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The Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (GLNF-CESU) is a network of faculty and staff from 42 leading academic programs, specialists from 9 organizations, and resource managers from 11 federal land management and natural resource agencies.

The GLNF-CESU biogeographic region includes all or parts of 12 states, over 30 percent of the nation's total population, large metropolitan areas, and some of the most significant water resources and forest lands.

Members strive to improve the scientific knowledge for managing public lands by providing resource managers with high-quality research, technical assistance, and education. The GLNF-CESU seeks to resolve resource problems at multiple scales using interdisciplinary ecosystem studies involving the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences.

HOST University of Minnesota

University of Minnesota

ESTABLISHED 2002
WEBSITE https://cesu.umn.edu
CO-DIRECTORS Kristen Nelson
Department Head and Professor, Department of Forest Resources
Co-Director, Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU
College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences
University of Minnesota
115 Green Hall
1530 Cleveland Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55108
PHONE: (612) 624-1277
EMAIL: nelso468@umn.edu

Thomas Parr
Co-Director, Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU
National Park Service, Midwest Region
University of Minnesota
330E Green Hall
2005 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul, MN 55108
PHONE: (218) 260-0286
EMAIL: thomas_parr@nps.gov

Megan Guerber
Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU Coordinator
Department of Forest Resources
University of Minnesota
115 Green Hall
1530 Cleveland Avenue North
St. Paul, MN 55108
PHONE: (612) 625-3107
EMAIL: glnfcesu@umn.edu
ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS
AGREEMENTS AMENDMENTS

Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (2002)
Amendment 1 adding Cleveland State University and University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point
Amendment 2 adding Northern Michigan University, Stephen F. Austin State University, and University of Wisconsin, La Crosse
Amendment 3 adding the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works

Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (2007)
Amendment 1 adding Antioch University New England, Cornell University, Indiana State University, Purdue University, and University of Notre Dame
Amendment 2 adding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Office of the Under Secretary of Defense - Installations and Environment
Amendment 3 adding Ball State University, Grand Valley State University, Hamline University, Midwest Art Conservation Center, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and Winona State University

Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (2012)
Amendment 1 adding Central Michigan University, Kent State University, The Ohio State University, and Wildlife Conservation Society
Amendment 2 adding Chicago Botanic Garden, Northland College, and Northern Illinois University
Amendment 3 adding George Wright Society
Amendment 4 adding The College at Brockport (SUNY)
Amendment 5 adding Bureau of Indian Affairs, University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, and Wayne State University

Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (2017)
Amendment 1 adding University of Pittsburgh
Amendment 2 adding SUNY Buffalo State College
Amendment 3 adding Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Amendment 4 adding Monarch Joint Venture and Lake Superior State University

Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement (2022)
Amendment 1 adding SUNY Cortland and SUNY Oswego
Amendment 2 adding Marquette University
Amendment 3 adding SUNY Potsdam

Request updates to partner contact information.
UNIT PARTNERS
TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE REPRESENTATIVE
FEDERAL PARTNERS
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works Jennifer Seiter-Moser
Technical Director
Civil Engineering Programs
Engineer Research and Development Center
jennifer.m.seiter-moser@usace.army.mil
Sherry Whitaker
CESU Program Manager
sherry.l.whitaker@usace.army.mil

Chelsea Whitten
Lead Contract Specialist
Chelsea.M.Whitten@usace.army.mil
Bureau of Indian Affairs John Mosley
Branch Chief, Tribal Climate Resilience
Office of Trust Services
john.mosley@bia.gov
Jo Ann Metcalfe
Grants Management Specialist
jo.metcalfe@bia.gov
Bureau of Land Management Becca Theodorakos
Natural Resource Specialist
BLM Eastern States Office
rtheodorakos@blm.gov
Irene Sattler
Grants Management Specialist
isattler@blm.gov
Department of Defense Ray Rainbolt
Raymond.E.Rainbolt.civ@mail.mil

Liz Galli-Noble
Program Manager, DoD Legacy Resource Management Program
elizabeth.j.galli-noble.civ@mail.mil
Lori Kruse-Johnson
SWD CESU Program Manager
Lori.M.Kruse-Johnson@usace.army.mil
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency G.R. (Rocky) Gillette
Deputy Director, Partnerships and Innovation
george.r.gillette.civ@mail.mil

Michael Dolski
Historian, Partnerships and Innovation
michael.r.dolski.civ@mail.mil
U.S. Forest Service Elizabeth Larry
Assistant Director for Research
Northern Research Station
elizabeth.b.larry@usda.gov

Tracy Grazia
Regional Wildlife Program Leader
Eastern Region (R9)
tracy.grazia@usda.gov
Jerry Elian
Grants Management Specialist
Northern Research Station
jerry.s.elian@usda.gov

Brenda Frenzel
Grants Management Specialist
Eastern Region (R9)
brenda.frenzel@usda.gov
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Craig Czarnecki
Science Applications Assistant Regional Director
craig_czarnecki@fws.gov
Anna-Marie York
Grants Management Specialist
Science Applications
anna-marie_york@fws.gov
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Tina Norwood
Program Manager
NEPA and Natural Resources
NASA Headquarters
tina.norwood@nasa.gov

National Park Service Thomas Parr
Co-Director, Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU
NPS Science Advisor, Midwest Region
thomas_parr@nps.gov
John Bechtold
Financial Assistance Awarding Officer
NPS Midwest Region
john_bechtold@nps.gov
Natural Resources Conservation Service Weihuan “Mark” Xu
Director, Resource Inventory and Assessment Division, SSRA
weihuan.xu@usda.gov

David Lindbo
Director, Soil and Plant Science Division
david.lindbo@usda.gov
Aileen Anderson
Grants Management Specialist
aileen.anderson@usda.gov
U.S. Geological Survey Christopher Churchill
Supervisory Ecologist
Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center
cchurchi@usgs.gov

Jennifer Lacey
Deputy Regional Director for Science
USGS Midwest Region
jlacey@usgs.gov
Faith Graves
CESU Contract Specialist
fgraves@usgs.gov
UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
Antioch University, New England James Jordan
jjordan@antioch.edu
David Caruso
dcaruso1@antioch.edu
Ball State University Kevin C. Nolan, Ph.D.
Director and Senior Archeologist
Applied Anthropology Laboratories
kcnolan@bsu.edu
Jacqueline S. Davis, MA, CRA
Director, Pre Award, Strategy, and Outreach
Sponsored Projects Administration
jsdavis@bsu.edu
Central Michigan University Donald Uzarski
Professor, Department of Biology
Director, CMU Institute for Great Lakes Research
uzars1dg@cmich.edu
David C. Weindorf
Vice President for Research and Innovation
weind1dc@cmich.edu

Melinda Brakenberry
Executive Director, Research and Graduate Studies
meyer1mm@cmich.edu
Cornell University Patrick Sullivan
Professor and Department Chair
Department of Natural Resources
pjs31@cornell.edu
Christine Ashdown
cma20@cornell.edu
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Courtney Kowalczak
courtneyk@fdltcc.edu
Larry Anderson
larrya@fdltcc.edu
Grand Valley State University Alan Steinman
steinmaa@gvsu.edu
Chris Chamberlain
chambech@gvsu.edu
Hamline University Tracy Fredin
Director, Center for Global Environmental Education
tfredin@hamline.edu
Tracy Fredin
Director, Center for Global Environmental Education
tfredin@hamline.edu
Indiana State University Lynn Maurer
Dean, College of Graduate and Professional Studies
Lynn.Maurer@indstate.edu
Liz Metzger
Office of Sponsored Programs
emetzger@indstate.edu
Indiana University Stephen Wolter
sawolter@indiana.edu
Theresa Ann Miller
teremill@indiana.edu
Kent State University Christie Bahlai
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
cbahlai@kent.edu
Douglas Delahanty
Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs
ddelahan@kent.edu
Lake Superior State University Kevin Kapuscinski
Associate Professor, School of Natural Resources and Environment
Assistant Director of Research, Center for Freshwater Research and Education
kkapuscinski@lssu.edu
Lynn Gillette
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
lgillette@lssu.edu
Marquette University Nathan Lemoine
Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences
nathan.lemoine@marquette.edu
Katherine Durben
Executive Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
katherine.durben@marquette.edu
Michigan State University Daniel Keathley
Keathley@msu.edu
Daniel Evon
evon@cga.msu.edu
Michigan Technological University David Reed
ddreed@mtu.edu
Lisa Jukkala
Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
lajukkal@mtu.edu
Minnesota State University, Mankato Ronald Nickerson
Professor Emeritus
Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services
ronald.nickerson@mnsu.edu
Kristel Seth
Director, Research and Sponsored Programs
kristel.seth@mnsu.edu
Northland College Randy Lehr
Co-Director, Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation
rlehr@northland.edu
Lisa S. Williamson
Director of Sponsored Programs
lwilliamson@northland.edu
Northern Illinois University Melissa Lenczewski
Director, Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability, and Energy
lenczewski@niu.edu
Dara C. Little
Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
dlittle@niu.edu
Northern Michigan University Susy Ziegler
Associate Professor and Department Head, Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
suziegle@nmu.edu
Tesse Sayen
Interim Director for Research and Sponsored Programs
tsayen@nmu.edu
Purdue University Robert Wagner
Professor and Head, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
rwagner@purdue.edu
Ken Sandel
Senior Director, Sponsored Program Services
sandel@purdue.edu
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Andrew Robertson
Executive Director
GeoSpatial Services
aroberts@smumn.edu
Benjamin Murray
Vice President for Financial Affairs
bmurray@smumn.edu
Southern University and A&M College Kamran Abdollahi
kamrana664@cs.com
James Llorens
james_llorens@subr.edu
State University of New York (SUNY) - The College at Brockport Jacques Rinchard
Professorand Chair
Department of Environmental Science and Ecology
jrinchar@brockport.edu
Laura Merkl
Director of Scholarship, Research and Sponsored Programs
lmerkl@brockport.edu
State University of New York (SUNY) - Buffalo State College Chris Pennuto
Professor and Research Scientist
Director, WNY PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management)
Great Lakes Center and Biology Department
pennutcm@buffalostate.edu
Donna Scuto
Associate Vice President for Sponsored Program Operations
scutodl@buffalostate.edu
State University of New York (SUNY) - Cortland Andrea Davalos
Associate Professor
Biological Sciences Department
mariaandrea.davalos@cortland.edu

Li Jin Professor and Coordinator of Environmental Science Program
Geology Department
li.jin@cortland.edu
Elizabeth Speziale
Interim Director
Research and Sponsored Programs
elizabeth.speziale@cortland.edu
State University of New York (SUNY) - College of Environmental Science and Forestry Neil Ringler
Vice Provost and Executive Director ESF Onondaga Lake Science Center
neilringler@esf.edu
William Nicholson
Director of Sponsored Programs
wjnichol@esf.edu
State University of New York (SUNY) - Oswego Eric Hellquist
Associate Professor of Wetlands Ecology
Biological Sciences Department
eric.hellquist@oswego.edu
William Bowers
Associate Provost for Research Development and Administration
william.bowers@oswego.edu
State University of New York (SUNY) - Potsdam Katherine Cleary
Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies
clearyka@potsdam.edu
Jack McGuire
Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
mcguirjp@potsdam.edu
Stephen F. Austin State University Pat Stephens-Williams
Professor, Human Dimensions
Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture
stephensp@sfasu.edu
Jennifer Hanlon
Assistant Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
hanlonjd@sfasu.edu
The Ohio State University Stuart A. Ludsin
ludsin.1@osu.edu
Ginette A. Busque
busque.1@osu.edu
University of Iowa Keri Hornbuckle
keri-hornbuckle@uiowa.edu
Jennifer Lassner
jennifer-lassner@uiowa.edu
University of Michigan Jennifer Read
Water Center Director
Graham Sustainability Institute
jenread@umich.edu

Maria Carmen Lemos
Professor and Associate Dean for Research
Graham Sustainability Institute
lemos@umich.edu

Deborah Goldberg
Professor and Chair
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
degold@umich.edu
Karen Houghtaling
Business Manager
Graham Sustainability Institute
houghtak@umich.edu
University of Minnesota Kristen Nelson
Professor and Head, Department of Forest Resources
College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences
nelso468@umn.edu
Kelsey Grachek
Grants and Contracts Administrator
Office of Sponsored Projects Administration
grach013@umn.edu
University of Notre Dame Gary Lamberti
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences
glambert@nd.edu
Liz Rulli
Associate Vice President for Research
lrulli@nd.edu
University of Pittsburg Emily Elliott
Associate Professor
Department of Geology and Environmental Science
eelliott@pitt.edu

Mark Abbott
Professor and Chair
Department of Geology and Environmental Science
mabbott1@pitt.edu
Alice Lawson
Assistant Director of Grants Management
offres@pitt.edu
University of Toledo Christine Mayer
Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences
christine.mayer@utoledo.edu
Kimberly Thorn
Director of Sponsored Programs
kimberly.thorn@utoledo.edu
University of Vermont Allan Strong
Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development
Allan.Strong@uvm.edu
Lana Metayer
Director, Sponsored Project Administration
spa@uvm.edu
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Mathew Dornbush
Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs / Director of Graduate Studies
dornbusm@uwgb.edu
Lidia Nonn
Director, Office of Grants and Research
nonnl@uwgb.edu
University of Wisconsin-Extension Kevin Erb
Director, Conservation Professional Training Program
UWEX Environmental Resources Center
kevin.erb@wisc.edu
Brenda Egan
Proposals Manager
Research and Sponsored Programs
baegan@rsp.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin, La Crosse Mark Sandheinrich
Dean, College of Science and Health
msandheinrich@uwlax.edu
Sandra Grunwald
Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs
sgrunwald@uwlax.edu
University of Wisconsin, Madison Bill Barker
Associate Dean for Research
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
william.barker@wisc.edu
Kim Moreland
Associate Vice Chancellor and Director
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
kmorelan@rsp.wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point Christine Thomas
Dean and Professor
Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management
cthomas@uwsp.edu
Katherine Jore
Associate Vice Chancellor for Personnel, Budget and Grants
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
kjore@uwsp.edu
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Dale Splinter
Professor of Geography, Geology, and Environmental Science
splinted@uww.edu
Carl Fox
Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
foxc@uww.edu
orsp@uww.edu
West Virginia University Chad Pierskalla
Professor, Department of Forestry
cpierska@wvu.edu
Katie Stores
Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
Katie.Stores@mail.wvu.edu
Winona State University Charla S. Miertschin
Dean, College of Science and Engineering
CMiertschin@winona.edu
Brett Ayers
Director, Grants and Sponsored Projects
BAyers@winona.edu
OTHER PARTNERS
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (inactive) vacant  
Chicago Botanic Garden Dr. Gregory M. Mueller
Chief Scientist and Negaunee Vice President of Science
gmueller@chicagobotanic.org

Keri May
Executive Assistant
kmay@chicagobotanic.org
Paul Rafac
Chief Financial Officer
prafac@chicagobotanic.org
George Wright Society Emily Dekker-Fiala
efiala@georgewright.org
Great Lakes Commission Tom Crane
Deputy Director
tcrane@glc.org
Joe Bertram
Financial Operations Manager
jbertram@glc.org
Midwest Art Conservation Center Colin Turner
Executive Director
cturner@preserveart.org
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Craig Schmid
Deputy Director, Forestry Division
craig.schmid@state.mn.us
Barb Juelich
Chief Financial Officer
Office of Management and Budget Services
barb.juelich@state.mn.us
Monarch Joint Venture Christine Sanderson
Communications and Operations Manager
christine@monarchjointventure.org
Science Museum of Minnesota Laurie Fink
Vice President of Science
lfink@smm.org

James Almendinger
Director, St. Croix Watershed Research Station
jalmendinger@smm.org
Barry Gisser
Chief Financial Officer
bgisser@smm.org
The Nature Conservancy Meredith Cornett
Director of Conservation Science
mcornett@tnc.org
Peggy Ladner
State Director in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
pladner@tnc.org
Wildlife Conservation Society Heidi Kretser
hkrester@wcs.org

Jodi Hilty
North America Program Director
Wildlife Conservation Director
jodiannhilty@gmail.com