WISCONSIN WATER AGENDA - Key Persons
Allison joined the River Alliance with an extensive background in watershed advocacy and environmental education. Since 2006, she has served as the Local Groups Director and the Policy and Advocacy Director before becoming the Executive Director in 2021.
She is inspired every day by the water advocates she works with all across the state who protect our waters from the threats of mining pollution, runoff from farms, emerging chemicals such as PFAS and more.
She is originally from Racine, Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Aspects of Conservation and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management, both from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Before joining the River Alliance she was the executive director of Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network.
Allison lives in Madison with her husband Dan, kiddo Kendall and Shiba Inu Sprout. They enjoy kayaking, camping and hiking across Wisconsin. One of their favorite places is Rock Island.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Retired
- Treasurer / Retired Finance Director, Oscar Mayer / Madison
Bill Coady is a retired food production professional who worked for many years as a Finance Director at Oscar Mayer in Madison. He serves as River Alliance of Wisconsin's board treasurer.
With over 30 years of experience, Bill works to advance new water policy and strategy during a critical time for Wisconsin's waters.
Before joining River Alliance, Bill worked on environmental policy at the state and regional level including stints as Executive Director of Wisconsin's Environmental Decade (now Clean Wisconsin), Citizens for a Better Environment and the State Environmental Leadership Program. Bill has an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Ecology and a Law degree, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He grew up outside Washington D.C. where he cut his teeth white water canoeing on the Cacapon, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and many other rivers. He has also done long white water trips in Alaska and northern Canada.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Co - Executive Director of Milwaukee Water Commons
- Co - Executive Director of Milwaukee Water Commons / Milwaukee
Brenda Coley is the co-executive director of Milwaukee Water Commons. She has served in various positions in the non-profit and academic sectors and brings a long-standing commitment to social justice and community organizing. She has been a non-profit director, research coordinator and project manager with expertise in leadership development and organizational capacity building.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Senior Project Manager for the Association of State Floodplain Managers
- Senior Project Manager, Association of State Floodplain Managers / Franklin
Dave Fowler is a Senior Project Manager for the Association of State Floodplain Managers. He currently serves on the River Alliance board as the Vice Chair.
Job Titles:
- Climate Resilience Director
- River Alliance 's Climate Resilience Director
Ellen joined River Alliance of Wisconsin in October 2019 and brings nearly 20 years of aquatic conservation, fisheries, and science communication experience to her role.
Prior to becoming River Alliance's Climate Resilience Director, Ellen worked extensively throughout the United States, Africa, and South America with various state agencies, private organizations, and, most recently, UW-Madison's Center for Limnology. She has an MS in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho.
Ellen and her husband Nick live on a small farm in Wisconsin's Driftless Area. They spend their free time trying to tire out their pups Loki and Odin, fly fishing and paddling whenever the chance arises, and foraging for whatever's in season.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Retired
- Secretary / Retired Edgewood College Educator / Coloma
Francie Rowe is a retired Edgewood College educator and longtime water advocate. She serves as the board chair of the Pleasant Lake Management District and has been involved in the district for over 20 years. She also serves as the Waushara County Lakes Watershed Council Board Secretary and has been involved with the Central Sands Water Action Coalition, the Edgewood College Board of Trustees, and the Central Sands Basin Project.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Director of the Department of Agriculture and Food
- Director, Department of Agriculture and Food Systems Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin / Keshena
Gary Besaw serves as Director of the Department of Agriculture and Food Systems Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. Besaw is a Former Tribal Chair of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Executive Director of the Fox
- Executive Director of the Fox - Wolf Watershed Alliance / Little Chute
Jessica Schultz is the Executive Director of the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance based in Appleton. She has experience working with stormwater, agriculture and wastewater stakeholders to advance solutions needed to improve local waterways.
Job Titles:
- Water Advocates Organizer
Johnson comes to River Alliance with more than 20 years of advocacy and non-profit experience, working on local, statewide, and international environmental issues. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Writing from the University of Oklahoma.
Johnson grew up in central Minnesota, relocated to Oklahoma, and is now settled "Up North" on the Montreal River. He has one daughter, Zoe. An outdoors enthusiast, Johnson spends his free time hiking, swimming, paddling, fishing, and exploring the natural world, always with his camera close by.
Karen is a social and environmental justice professional with experience in community development and natural resources as a fund development director, conservation biologist, and tribal water regulatory and restoration specialist.
She holds an M.S. in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and recently completed a community fellowship in Social Innovation and Sustainability Leadership at Edgewood College. Karen brings this confluence of experiences to work in solidarity with people who protect and restore water while supporting River Alliance's fundraising success.
She finds joy in both community and solitude, music-making, rivers, poetry and puns. Water you waiting for? Let Karen help you support River Alliance of Wisconsin today!
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Owner of Circle
- Owner, Circle M Farm / Blanchardville
Kriss Marion is the owner of Circle M Farm. She serves on the La Fayette County Board in District #8 near Blanchardville.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Senior Project Planner for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
- Vice Chair / Senior Project Planner, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District / Milwaukee
Kristin Schultheis works as a Senior Project Planner for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. She currently serves as Secretary of the board of River Alliance of Wisconsin.
Mel Volbrecht worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for over 30 years where she managed implementation of the public trust doctrine and shoreland zoning as well as river grants, FERC, and coordination of diverse programs affecting rivers. Her academic background is in aquatic ecology, water law and policy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Retired DNR / Madison
Job Titles:
- Agriculture and Water Policy Director
Mike leads River Alliance's efforts to support farmers who make protecting Wisconsin's waters a priority. Through the Clear Water Farms program he builds connections and collaborations among farm groups and lake and river groups, facilitates individual farm water stewardship planning and certification, and advocates for better state agricultural policy.
Mike has a PhD in ethics and policy from the University of California San Diego. He joined River Alliance with an extensive academic and practical background in water governance policy, water conflict, and agricultural water management. He is a non-resident Fellow for the Chicago Council on Global Affairs' Food and Agriculture Program, and teaches graduate courses on water governance at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Nelson School for Environmental Studies and the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy.
When he's not waist deep in cover crops, Mike is happiest in a canoe, a tent, or building things. He's an old-time banjo player who dabbles in guitar and fiddle. He lives in McFarland with his wife and two kids.
Job Titles:
- Co - Owner
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Co - Owner and Operator of Schoepp Farms LLC / Lodi
Ron Schoepp is the co-owner and operator of Schoepp Farms LLC in Lodi, a third generation farmstead overlooking Lake Wisconsin. He uses regenerative farming techniques to raise dairy cattle and crops using conservation tillage and cover crops to protect the soil and prevent erosion. Ron is active in the Lake Wisconsin Farmer Led Council of Columbia County.
Stacy joined River Alliance of Wisconsin in 2021 with over 15 years of experience in communications and marketing for local and statewide nonprofit organizations.
After moving to Wisconsin in 2004, she has worked in communications, marketing, public relations and community organizing for the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, Midwest Environmental Advocates and designCraft Advertising.
She loves to swim in Wisconsin's lakes and rivers, collect records, and play vintage polka music at events and on radio stations across the state.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Chairman / Officer, Madison Police Department / Madison
- Police Officer in the City of Madison Police Department
Tyrone Cratic Williams is a police officer in the City of Madison Police Department, and is a Certified Diversity Practitioner, a Certified Financial Education Instructor, and a former candidate for the Wisconsin State Assembly.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Communications Professional / Madison
- Communications Professional in Madison