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Wild Things 2021: Part 2

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Speakers

Debbie Albano

Professor Emeritus of English, Oakton Community College

Edward Warden

Conservation Stewardship Coordinator, John G. Shedd Aquarium

Anna Braum

Ecologist, The Wetlands Initiative

Izabella Redlinski

Conservation Ecologist, Field Museum

Kathleen Garness

Illustrator, Scientific Affiliate, Volunteer Steward

Libby Keyes

Bird Survey Technician, Audubon Great Lakes

Stephanie Beilke

Conservation Science Manager, Audubon Great Lakes

Sean Shaffer

Nature Play Specialist, Chicago Park District

Stephanie Frischie

Native Plant Materials Specialist, Xerces Society

Trevor Edmonson

Kankakee Sands Site Manager, The Nature Conservancy

Anastasia Rahlin

Ornithologist, Illinois Natural History Survey

Bob Dolgan

Turnstone Strategies LLC

Daniella Pereira

Vice President of Community Conservation, Openlands

Joe Wheeler

Heritage Program Manager, USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Maggie Cooper

Conservation Stewardship Coordinator, John G. Shedd Aquarium

Marla Garrison

Biology Instructor, McHenry County College

Matt Mulligan

Urban Biodiversity Program Manager, The Nature Conservancy

Melinda Storie

Associate Professor, Geography and Environmental Studies, Northeastern Illinois University

Phil Nicodemus

Director of Research, Urban Rivers

Brandon Hayes (he/him)

Bold Bison Communications and Consulting

Allison Sacerdote-Velat

Curator of Herpetology, Chicago Academy of Sciences

Adam Kessel

Program Coordinator, Forest Preserves of Cook County

Callie Klatt Golba

Doctoral Student, Northern Illinois University

Carl Strang

Volunteer Steward and former Naturalist, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

Joey Cavataio

Herpetology Expert

John Legge

Chicago Conservation Program Director, The Nature Conservancy

Kelly Schultz

Stewardship Ecologist, Lake County Forest Preserves

Refugio Mariscal

Conservation Data Coordinator, Audubon Great Lakes

Trinity Pierce

Chicago Region Trees Initiative Stewardship Coordinator, The Morton Arboretum

Stephen Packard

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves

Forrest Cortes (he/his)

Director of Community Engagement, The Nature Conservancy - Illinois

Jasmine Gurneau (she/her)

Manager, Northwestern University

Pete Jackson

Biologist, Volunteer Steward

Alicia Diaz

Field Guides Coordinator, Conservation Tools Program, Field Museum

Lenore Beyer

Director of Conservation Initiatives, Kinship Foundation

Matthew Igleski

Student and Teacher Programs Developer, Lincoln Park Zoo

Tara Hohoff

Bat Biologist, Illinois Bat Conservation Program at Illinois Natural History Survey

Joan Linsenmeier

Volunteer Steward, Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary and Dean Emeritus, Northwestern University

Norbaya Durr

Biology and English Student, Elmhurst College

Harry Kuttner

Imani Green Health Advocates

Karen Klinger

GIS Specialist, Field Museum

Erika Hasle

Conservation Ecologist, Field Museum

joel Perez

Urban Conservationist, The Nature Conservancy-Indiana

Matt Milkowski

Drawing and Painting Teacher, Chicago Public Schools

Victor Dufour

Associate Director of Community Partnerships, Albany Park Community Center

Melinda Harville

Community Health Worker, Advocate Aurora Health

Julie Dorfman

Co-steward, Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary

Negin Almassi (she/her)

Naturalist, Forest Preserves of Cook County

Leslie Borns

Montrose Beach Dunes Volunteer Site Steward

Leslie DeCourcey

Naturalist Aide, Forest Preserves of Cook County

Jerry Herst

Co-steward, Clark Street Beach Bird Sanctuary

Kevin Scheiwiller

Restoration Program Manager, Citizens for Conservation

Michelle Pearion

Botanist, USDA Forest Service, Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Paul Botts

President and Executive Director, The Wetlands Initiative

Catherine Game

Executive Director, Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods

Ryan Vance

Program Specialist, North Park Village Nature Center

Nigel Pitman

Conservation Ecologist, Field Museum

Michael Aiuvalasit

Environmental Archaeologist, Illinois State Archaeological Survey

Jackie Kuroda

Youth Board Member, Sinnissippi Audubon

Amaris Alanis Ribeiro

Center Director, North Park Village Nature Center

Peter Whitney

Spring Creek Field Organizer, Friends of the Forest Preserves

Bill Kleiman

Nachusa Grasslands Project Director, The Nature Conservancy

John McCabe

Director, Department of Resource Management, Forest Preserves of Cook County

Becky Barak

Conservation Scientist, Chicago Botanic Garden

cassi saari (she/her)

Project Manager - Natural Areas, Chicago Park District

Kelly Ksiazek-Mikenas

Assistant Professor and Director of Environmental Studies, Elmhurst College

Gary Sullivan

Senior Restoration Ecologist, The Wetlands Initiative

Bradford Kasberg

Wetland Restoration Manager, Audubon Great Lakes

Tamima Itani

Birder

Justin Pepper

Restoration Volunteer and Chief Conservation Officer, Bobolink Foundation

Bob Fisher

Communications Chair, Bird Conservation Network

Chuck RIzzo

Wildlife Biologist, Forest Preserve District of Cook County

Janie Pochel

Lead Advisor, Chi-Nations Youth Council

Sol Hinami

Founder and Co-director, Fraternal Forest

Megan Dailey

Director of Metropolitan Food and Environmental Systems, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Don Parker

Writer, Editor, Restoration Volunteer

Robin Cline

Associate Director, NeighborSpace

Christos Economou

Restoration Volunteer

Lydia Scott

Director, Chicago Region Trees Initiative

Nina Hill

The Nature Conservancy

Alexis Smith

Urban Ecologist and Conservationist

Kim DuBuclet

Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Craig Zandstra

Superintendent of Planning & Natural Resources, Lake County Parks and Recreation

Pati Vitt (she/her)

Manager of Restoration Ecology, Lake County Forest Preserves

Doug Taron (he/him)

Chief Curator, Chicago Academy of Sciences Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Lalainya Goldsberry

Manager of Living Collections, Chicago Academy of Sciences Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Nat Miller

Conservation Programs Director, Audubon Great Lakes

charles oleary

Deputy Director of Resource Management, Forest Preserves of Cook County

Dean Alonis

Chief of Staff for Commissioner Du Buclet, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District

Lauren Umek (she/her)

Project Manager, Chicago Park District

Juliette Tyson

Imani Village Mission Coordinator

Emma Leavens

Restoration Volunteer

Rebeccah Hartz

Restoration Volunteer

Stephanie Place

Restoration Volunteer

Dale Shields

Volunteer, Lake County Forest Preserves Native Seed Nursery

Katie Kucera (she/hers)

Restoration Volunteer

Matt Evans

Restoration Volunteer

Eriko Kojima

Restoration Volunteer, Chief Enthusiasm Officer

Veronica Hinke

Public Affairs Officer and Public Services Team Leader, USDA Forest Service Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie

Jennifer Johnson

Northwest Indiana Wild Indigo Coordinator, Audubon Great Lakes

The event is over

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Wild Things Community

Wild Things is one of the nation’s largest networks of people engaged with nature. We enjoy and protect Chicago Region wild lands and life.

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Illinois Native Plant Society

Dedicated to the study, appreciation, and conservation of the native flora and natural communities of Illinois.

Illinois Botanizer (Chris Benda)

Nature Photographer with Merchandise for sale

Turnstone Strategies LLC

Turnstone Strategies LLC is a Chicago-based marketing/communications firm with specialties in strategic planning, storytelling, content development and public relations. The film "Monty and Rose" and the newsletter This Week in Birding are projects of Turnstone Strategies.

Metropolitan Food & Environmental Systems

Build stronger food systems. Learn more today. Change the world tomorrow.

Natural Communities, LLC

Bring Nature To Life

Blue Aster Studio

Art and gifts by nature lovers, for nature lovers

Chicago Ornithological Society

All things birds in the Second City. The hub of advocacy, conservation action and bird nerds since 1912.

Forest Schools for Illinois

We're working to pass a bill to legalize outdoor preschools in our state.

Geography and Environmental Studies Department; Northeastern Illinois University

Putting YOU on the map!

Illinois Bobcat Foundation

Bobcat - Illinois' Native Cat

Missouri Prairie Foundation

The Missouri Prairie Foundation is a private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) prairie conservation organization and land trust.

DuPage Birding Club

Birding with a purpose

DePaul University: Master of Science in Environmental Science

Think Outside the Greenhouse

Chicago River Canoe and Kayak

Chicago River Canoe and Kayak

Davey Resource Group, Inc.

Solutions Through Innovation and Expertise

Forest Preserves of Cook County

70,000 acres of wild and wonderful

The Conservation Foundation

We save land. We save rivers.

Stantec

We've got the environment down to a science

Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences – University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Education and Research Shaping a More Sustainable Future

Wild Birds Unlimited - Glenview & Arlington Heights

We bring people and nature together.

The Nature Conservancy

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends