Staff

Margaret Birmingham is the Finance and Operations Coordinator at Trees Forever.  One of her favorite aspects of the job is writing the grant checks that Trees Forever awards each year to Iowa communities, to assist in planting trees and beautifying roadsides and public areas with native plants and shrubs.  She also oversees the recycling program within the office in a continued effort to keep Trees Forever green inside and out.  She lives in Cedar Rapids with her son Duncan.

Nancy brings many years of experience in the non-profit community to Trees Forever.  She has a B.A. from St. Ambrose University in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. Nancy loves the outdoors and enjoys visiting and camping in National Parks across the county.  She also enjoys singing (music in general), making crafts and cooking.  Nancy lives in Cedar Rapids with her husband Dave.

Debbie has a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Maine. She is the Illinois Buffer Partnership Program Manager, and works directly with landowners, volunteers and partners across Illinois. Debbie’s favorite part of her job? “Meeting new people and visiting a lot of unique areas in Illinois that most people don’t have the opportunity to visit.”  Debbie is a member of the Environmental Education Association of Illinois, the Illinois Forestry Association, the Soil & Water Conservation Society and the Association for Temperate Agroforestry. Before joining Trees Forever, Debbie served with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources training volunteers in Forest Watch, River Watch and Prairie Watch.

Jeff is Program Manager for Trees Forever’s Iowa, Working Watersheds: Buffers and Beyond program and is Field Coordinator for Northwest Iowa. He has a bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and has worked in the field of sustainable agriculture for the past 8 years.  Jeff has also worked extensively with farmers and landowners on environmental and policy issues. Jeff is a little nutty; being active with the Iowa Nut Growers Association, Minnesota Hazelnut Foundation, and Upper Midwest Hazelnut Development Initiative (UMHDI).  He grows and markets hazelnuts from the family farm in Northern Kossuth County.  

Based out of the main office in Marion, Dustin is a field coordinator for eastern Iowa. He holds a master’s degree in political science from Western Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental health from Iowa Wesleyan College. “Working with communities and land owners to increase understanding of all of the beneficial things trees provide is my favorite part of this work. We have an opportunity to make a real difference for the quality of life in many communities right here in Iowa and the Midwest.” Dustin has a diverse background that includes serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama, a Peace Corps Fellow for the City of Macomb, Illinois, and also working here in Iowa as a public health official and extension staffer. His education and background have led to strong interest in helping educate local governments to improve how their public trees are selected, planted, established, and maintained and promoting the use of trees as true living green infrastructure. He lives in Marion in the company of a variety of houseplants.

Patty has a B.S. in Horticulture from Iowa State University. She has been with Trees Forever since 1991, coordinating tree planting events and helping train volunteers with tree selection, all aspects of planting and care, reviewing site plans and facilitating local efforts. Patty has extensive experience with media, especially TV and radio.  Passionate about helping communities achieve their goals, Patty is always excited to travel throughout Iowa to see the results of the great projects supported by Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy and the Iowa’s Living Roadways Visioning and Projects programs.  Before joining Trees Forever, Patty worked as a horticulturist in eastern Iowa for Iowa State University Extension.  She is a member of the International Society of Arboriculture, is a Certified Arborist, serves on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Association for Energy Efficiency, is a member of the Iowa Urban and & Community Forestry Council, and is a member of the Iowa Arborist Association.

Mark has a B.A. in Biology and is a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture. A dedicated Field Coordinator, Mark recently led the development and implementation of the Vinton Shellsburg High School model outdoor classroom project. Mark coordinates the Stewards of the Beautiful Land program, and he enjoys supporting volunteers, working with farmers and landowners and is a dedicated educator. He is also a Community Tree Steward and has been certified in S130/S190 Wildland Firefighting.  According to Mark, “I enjoy all aspects of restoration and management of woodlands, wetlands, prairies and savannas, and environmental education.”  Mark lives with his wife Carrie and son Andrew outside of Vinton, Iowa.

Shannon Ramsay is the Founding President & CEO of Trees Forever, a nonprofit organization she began in 1989. Working as volunteer for the first two years to launch Trees Forever, Shannon has led Trees Forever to become a very successful organization with a staff of 22 that engages an average of 7,000 volunteers annually. Based in Iowa, Trees Forever has programs and projects across both Iowa and Illinois and has produced award winning national education projects. Recognized both nationally and locally for her leadership and accomplishments, Ms. Ramsay was the 2011 recipient of the  Frederick Law Olmsted Award from the National Arbor Day Foundation and the Women of Influence Award from the Corridor Business Journal. Ms. Ramsay serves on numerous boards and task forces, including the national Vital Communities Task Force. She is a member of the Cedar Rapids Downtown Rotary.

Brad has a B.A. in Biology and an M.S. in Land Resources with a focus on prairie restoration and soils.  He has been a Trees Forever Field Coordinator since 1995 and worked in almost all the program areas, including community tree plantings, Visioning, and buffer/watershed work.  In recent years he has been heavily involved in NeighborWoods in Des Moines, working with them to reach a goal of 100,000 trees.  He has also taken a strong interest in reduction of stormwater run off especially in urban areas through the use of infiltration practices such as rain gardens and bio-retention basins.   Brad is energized by the interaction with volunteers around the state and especially in southwest Iowa.  The fact that people want to make where they live a better place and that we can provide some assistance in their efforts is very gratifying.

Deb is best known as the voice of Trees Forever, as she has been the “receptionist” by telephone to the thousands of Trees Forever volunteers calling our corporate office.  Always willing to help in any way, Deb is also the “go to” person for grants and information on programs. Deb generates all the necessary administrative tools for hundreds of grant applications, awards and reports. Deb grew up on a Linn County, Iowa farm, and has a A.A. in Ag Science from Kirkwood Community College.  Deb has a special place in her heart for her dogs, and luckily there is also a lot of room there for her many friends and family members. She loves the outdoors and thrives on hard work and helping others.

Mark brings years of experience in the for-profit, non-profit and government environments to his position with Trees Forever.  He is responsible for overseeing our communications, marketing, public relations and fundraising efforts.  Mark also has an extensive background in the horticulture field, and was previously an Iowa Certified Nurseryman and Master Gardener.  “This position allows me to combine many of my work experiences, skills and interests and put them to good use for a very exciting cause!”  Mark graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Business Administration.  He currently lives in Iowa City - the home of that other big state university.

Barb is an independent consultant for Trees Forever. She has a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and has worked as an environmental educator.   Barb has also worked extensively with farmers on environmental and policy issues. Barb's favorite thing about her job is working with grassroots volunteers and seeing them make a difference in their communities and on their farms. "Seeing their enthusiasm and passion about projects is so exciting-- and contagious!"  Barb's goal is make Iowa a leader in agroforestry and she dreams about growing aronia berries some day herself.

Jo Ann has a Master of Arts in Environment and Community, course work toward a Master’s in Health Promotion, and a B.S. in Administrative Management.  She has earned certificates in Facilitating by Heart, Appreciative Inquiry Facilitation, and Public Participation. Jo Ann provides support for the Our Woodland Legacy program and contributes to organizational effectiveness.