Trees Forever Staff
To reach a helpful staff member, dial 1-800-369-1269 plus the individual extension below
Seth Adamson
Des Moines Growing Futures Program Coordinator
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Seth joined the Trees Forever team after completing an 11-month service term with Trees Forever as an AmeriCorps member. Before that, he graduated from Colorado State University-Pueblo with a B.S. in Sociology and has previous experience working in human services at Springs Rescue Mission in Colorado Springs, CO. Originally from Des Moines, he moved back to Iowa in 2022 and has been in love with the Trees Forever mission ever since. In his free time, he enjoys being outside, watching and playing sports, and spending quality time with his family.
Emma Berger
Marketing and Administrative Assistant
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Emma graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning, a minor in Spanish and a certificate in Sustainability. During her college career, she served for two years as the Marketing Executive for the Environmental Coalition at Iowa where she had the privilege of advocating for sustainable policies at the University and in the greater Iowa City community. She recently completed a Green Iowa AmeriCorps service term as a Land & Water Steward. Emma enjoys reading, going on runs/walks in nature, and baking vegan desserts.
John Bright
Director of Marketing and Communications
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John comes from a long background of non-profit communications work with the Humane Society, Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps. He got his first taste of working alongside Trees Forever during tree plantings in partnership with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. John works out of the Marion, Iowa office and is responsible for much of the social media and communications you see coming from Trees Forever. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and enjoys sharing the accomplishments of Trees Forever and its supporters.
Bianca Cook
Des Moines Volunteer & Community Education Coordinator
Bianca (she/her) first got involved with Trees Forever when she became a TreeKeeper while serving a term with Green Iowa AmeriCorps at the Center for Energy & Environmental Education. There she organized tree plantings in Cedar Falls and Waterloo, focusing on getting community members involved in the process. She earned a degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology from the University of Northern Iowa. In her free time, she enjoys being subpar at birdwatching, camping and hiking, and reading with her cats.
Heather Croskrey
Director of Development
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Heather is originally from O’Fallon Illinois, but has called Iowa home since 2000. She has earned Masters degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Iowa studying cultural and organizational communication and conversation analysis. Prior to joining Trees Forever, Heather spent over eight years in development for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Her career, spanning over 20 years, has included work with enrollment management, air service development, and marketing. Heather loves new adventures to keep learning, growing, and meeting new people. She spends her down time being an active mom to two teenagers, two grown children, and two grandchildren.
Emily Ehley
Illinois Program Manager
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Emily Ehley has a BA in Environmental Education from Warren Wilson College. She has spent the majority of her career so far helping children and adults find joy in exploring the natural world around them. In her free time, she tends her garden and practices tree ID while hiking with her dogs. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide and a Master Naturalist. She is excited to meet the many people and trees of Southern Illinois through her position with Trees Forever.
Tracy Feldmann
Systems Director
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Tracy is a graduate of Kirkwood Community College with a degree focused on database and systems management. She maintains the Trees Forever website and creates the digital infrastructure to keep Trees Forever running smoothly. In her spare time she enjoys crafting unique garments and purses with fabrics, yarns and upcycled items. She lives near a walnut forest preserve with her family where she keeps a pollinator garden and raises monarch butterflies.
Dina Haveric
ReLeaf Outreach and Communications Manager
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Dina graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources & Environmental Science and a minor in Environmental & Ecological Engineering. She recently completed an AmeriCorps service with Green Iowa AmeriCorps Land and Water Stewards. In her free time she enjoys foraging for mushrooms, spending time with her dog, and trying new recipes.
Bri Hull
Northeast Iowa Field Coordinator
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Bri graduated from Wartburg College in 2021 with a degree in Biology with minors in Environmental Science and Leadership. In the following two years she completed two 11-month service terms with Green Iowa AmeriCorps as a Land and Water Steward. In her free time she enjoys reading, exploring prairies and woodlands, and testing new foraging recipes.
Jeff Jensen
Director of Community Programs
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Jeff is Program Manager for the 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 15 years. He has over thirteen years of experience working with landowners and farmers growing perennial crops and is active with several existing organizations and partners, including the Iowa Nut Growers Association. He grows nuts and berries on his farm, NutHaven, in north-central Iowa.
Karen Johlas-Szalkowski
Southeast Iowa Field Coordinator
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Karen comes to Trees Forever after a long career as a Naturalist and a Co-Director within Iowa’s County Conservation Board System. Exploring local parks and teaching others about the outdoors is her passion. She is a certified Forest Therapy Guide and enjoys doing just about anything outdoors. You can find her taking nature photos, paddle boarding, and hiking. Karen graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Forestry and Environmental Studies. She is excited to work with communities and volunteers to plant trees across Southeast Iowa.
Kimberly Krizan
Finance and Operations Manager
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Kimberly brings a strong background of finance management with over 9 years working with international, national, and local, non-profit organizations in the Cedar Rapids area. She is a Kirkwood Community College and Mount Mercy University graduate, with over 20 years of experience in accounting, payroll, HR & business management. She is excited to contribute this knowledge and experience to the TF team and its mission. Her favorite things include photography, being outdoors, singing, and time with family and friends.
Anna Long
Development Coordinator
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Anna graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa with a major In Communications and a minor in English. She has always wanted to get involved in fundraising for non-profit organizations and her time at Central only reinforced that goal. At Trees Forever, Anna enjoys being able to cultivate relationships with donors and loves working closely with the Trees Forever staff and volunteers. She prefers to spend her free time reading and lounging outside with her dog, Boji.
Nick McGrath
East Central Iowa Field Coordinator
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Nick graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree. His time spent teaching and coaching fueled a passion for helping others and he is excited to put that to use for Iowa communities. He previously worked as the Community Disaster Recovery Coordinator, a joint position between Trees Forever and the Iowa DNR, assisting Iowans in replanting efforts following the August 10, 2020 derecho. Nick lives in Cedar Rapids where he enjoys all manner of outdoor activities and spending time with his family.
Enzo Nagao
ReLeaf Volunteer Coordinator
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A native of Naperville, Illinois, Enzo graduated from Coe College in 2020 with a double B.A. in English and Music. Enzo joined Trees Forever in September of 2021 as the Cedar Rapids Program Coordinator for the Growing Futures Program, and enjoys working with local teens and volunteers to restore the city’s tree canopy. In his spare time, Enzo enjoys writing science fiction and fantasy novels.
Erik Notz
Field Coordinator
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Erik comes to the Trees Forever field team with a diverse background in engineering, photography, technology & marketing. He is eager to use his experience to build relationships with communities and help them to build their tree canopy. In his free time, you’ll find him coaching, gardening, propagating plants and spending time with his family.
James Partridge
Cedar Rapids Growing Futures Program Coordinator
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James graduated from Iowa State University with a B.A. in Political Science. He has completed three service terms with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa as the Trails and Driftless crew lead. His hobbies include kayaking, hiking, and battling the weeds in his garden. As the Growing Futures program coordinator, he is excited to work with and inspire a new generation of community leaders.
Debra Powers
Director of Development and Interim CEO
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Deb Powers is an Iowa native and a passionate development professional. For more than 25 years, she’s helped arts, human services, and religious nonprofits secure funding to support their missions. Prior to her role with Trees Forever, Deb served 23 counties in Southeast Iowa as the Development Director for Catholic Charities of Des Moines and spent 14 years in the music industry as an executive and development director. Deb’s degrees in liberal arts and communications serve as a foundation for fostering long-lasting relationships with donors, stakeholders, and community members. When not working, Deb enjoys fiber arts, reading, camping, fishing, traveling, and all the activities that come from being a mother to four children and grandmother to 14.
Shannon Ramsay
Founder & Trustee
Shannon founded Trees Forever as a volunteer in 1989, and served as President & CEO until 2021. Recognized both nationally and locally for her leadership, Shannon is the 2021 recipient of the Lifetime Stewardship Award from the Arbor Day Foundation and the Nonprofit Leader of the Year from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Ms. Ramsay is leading the ReLeaf Cedar Rapids planning team and is a Trustee of the Trees Forever Foundation.
Lisa Renfer
Administrative Coordinator
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Lisa updates and maintains Trees Forever’s member and partner database. Prior to her time at Trees Forever, she worked nine years at Orchestra Iowa as a Patron Associate and also did the billing and payments for the Orchestra Iowa School. She has two daughters and enjoys taking walks.
Brad Riphagen
Field Coordinator, Southwest and Western Iowa
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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. He has a strong interest in reduction of stormwater runoff especially in urban areas through the use of infiltration practices such as rain gardens and bio-retention basins. Brad is also a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture.
Deb Roman
Program Support Coordinator
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Deb is best known as the voice of Trees Forever, as she is most often the person answering telephone at our main office in Marion. Deb supports all the necessary administrative processes for hundreds of grant applications, awards and reports. Deb grew up on a farm west of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and graduated from Kirkwood Community College. She has a special place in her heart for her pets, the outdoors, and she thrives on hard work and helping others.
Megan Schneider
Director of Programs in the Des Moines Area
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Megan put down roots in Des Moines after earning a B.A. in Writing from Drake University and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Washington in Seattle. She embarked on a career in higher education and the nonprofit sector, most recently working in resource and community development roles for Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. Megan joined the Trees Forever team in November of 2022, after serving as a TreeKeeper and community supporter for five years. She is an aspiring backyard berry farmer, self-identified bookworm, and mom to two beloved dogs.
Lexy Stone
Urban Forestry Project Manager
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Lexy joined the Trees Forever family as a Des Moines Program Coordinator in August 2022. She graduated from Iowa State with a B.S. in Forestry and a minor in sustainability. Her passion for the planet and connecting people to the environment has led her to the Des Moines program coordinator position, where she has the opportunity to work with Growing Futures and volunteers across the metro to expand the urban canopy. In her free time, she enjoys spending her time outside in any facet or with her animals.
Molly Stuelke
Director of ReLeaf Cedar Rapids
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Molly fell in love with Trees Forever when she became a TreeKeeper and is excited to make new connections as the Director of ReLeaf Cedar Rapids. She has spent a majority of her career working in various Parks and Recreation positions but the best part of all her jobs have been the relationships she’s built with families and volunteers. She enjoys spending her free time getting into trouble with her husband and kids.
Ben Vaughan
ReLeaf Project Leader
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Ben graduated from the University of Iowa In December 2021 with a degree in environmental policy and a minor in economics. He served as an AmeriCorps member at Trees Forever before coming on full time as a project leader. Ben largely works on the watering and planting of Re-Leaf plan trees. Outside of work, Ben enjoys cooking, spending time in nature, and playing guitar.
Dina Wachendorf
Finance Assistant
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Dina comes to the Trees Forever Finance team with a strong background of Accounting and Business office management. She is eager to share her vast expertise and experience with the TF team and its operations and goals. Dina grew up in NE Iowa, is a Kirkwood Community graduate, and has over 28+ years of experience in accounting, payroll, HR & office management. On her time off, you can find her spending time with family, friends, and pets, as well as being outdoors, and enjoying Hawkeye sports.
Trees Forever and Iowa DNR Partnership Staff
Shaila Claibourn
A transplant from Kansas, Shaila is a passionate advocate for community and nature. She graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. She enjoys paddling, gardening, and adventuring with her pup. Following a service term with Green Iowa AmeriCorps, she is excited to continue to work in conservation organizing tree distributions in towns across Iowa as the Urban and Community Forestry Technician.
Ellie Jones
Originally from Kansas, Ellie graduated from Coe College with a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, bird-watching and working with animals! Following internships with Indian Creek Nature Center, and Lakeside Labs in Northwestern Iowa, she is excited to collaborate with Iowa communities and the Iowa DNR to aid in storm and pest recovery as the Community Disaster Recovery Coordinator.
Staff Members in Memory
Debbie Fluegel
On September 5, Trees Forever and our extended community forestry family were saddened to learn of the sudden passing of our long-time Illinois Program Manager and good friend, Debbie Fluegel. Debbie had been with Trees Forever since 2006, leading a tremendous effort that recently surpassed more than one million trees planted in the state of Illinois. Along the way, she made lasting impressions on the many individuals and communities she worked with.
Debbie was a long-time partner of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Urban and Community Forestry program. She was also part of the Illinois Urban Forest Strike Team from its beginning and had stepped into the UFST Ops Leader position in 2019.