Staff
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Thomas Nelson
Executive Director
231-256-9665 / [email protected]
Tom joined our staff in 2004. In January, 2015, he took over as executive director when longtime director Brian Price retired. Until then, Tom served as our Director of Farm programs. His focus was conserving farmland, in addition to working to protect other important landscapes. He understands that farmland preservation is an extraordinary tool for […]
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Kathy Birney
Finance Director
Kathy is a certified public accountant who brings a wealth of experience as a former finance director and chief financial officer in the corporate world, as well as having been board treasurer of two nonprofit organizations. She is currently volunteering in the Leland School’s mentoring program. Kathy has deep roots in the area. Her mother […]
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Yarrow Brown
Conservation Easement Program Manager
Yarrow is a native of Menominee, MI in the Upper Peninsula and joined our staff in July 2008 as a land protection specialist. She started managing the Conservation Easement Program in 2012 and also manages the water quality monitoring program and helps with watershed planning. She worked previously in the Black Hills of Wyoming, where she managed a conservation […]
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Molly Crimmins
Administrative Coordinator
231-256-9665 / [email protected]
Molly lives in Leland with her husband, Bret, and their three children and their dog. Molly and her family moved from Chicago to the area in 2004 and for many years prior to that spent almost every vacation and holiday coming to Leelanau. Her husband, Bret, owns and runs the Blue Moon Ice Cream shop in Cedar. Molly […]
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Emily Douglas
Land Steward
Emily Douglas joined the Stewardship staff in April, 2015 as the Land Steward. She monitors the Conservancy’s fee-owned lands and works closely with the Natural Areas and Preserves Manager to write and update management plans, prioritize invasive species projects, and initiate restoration projects. Previously she worked for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to help launch […]
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Gayle Egeler
Membership and Outreach Coordinator
Gayle has been a part of our staff since 1990. As a Leelanau County native, her love for this special place runs as deep as her family’s roots to this area. Gayle is the keeper of our database and records all donations, including our Leelanau Preservers gift giving program. If you get a letter from the Conservancy, […]
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Carolyn Faught
Senior Writer and Donor Loyalty Officer
Carolyn joined our staff in 2002 and served as Communications Director through 2017. She lives in Omena with her husband, Dave and has two grown sons. In addition to working three days a week at the Conservancy, she also owns and runs Omena Cut Flowers, a U-Pick flower farm. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Carolyn […]
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Kim Hayes
Land Protection Specialist
Kim was born and raised in Michigan, growing up on Grand Traverse County’s Old Mission Peninsula. Her parents introduced her to Leelanau County on regular weekend outings. Subsequently, she and her family and friends spent lots of time exploring Leelanau’s natural areas where she gained an appreciation for the rural way of living, small towns, […]
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Matt Heiman
Director of Land Programs
Matt joined our staff in 2001 as a Land Protection Specialist. He has a passion for fishing that drives his desire to protect Leelanau’s most critical habitat and ecologically sensitive areas. His educational and professional experience in aquatic ecology helps him convey to landowners the value of their land from more than just a financial […]
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Chase Heise
Land Steward
Chase is a Michigan native and a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife, concentrating in Conservation Biology. He has worked with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources division of Parks and Recreation in Presque Isle, MI while attending school. Chase has had a deep respect for the outdoors since […]
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Becky Hill
Natural Areas & Preserves Manager
Becky fell in love with the beauty of Northern Michigan as a teenager spending her summers canoeing the AuSable River at summer camp. Inspired by nature and her passion for the outdoors, Becky began on a path to study Environmental Science and a career in conservation. Becky has extensive experience addressing invasive species, and planning […]
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Sara Michael
Charitable Giving Manager
Sara joined the Conservancy in 2010 and has helped with some of the Conservancy’s biggest fundraising efforts including the $21 million Leelanau Forever Campaign and the creation of the Swanson Preserve, Clay Cliffs Natural Area and Palmer Woods Forest Reserve. Sara grew up in Traverse City and developed her love of Leelanau County by fishing […]
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Leslee Spraggins
Planned Giving Officer
231-256-9665 / [email protected]
Leslee joined the Leelanau Conservancy in January 2013 as Leadership Giving Officer, helping support all aspects of the Conservancy’s work. Leslee and her husband John recently moved to the Northport area after falling in love with the “land, water and scenic character” of the Leelanau Peninsula. She is ecstatic that she can work with staff, […]
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Claire Wood
Communications Coordinator
231-256-9665 / [email protected]
Claire joined our staff in January 2017. As the Communications Coordinator, she helps to tell the Conservancy’s stories. Claire also manages our volunteer program, and is responsible for creating new engagement initiatives in stewardship, communications, fund development and outreach. Claire has eight years of experience working in communications and project management roles in both the […]
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Zack Pitman
Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member
231-256-9665 / [email protected]
We welcome Zack Pitman, who will be serving as a Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member through early November, 2018. A native of the Lansing area, Zack is happy to be living and serving in Northern Michigan. Zack is a recent graduate from the Biology Master’s program at Grand Valley State University, where he also received his […]
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Shelly Stusick
Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member
231-256-9665 / [email protected]
We welcome Shelly Stusick, who will be serving as a Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member through early November, 2018. Shelly is a Grand Rapids native and received her B.S. in Natural Resource Management from Grand Valley State University in 2016. Since graduating, she has taken some time to travel as well as volunteer for terrestrial and […]
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Andrea Hunt
AmeriCorps Member
We welcome Andrea Hunt, who will be serving as a Huron Pines AmeriCorps Member through early November, 2018. Andrea attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan where she studied environmental science and water resources. After graduation, Andrea worked at the Hiawatha National Forest and Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore where she served as a visitor […]