Twenty natural resource professionals from across Iowa were recently took part in the first-ever Land Stewardship Leadership Academy graduation ceremony at the Iowa State University Alumni Center. The graduates included a cohort of professionals from the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, state and federal conservation organizations, nonprofits and conservation consultants.
The goal of the program was to help early and mid-career professionals build stronger relationships with farmers and landowners, while advancing conservation practices that balance environmental stewardship with profitability and resiliency.
Since the start of the program in February, the group logged six days of in-field and classroom experience, 13 hours of online learning, and 18 hours of virtual discussion, with instruction from 35 different instructors, including farmers and educators from Iowa State University and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
The 2022 cohort graduates were Jason Andersen, wildlife biologist; Josh Balk, watershed coordinator with IDNR; Sara Carmichael, watershed coordinator for Story County; Blake Charboneau, farm bill wildlife biologist; Emery Davis, conservation agronomist with Heartland Co-op; Megan Giorgenti, watershed coordinator with IDNR; Laura James, watershed project coordinator with Beaver Creek WMA; Faith Luce, watershed coordinator with Grundy Soil and Water Conservation District; Emily Ludwig, resource conservationist with NRCS; Cara Marker-Morgan, executive director at Golden Hills RC&D; Emily Martin, conservation programs coordinator at Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation; Kathy Moen, resource conservationist with NRCS; Taylor O’Bryan, soil conservationist with NRCS; Cassidy Robinson, district forester with IDNR; Inga Roen, natural resources technician II with IDNR; Adam Rupe, watershed planner with JEO Consulting Group; Megann Schmidt, private lands biologist with IDNR; Hunter Slifka, watershed project coordinator with Howard Soil and Water Conservation District; Matt Theisen, private lands wildlife specialist with the Conservation Districts of Iowa; and Ethan Thies, environmental specialist with IDNR.
