Staff | Trees Forever | Iowa Environmental Nonprofit

		Trees Forever Staff To reach a helpful staff member, dial 1-800-369-1269 plus the individual extension below

		Kevin Bennett Central and Southern Illinois Field Coordinator ext. 241 Kevin serves as a Field Coordinator for central and southern Illinois and manages the Illinois Community Forestry program. He earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from Quincy University and a M.A. in Natural Resource Policy & Administration from the University of Illinois. He has a diverse background in land management, legislative advocacy, and environmental education. Prior to joining Trees Forever, Kevin worked for the Soil & Water Conservation District in Bureau County where he helped landowners implement and manage various conservation practices aimed at creating habitat and improving water quality. Kevin has a passion for local foods, native landscapes, simple living, and big oak trees. He resides in Hopewell, IL with his wife and five children.
		Leslie Berckes Director of Programs ext. 258 Leslie earned an M.A. in Public Policy, with an emphasis on environmental policy, and a B.A. in Marketing from the University of Northern Iowa. Leslie has a diverse background in environmental and conservation issues, having worked on programs dedicated to reducing solid waste, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable building practices. Leslie directs all Trees Forever programs, and founded the Growing Futures program in 2018, which launched from her home base of Des Moines. She supervises the entire program staff across Iowa and Illinois. Contact Leslie with any questions regarding funding for Iowa roadside plantings, to become a Des Moines TreeKeeper, or to learn more about how you or your community can get involved with Trees Forever in central Iowa.
		Margaret Birmingham Finance and Operations Manager ext. 113 Margaret is the Finance and Operations Manager at Trees Forever. One of her favorite aspects of the job is writing the grant checks that Trees Forever awards each year to communities and landowners across Iowa and Illinois - helping them plant more trees, beautify roadsides and public areas with native plants and shrubs, and protect and preserve our water and land resources. Margaret is always looking for ways for us to save money and better manage our limited resources. The Trees Forever staff is very fond of Margaret, as she also processes our payroll and expense checks! Margaret lives in Cedar Rapids with her son. Contact Margaret with accounts payable or accounts receivable questions.
		Nancy Duncan Executive Vice President & CFO ext. 117 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 makes sure Trees Forever remains fiscally responsible and that employee policies are up-to-date. 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. Contact Nancy if you would like to learn more about Trees Forever’s financial health or policies.
		Tracy Feldmann Database Coordinator ext. 287 Tracy has an A.A. degree in Office Administration from Kirkwood Community College. After spending five years with Trees Forever working with the Iowa's Living Roadways programs, she now focuses on maintaining the Trees Forever website and database system. Tracy enjoys sewing, crochet, and re-purposing old items into new ones. She lives near a walnut forest preserve with her family and strives to raise her children to be responsible environmental stewards. Contact Tracy with any questions about the Trees Forever database.
		Debbie Fluegel Field Coordinator, Illinois ext. 263 Debbie has a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University of Maine. She manages Trees Forever’s Illinois Buffer Partnership and it Pollinator Habitat Conservation programs for both Iowa and 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. Contact Debbie with questions regarding Trees Forever’s Illinois water quality or pollinator habitat conservation projects or to learn how you or your community can get involved with Trees Forever in Illinois.
		Jeff Jensen Field Coordinator, Northwest Iowa ext. 262 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 8 years. He has over seven 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, Minnesota Hazelnut Foundation, and Midwest Aronia Association. Contact Jeff with questions regarding Trees Forever’s Iowa water quality or agroforestry projects or to learn how you or your community can get involved with Trees Forever in northwest Iowa.
		Shannon Ramsay Founding President and CEO ext. 111 Shannon Ramsay is Trees Forever’s founding president and CEO. Shannon serves on the Living Roadway Trust Fund Advisory Committee and is a leading proponent to legislators and other opinion influencers of the significance of LRTF and REAP to Iowa’s economy and transportation system. Contact Shannon to learn how you or your business can support Trees Forever’s efforts Planting a Better Tomorrow.
		Patty Reisinger Field Coordinator and Membership Steward ext. 280 Patty has a B.S. in Horticulture from Iowa State University. She has been with Trees Forever since 1991, working in many of the program areas, especially community forestry and Iowa’s Living Roadways. Prior to working at Trees Forever, Patty worked for several years as an ISU Extension Horticulturalist. 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. Contact Patty to learn how you can become a Trees Forever member or to learn more about how you can get involved with Trees Forever where you live.
		Lisa Renfer Administrative Coordinator 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 ext. 250 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. Contact Brad to learn how you or your community can get involved with Trees Forever in western and southwestern Iowa.
		Deb Roman Program Support Coordinator ext. 110 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 Linn County, Iowa, farm, and has an A.A. degree in Ag Science from Kirkwood Community College. Deb has a special place in her heart for her dogs and the outdoors and she thrives on hard work and helping others. Contact Deb with questions about Trees Forever grant programs or project reporting forms.
		Becky Smith Development Coordinator ext. 112 Becky updates and maintains Trees Forever's member and partner database. She also coordinates most of the many mailings throughout the year. In addition, Becky manages registrations for all the educational events and meetings throughout the year. Becky has an A.A. degree in Computer Applications from Marshalltown Community College. She enjoys sharing her love of nature with her husband and daughter. Contact Becky to register for a Trees Forever event or to add or correct your contact information.
		Kerri Sorrell Des Moines Porgram Coordinator, Central Iowa ext. 261 Kerri developed her affection for the outdoors growing up in Iowa City, wandering the trails of her elementary school's ravine, helping her parents in the vegetable garden and spending many a night inside a tent at Lake MacBride State Park. She carried this affection through journalism and graphic design degrees at Drake University, later entering the nonprofit conservation field, and eventually to Trees Forever, where she now manages the Growing Futures and TreeKeepers programs in Iowa's largest metro. When not organizing logistics or working to increase access to nature for all Iowans, you can usually find Kerri fixing bikes at the Des Monies Bicycle Collective or listening to a podcast on her porch swing. Contact Kerri to become a central Iowa TreeKeeper or to get involved in Growing Futures.
		Emily Swihart Field Coordinator/Design Specialist, East-Central Iowa ext. 283 Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Iowa State University and is earning her master’s degree in landscape architecture from Kansas State University. As field coordinator and design specialist, Emily combines her knowledge of native and ornamental plant material with her design expertise to help communities plan, organize, obtain funding and implement landscape enhancement projects. She is the Program Manager for the Iowa’s Living Roadways Trails Visioning program. Contact Emily to learn how your trail group can apply to participate in the Iowa’s Living Roadways Trails Visioning program or to talk to her about how you or your community can get involved with Trees Forever in east-central Iowa.
		Hannah Wadke AmeriCorps Member and Program Assistant 319-440-7756 Hannah Wadke is the Trees Forever AmeriCorps Member and Program Assistant. She primarily works with our Growing Futures program but also helps with planting events and education. She has a degree in Biology and a minor in Geospatial Technology from Grand Valley State University. She is originally from Michigan and loves to be outdoors camping, gardening, or reading.
		Jackie Wedeking Communications and Marketing Manager ext. 118 Jackie works with Trees Forever staff members to promote events and write articles for the Trees Forever website, TreeNews and the Leaflet. She graduated from Wartburg College with a B.A. in Political Science and Communication Arts. With roots in journalism and photography, one of her favorite ways of enjoying nature is with a camera in hand. However, she will set down her camera long enough to go kayaking or to picnic with her family. Contact Jackie with questions or story ideas for the Leaflet, TreeNews or our website.
		Lisa Williams Director of Development Ext. 120 Hailing from the longleaf pines of north Louisiana, Lisa has a diverse background in fundraising, nonprofit administration and environmental protection. She earned an M.S. from The Ohio State University School of Environment and Natural Resources and a B.S. in business administration from Northwestern State University. Lisa loves local foods, spring migration and fig trees. She and her husband live in Cedar Rapids.
		Independent Consultants who Support Trees Forever

		Barb Grabner-Kerns Barb Grabner-Kerns designs publications for Trees Forever as a private contractor. She was a field coordinator with Trees Forever for 12 years before retiring in 2018. She also continues with tree projects as a volunteer in Taylorville, Illinois.
		Jo Ann McNiel Jo Ann’s background with the university and non-profit world in Cincinnati, and her Master’s degree in Environment and Community from Antioch University in Seattle, led her to group facilitation and meeting planning. With Trees Forever, Jo Ann primarily coordinates the annual Our Woodland Legacy Symposium. She also volunteers with the Indian Creek Nature Center in their land stewardship, tutors an immigrant in English with the Catherine McAuley Center, and assists at Morning Glory Farm, a CSA in Mt. Vernon. Jo Ann’s husband Mick is a retired educator, and they golf together when not tending to their gardens and raising Monarchs through the Monarch Research Project in Cedar Rapids.
		Bev Stevenson Bev keeps Trees Forever's computers and system running smoothly by providing outstanding and timely IT support. She is a long-time and valued member of the Trees Forever family.

Trees Forever Staff

Independent Consultants who Support Trees Forever