Meet The Cardinal Team
The Staff
Our committed, professional staff are passionate about conservation in the region.
Andy Dickerson
Executive Director
Andy has a long history of conservation work that includes being the Director of Science for the Ohio Chapter of the Nature Conservancy and a founding member of the Valley View Foundation. He has worked with farmers to capitalize on the conservation benefits of the farm bill, is a prescribed fire burn boss as well as a bird and prairie enthusiast. As a trained facilitator and conservation business planner, Andy hopes to win friends and influence partners as he works to protect land at home in SW Ohio.
Lauren Stanula
Director of Philanthropy
Lauren began her career developing exceptional communication and relationship-building skills in fast-paced, high-pressure environments, experience that now strengthens her work in philanthropy and donor engagement. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Cincinnati and a Master’s degree in Conservation Biology from Miami University, grounding her in both science and strategy. After joining Cardinal Land Conservancy as Development Manager, she advanced to Director of Philanthropy, where she leads fundraising efforts to protect vital farmland, forests, wetlands, and natural landscapes. Lauren pairs her deep commitment to conservation with a talent for building meaningful relationships, inspiring donors and partners to invest in the permanent protection of threatened lands for future generations.
Jack Stenger
Director of Conservation
Jack is a biologist with a background in natural areas management, a wide variety of environmental survey work, and outdoor education. He has a B.A. in Zoology from Ohio Wesleyan University and completed graduate work in Biology at the University of Cincinnati. He has worked in the private, non-profit, and public sectors of conservation, most recently as a Conservation Biologist at Great Parks of Hamilton County. Jack serves on the Board of Directors for another local land trust -Oxbow, Inc. Jack is a bird expert and a naturalist fascinated by all aspects of our region’s natural history. He hopes to bring this passion to Cardinal’s mission to protect land across the region.
Drew Goebel
Conservation Project Manager
Drew has been studying our local habitats and working in conservation for over a decade, working in various roles at different organizations along the way. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati, and prior to joining Cardinal, he led efforts at Cincinnati Parks to develop land management plans and volunteer training. Drew hopes to use his experience to make Cardinal’s properties stand out as locations for preservation, restoration and further connection to wildlife. Drew also is using his past experience in volunteer organization to improve Cardinal's volunteer program.
Owen Hunter-Linville
Land Manager
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Owen is a lifelong student of our local habitats. Before joining this amazing team, Owen had worked for local non-profit organization Groundwork ORV, as Crew Leader for their “Green Corps” young-adult workforce development program. He also spent time working at Cincinnati Parks, with their dedicated Conservation & Land Management team. Through these opportunities Owen has been blessed with a wide variety of work in volunteer engagement, light construction, urban agriculture, youth nature education, trail building, and ecological restoration. Getting to apply the skills he's developed along the way for Cardinal is a "dream come true".
Katie Nolan
Community Conservation Manager
A Cincinnati native, Katie completed her undergraduate degree at Ohio University, where she studied environmental policy. After graduation, she moved back to Cincy and received her Master of Public Administration and Social Justice from the University of Cincinnati. She has experience working in the federal government, public sector, and community engagement spaces during her studies. As Cardinal's Community Conservation Manager, Katie will lead Cardinal's community-centered conservation projects.
Chris Clingman
Indiana Field
Director
Chris has been working in the conservation field for nearly 50 years, including time with Indiana State Parks, and county park systems in Indiana and Ohio. He graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelors Degree in Botany-Field Biology. He recently retired from the Clermont County Park District after 25 years as the Director, and Special Projects and Grants Manager. During his tenure as Director he worked with donors, grants, and mitigation programs to grow the Park District from 180 acres to protecting 2000 acres in Southwest Ohio. An avid birder, he now resides on the family’s 30 acres in Ripley County, Indiana where he is “maintaining” an 1870’s farmhouse.
Jack Sutton
Indiana Special Projects Manager
Jack’s zest for the great outdoors has shaped his entire life. A graduate of Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture, he has devoted his career to creating outdoor spaces that connect people to nature while preserving and protecting public lands. For more than four decades, Jack’s focus has been on conservation, parks, and recreation through his early work with Georgia State Parks, as Planning Director and Executive Director for Great Parks of Hamilton County, and more recently as Executive Director for Oak Heritage Conservancy. In his spare time, Jack enjoys hiking, kayaking, and cycling as well as enhancing pollinator habitat in his own back yard. A native of southeast Indiana, Jack resides in Aurora, Indiana with his wife Beth and their Golden Retriever, Ruby.
Camille Czarny
Indiana Development Officer
Camille holds a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Cultures and Politics from Michigan State University and a Master of Arts in Climate and Society from Columbia University. Growing up along the shores of Lake Michigan, she developed a deep appreciation for the landscapes, farms, and natural resources that shape communities. Her professional background spans climate resilience, sustainable agriculture, conservation research, and nonprofit development. She is passionate about supporting working lands and advancing conservation solutions that benefit both people and the environment. Camille also serves on the Board of Directors of Sleeping Bear Forever, where she chairs the Outreach and Programs Committee. As Indiana Development Officer, Camille builds relationships and philanthropic support to advance Cardinal's mission of protecting and stewarding the landscapes and agricultural lands of southeast Indiana.
Pat Hill
Facilities Manager - Cardinal HQ
Pat Hill brings 60+ years of history to Cardinal Headquarters' as Facility Manager. Lifetime neighbor, fieldworker, fence builder, dairy herdsman, livestock owner and manager doing property maintenance back to the 1960's. His 50 years of experience as a self employed underground utility contractor providing water, sewer, and energy to buildings has been a good fit as Cardinal's new headquarters needs all utilities restored. His love and experience in sustainable agriculture and deep respect for the beauty and power of nature make Cardinal's mission align with his desire to preserve and share this unique property.
Nick Hartley
Facilities Manager - Bahr Farm
Nick Hartley grew up in Rhode Island but has lived the last 20 years in the Cincinnati area. He is passionate about wildlife conservation and native gardening, graduating from Cincinnati State with a degree in sustainable horticulture. Nick brings 24 years of project and retail management experience to the position of facilities manager of Bahr Farm. Nick is enthusiastic about sharing this unique urban farm with the community.
Anthony Downs
Land Acquisition Specialist
A native of Hocking Hills, Anthony came to conservation through a lifetime spent outdoors. Hunting, fishing, and sportsmanship shaped his perspective and still guide it today. In his career and volunteer work, he's focused on improving habitat, expanding access, and teaching people about nature. He brings more than 20 years in forestry and invasive species control with federal and state agencies doing work across the country. At home in Cincinnati, he landscapes almost exclusively with native plants and encourages others to do the same. As a Land Protection Specialist, he's putting that experience to work across the tri-state region.
Mark Besserman
Facilities Specialist- Bahr Farm
Mark has always had an interest in nature and conservation, starting with many outdoor adventures and camping trips growing up in Northern Illinois. In 2019, Mark retired after a 32-year career at Proctor and Gamble. He now enjoys a lot of time outdoors volunteering for Great Parks of Hamilton County and Mill Creek Alliance leading hikes and conducting stream sampling. He joined the Cardinal staff in 2019 to oversee easement monitoring and stewardship of Cardinal’s nature preserves. Additionally, Mark supports the Cardinal team at Bahr Farm where he helps maintain the grounds, monitors the cattle, and developing budgets for farm projects and improvements.
Madeline Banks
Conservation Coordinator
Madeline is a Cincy native and outdoors enthusiast with experience in natural resources management, horticulture, animal husbandry, and environmental education. She holds a B.A. in Botany and Environmental Science from Miami University, and is a Certified Interpretive Guide. She applied her education through her work at world-renowned cultural institutions in the Greater Philadelphia area for the past several years, and is happy to be home again. Madeline is passionate about plants, critters of all kinds, restoring natural ecosystems, and telling the stories of our shared landscape.
Brian Wintz
Land Steward
Although originally from Cincinnati, Brian got his foundations in the environmental field while working at San Diego Canyonlands, a non-profit focused on protecting and restoring canyons and creeks throughout Southern California. There, he gained a deep appreciation for nature, leading a crew to rehabilitate coastal sage scrub and chaparral ecosystems. Additionally, Brian loves seeing the intersection of community and the outdoors, and is excited to continue restoring habitats and improving public access to open spaces in his role as a land steward.
Jenna Kim
Philanthropy Coordinator
Jenna has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and Geographic Information Technology and a graduate degree in Geography. Her focus was remote sensing and coral reef health assessment. She spontaneously moved across the world and spent 8 years living and working eclectic jobs in Asia to then be brought full circle back into the environmental field through fundraising and philanthropic work. In her free time, Jenna reads books, wanders the outdoors, and would talk anybody’s ear off about cats. Cardinal is the dream job Jenna has been waiting for and she is thrilled to be a part of such an incredible team!
Emani Aikens
Land Steward
Emani Aikens is a Florida native with a deep-rooted passion for environmental sustainability. A graduate of Florida International University with a Bachelor's in Sustainability and the Environment, Emani is committed to creating a healthier planet for future generations. She is also dedicated to making outdoor spaces more accessible for marginalized communities, combining her love for nature with a passion for equity and impact. Her work is also driven by the belief that caring for the land today shapes a better tomorrow for her children.
Lilly Harvey
Land Steward
Lilly has been actively involved in environmental initiatives throughout the Cincinnati area since 2018. She began her conservation journey restoring riparian zones and studying wetlands, developing a strong connection to local ecosystems through hands-on fieldwork. Beyond her work in the field, Lilly is deeply committed to building community and fostering meaningful relationships with neighbors. She is also engaged in local agriculture, supporting urban gardening and food sovereignty efforts. Lilly is passionate about connecting people to their local natural resources and creating stronger, more sustainable communities through environmental stewardship.
Emme Thomas
Land Steward
Emme is a Cincinnati native with a passion for nature, especially birds! She received her B.S from the University of Cincinnati in Environmental Studies where she also conducted stream ecology research. Emme enjoys showing her passion for the environment through her art; her favorite subjects are the native flora and fauna of the region. Most recently she worked for Cincinnati Parks conducting invasive species removal and trail maintenance and is excited to apply this knowledge at Cardinal.
Alicia Stanula
Office Manager
Alicia, originally from Illinois, has been a Milford resident for the past 32 years. Before joining Cardinal, she spent 20 plus years working as a preschool administrator also teaching "Discovery Friday", a science enrichment class for two and three year-olds, along the way. A lifelong nature enthusiast and birdwatcher (particularly bluebirds!), she is dedicated to preserving our greenspaces and protecting flora and fauna for future generations.
Alison Barjaktarovich
Operations Assistant
Born and raised in Michigan, Alison received her bachelor's degree in Commercial Recreation Management from Central Michigan University before moving to Cincinnati and obtaining a post-baccalaureate paralegal certificate from UC Clermont. After working in the legal field for the majority of her career, Alison most recently served in an AmeriCorps role with the City of Cincinnati, where she conducted a historic resource survey of the city-owned parks. As a lifelong nature lover with a passion for protecting and promoting the many values of greenspace, Alison is so happy to be joining Cardinal's team to take part in their important work.
Interested in joining the team? Check out our current job opportunities.
The Board of Directors
Cardinal board members come from all over Southwest Ohio. They bring a wide variety of skills, experience, and perspectives that reflect the diversity of the conservation work that we do.
Bill Hopple
Board President
Meet Bill
Bill served as Executive Director of Cincinnati Nature Center for 23 years. He retired in 2019, but has remained on the Cardinal Board of Directors which he joined in 2015. Bill taught science early in his career and worked as an instructor for National Outdoor Leadership School during college. He has a BA from Cornell University and a MS from the University of Cincinnati, both in biology/ecology.
Scott Thomas
Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair
Meet Scott
Scott began working with Cardinal’s Finance Committee in 2022 and joined the Board in 2023. He is a
Certified Public Accountant and has held various accounting and leadership positions during his career.
Scott grew up in Southwest Ohio, graduated from the University of Kentucky and now lives in Hamilton
County with his wife and children.
Graham Mitchell
Board Member
Meet Graham
Graham worked for the Ohio EPA in the Southwest District office (Dayton) for 29 years, retiring in 2006. He started out his career working in surface water and then transitioned to the investigation and cleanup of federal facilities in Ohio like the Department of Energy Fernald site and the Department of Defense WPAFB near Dayton. He was also on the Board of CNC for 9 years (3 as board chair) and Three Valley Conservation Trust for 6 years. Graham received a BA in Zoology and a Masters in Environmental Science, both from Miami University. Graham joined the Cardinal Board in 2021.
Richard Stoll
Board Member
Meet Richard
Richard enjoyed a 35-year career as an IT Manager and left the corporate world to spend more time with his wife Jennifer restoring wildlife habitat at their farm in Versailles Indiana. Richard and his wife Jennifer live in Cincinnati but spend most of our time in Indiana down at the farm. Richard has served on the board of the Western Wildlife Corridor and Oak Heritage Conservancy. Richard has a passion for preserving green space, farmland, and restoring land to benefit wildlife and pollinators. Richard enjoys helping with fundraising, membership recruitment and cultivating donors to make Cardinal Land Conservancy a stronger organization.
Reed Shroeder
Board Member
Meet Reed
Reed Schroeder is Agribusiness Practice Leader at Relation Insurance Services, specializing in Agricultural Insurance, Not-For Profits, and Personal Risk Management for high net-worth individuals and families. He is a licensed Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist and holds a degree in Animal Science & Agri Finance from Colorado State University.
Susanne Kibler- Hacker
Board Vice-President
Development Chair
Meet Susanne
Susanne Kibler-Hacker is the Senior Philanthropy Advisor at the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Susanne has over 20 years of experience in philanthropy and development. After moving to Warren County, she began serving on Cardinal’s Development Committee and then joined the Board in 2023. Susanne holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from the University of Maine.
Patrick Hornschemeier, Esq.
Land Committee Chair
Meet Patrick
Patrick is a retired attorney living in Georgetown who became involved in using agricultural easements to preserve farmland in 1998. While never a farmer himself, he grew up in Anderson Township, Hamilton County, surrounded by farms belonging to his relatives on which he worked and deep ravines and fields of green, open land where he spent his free time. Since 2015, Pat has served on the Board of Directors of Cardinal and as Chair of the Land Protection Committee.
Garett Feldkamp
Board Member
Meet Garett
Garett joined the Cardinal Board in 2017 and serves on the Finance and Development Committees. After a 29 year career as a wealth advisor and financial planner at Fidelity, US Bank and JP Morgan Private Bank, Garett now leads the legacy philanthropy team at Northern Kentucky University as the Director of Gift Planning. . He has previously served on various United Way committees and non-profit boards. Garett’s passion for sustainability and conservation led him to Cardinal and are priorities which drive his involvement in the community. An alum of the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University, Garett lives with his wife and children in Clermont County.
Drausin Wulsin
Board Member
Meet Drausin
Drausin Wulsin manages a wetland mitigation bank on a 1100-acre family farm in Pike County, Ohio, which includes a conservation easement of 450 acres. He has recently retired from 15 years of marketing and delivering grassfed meats raised on the property and has written three books on the topic. Prior work experience is in commodity merchandizing (Consolidated Grain & Barge Co.), banking (US Bank, PNC), and fund raising (Cincinnati Zoo). He has served on the boards of Greenacres Foundation, Cincinnati Nature Center, Maple Knoll Village, and Berea College.
Steven King
Board Member
Meet Steven
Steve is a commercial real estate attorney and a partner at Thompson Hine LLP in Cincinnati where he has worked for 35 years. He is a life long member of the Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy and passionate about land conservation issues, in part from his years of hiking, camping and paddling. He is currently on the board of the Ensemble Theatre and the Real Estate Advisory Board for Talbert House.
Maeve Mason
Secretary
Meet Maeve
As Utility Strategy Director at Duke Energy, Maeve is responsible for the development of environmental and energy strategy in the Duke Energy Ohio-Kentucky service territory. Maeve joined the Cardinal Board in 2021 serving on the Development Committee. She graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Policy and Political Science from Central Michigan University and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from Ohio University. Maeve is a certified Public Manager, a member of Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s 16th C-Change class, and is married with two daughters.
Jerry Schwallie
Board Member
Meet Jerry
Jerry has been a Board Member of Cardinal Land Conservancy since 2015 and serves on the Land Committee. He was a Founding Member of the Southern Ohio Farmland Preservation Association (SOFPA) which focused on the preservation of agricultural land and related educational activities. He served as the SOFPA President for 16 years. He has been the owner/operator of his Brown County, Ohio farm for more than 40 years and has preserved 135 acres of his farmland.
Tre Sheldon
Board Member
Meet Tre
Tre currently works in the Zoning Administration of the City of Cincinnati Department of Planning and Community Engagement, and he practices law part-time. He has served on the Green Plan Cincinnati, Urban Agriculture, Connected Communities, and Solar Energy working groups for the City of Cincinnati. He has served on a variety of civic boards and committees, including the Board of Directors of the Cincinnati Nature Center, the Cincinnati Nature Center Lands/Conservation Committee, land and water-related teams in the Green Umbrella Regional Sustainability Alliance, and the Indian Hill Green Areas Advisory Committee (Chair). Tre is an avid outdoorsman and traveler. He has a B.A. in Geography from the University of Cincinnati, a M.S. in Geosciences from Oregon State University, and a J.D. from Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Francie Morrison
Board Member
Meet Francie
Francie is retired as owner of MR and Company which published charitable foundation directories, including The Cincinnati Area Foundation Directory. She has been involved in non-profit development having worked with various Cincinnati agencies and has served on boards including Camp Joy, Central Clinic, The Seven Hills Schools and Hollins University in Virginia, where she graduated. Francie grew up in South Carolina around the marshes and creeks that are a part of the Lowcountry. She is drawn to Cardinal Land Conservancy because of her interest in conservation and preservation.
Honorary Board Members
Honorary board members represent a valued legacy of leadership and commitment to Cardinal Land Conservancy. They bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and perspective that reflects the breadth of Cardinal’s conservation work and help strengthen our organization through their continued connection and support.
Roland Johnson
Honorary Board Member
Meet Roland
Roland served as first President of Cardinal Land Conservancy at the merger of the three SW Ohio land trusts in 2015. He was a founder of The Land Conservancy of Hamilton County, Ohio in 1999. His career included teaching Industrial Design at UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, and as a design manager for Proctor & Gamble. Since his retirement in 1994, Roland has been dedicated to land conservation. His forested homestead in Green Township is protected by a Conservation Easement. A current Cardinal Board member, he serves on the Land Committee and is an integral part of the Conservator Newsletter.
Laura Curliss, Esq.
Honorary Board Member
Meet Laura
Laura A. Curliss, University of Notre Dame (B.A., 1984) and Notre Dame Law School (J.D., Magna Cum Laude, 1993). Ms. Curliss has worked as a judicial law clerk, in municipal administration, prosecution, and, since 2017, in private practice including a statewide (Ohio) practice in land preservation and related tax law. In 2004, she founded a local land trust which merged into Cardinal Land Conservancy, Inc. She is Cardinal’s Past President (2016-2018) and an honorary Life Board Member (April 2024). Other volunteer service includes the Terrafirma Claims Committee (2008-2013) and the LTA Conservation Defense Advisory Council (present).
