communications at Cardiff University, UK, and will be focusing her attention on public engagements with threats to the Great Lakes.
Email: rlertzman at biodiverse.org |
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