Jesse Stock (he/him), Executive Director
Meet Jesse Stock, a native Ohioan from the foothills of Appalachia, whose passion for the outdoors and the natural world runs deep. With over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Jesse excels in program management, grant-making, fundraising, and volunteer engagement. His dedication to community involvement is rooted in a belief in the transformative power of shared experiences.
Outside of work, Jesse cherishes moments with his wife of 23 years, Robin, and their two adult children. He finds joy in playing and refereeing soccer, as well as embarking on long bike rides. His favorite pastime? Strolling Lake Michigan beaches with his wife, seeking treasures and cleaning up discarded items that wash ashore.
Maddie Harris (she/her), Program Coordinator
A Cincinnati native, Maddie Harris has spent the last several years here in NW Ohio falling in love with the Glass City. She has a BA from the University of Cincinnati in Communications. Her interests have taken her into the natural sciences field, working as an environmental educator and achieving the title of Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) through the OSU Lucas County Extension office. She has a serious passion for connecting people to this great, big, beautiful world we all share.
Maddie lives in South Toledo with her husband and son who both share in her love for the outdoors. She enjoys riding her bike, cooking with produce from her garden, and exploring the surrounding parks. Insects, reptiles and amphibians hold a special place in her heart alongside her dog, Drago. She also serves as an At-Large Trustee for North Coast Greyhound Connection helping to find retired racing greyhounds loving homes (like hers!).
She believes that “it takes a village” and is excited to be a part of this one.
Katarina Kieffer (she/her), Water Monitoring Analyst
Kat is a native of northwest Ohio, but spent time living in Buffalo, Nashville, and Houston before returning home to the wonders of the Great Lakes and the Great Black Swamp. She has a BA in Political Science from Houghton College and a BS in Geology/Hydrogeology from BGSU and is a current master’s student in Geology at BGSU. Her research interests include mitigating nutrient runoff from agricultural sources, biogeochemical processes in wetlands, and wetlands restoration.
Kat is also an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist (OCVN) through the Wood County Park District. She is passionate about place-based education and citizen science and hopes to spend her career improving water quality in the Lake Erie watershed by building coalitions around science-based interventions.
She lives in Bowling Green, where she, her three kids, and two dogs spend as much time as possible outside exploring new parks as well as old favorites. They especially enjoy camping, archery, snowshoeing, biking, exploring the Oak Openings sand dunes, and visiting the Lake Erie beaches all year round.
Mary Winkle (she/her), Communications and Outreach Specialist
Mary earned her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science with a specialization in Sustainable Management from Bowling Green State University in 2022. Growing up in the Northwest Ohio region, her academic and professional careers have been influenced by being surrounded by the Oak Openings Preserve and the Lake Erie Islands.
She has a strong passion for the conservation and preservation of the Lake Erie ecosystems and looks forward to putting her time and effort into ensuring clean, clear and safe waters. After spending nearly every summer growing up on Lake Erie’s Put-In-Bay, she has developed a deep appreciation for the area and the importance of keeping our waterways clean and sustainable.
Mary enjoys spending time in familiar and new outdoor spaces and continuing to expand her knowledge on environmental topics.