Meet The Cardinal Team
The Staff
Our small professional staff are passionate about conservation in Southwest Ohio.
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
Development Manager
the Cardinal team.
Mark Besserman
Stewardship Director
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.
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 Farms. Nick is enthusiastic about sharing this unique urban farm with the community.
Jack Stenger
Land Manager
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 in southwest Ohio.
Owen Hunter-Linville
Stewardship 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".
Shannon Disbennett
Office Manager
Shannon has many years of service in government and non-profit organizations along with a degree in public administration. She is grateful to be pairing administrative skills with her interest in environmental stewardship to enhance the contribution Cardinal makes to our community
Interested in joining the team? Check out our current job opportunities.
The Board of Directors
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
Meet Scott
Roland Johnson
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.
Graham Mitchell
Board Member
Meet Graham
Dr. Jeffrey Corney
Board Vice-President
Meet Jeffrey
Dr. Corney has enjoyed a 30-year career as an educator and conservationist and has had the unique privilege of serving as director of three nature centers and an ecological field station. Dr. Corney currently serves as executive director of Cincinnati Nature Center in Milford, Ohio. Jeff joined the Cardinal Board in 2019.
Garett Feldkamp
Development Committee Chair and Board Member
Meet Garett
Garett joined the Cardinal Board in 2017 and serves on the Finance Committee, as well as chairing the Development committee. Garett is a Vice President and Banker for J.P. Morgan Private Bank in Cincinnati, Ohio and previously served on various United Way committees and non-profit boards, as well. 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.
Jim Meyer
Board Member
Meet Jim
Jim recently retired as owner of Trail Management Services LLC, a company which provided consulting services for the design, maintenance, and construction of sustainable trails. Prior to this, he had a 30-year career with capital goods manufacturing companies, including Makino, where he was VP/GM of the East Tech Division. He has served on Clermont County Chamber of Commerce, with the United Way of Clermont and Brown Counties, as well as the Clermont Count Agenda for the Future Task Force and the Connect Clermont Board. Jim joined the Cardinal Board in 2016.
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.
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.
Patrick Hornschemeier, Esq.
Land Committee Chair and Board Member
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.
Laura Curliss, Esq.
Board Member
Meet Laura
Ms. Curliss is an attorney practicing in the areas of conservation law, real estate and estate planning representing landowners and land trusts. In 2004, she was a founding member of Clinton County Open Lands, Inc., and was on the merger committee for creating Cardinal Land Conservancy in 2015. She has served on the Claims Committee of Terrafirma, a national risk-sharing pool for land trusts, and was President of the Board of Cardinal Land Conservancy from 2016-2018. Ms. Curliss has assisted in transactions preserving over 7000 acres in southwest Ohio.
Susanne Kibler-Hacker
Board Member
Meet Susanne
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.
Patrick Hornschemeier, Esq.
Secretary and 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.
Garett Feldkamp
Development Committee Chair
Meet Garett
Garett joined the Cardinal Board in 2017 and serves on the Finance Committee, as well as chairing the Development committee. He brings 10 years of board leadership to the organization. Garett is a Client Advisor with J.P. Morgan Private Bank and previously served on various United Way committees and non-profit boards, as well. 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.
Laura Curliss, Esq.
Board Member
Meet Laura
Ms. Curliss is an attorney practicing in the areas of conservation law, real estate and estate planning representing landowners and land trusts. In 2004, she was a founding member of Clinton County Open Lands, Inc., and was on the merger committee for creating Cardinal Land Conservancy. She has served on the Claims Committee of Terrafirma, a national risk-sharing pool for land trusts, and was President of the Board of Cardinal Land Conservancy from 2016-2018. Ms. Curliss has assisted in transactions preserving over 7000 acres in southwest Ohio.
Jerry Schwallie
Board Member
Meet Jerry
Jerry has been a Board Member of Cardinal Land Conservancy since 2015. 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.
Devin Lampe
Board Member
Meet Devin
Devin became involved with Cardinal Conservancy in 2020 after completing Leadership Council for Nonprofit's BOLD program and joined the board in 2021.. Having grown up in Clermont County, Devin has an appreciation and passion for preserving the Southwest Ohio region. She initially began working with Cardinal's Development Committee to enhance their platforms and web presence, utilizing her background as an IT and data analytics consultant at dunnhumby where she leads the US non-profit outreach.
Susanne Kibler-Hacker
Board Member
Meet Susanne
Dr. Jeffrey Corney
Board Vice-President
Meet Jeffrey
Dr. Corney has enjoyed a 30-year career as an educator and conservationist and has had the unique privilege of serving as director of three nature centers and an ecological field station. Dr. Corney currently serves as executive director of Cincinnati Nature Center in Milford, Ohio.
Jim Meyer
Treasurer
Meet Jim
Jim recently retired as owner of Trail Management Services LLC, a company which provided consulting services for the design, maintenance, and construction of sustainable trails. Prior to this, he had a 30-year career with capital goods manufacturing companies, including Makino, where he was VP/GM of the East Tech Division. He has served on Clermont County Chamber of Commerce, with the United Way of Clermont and Brown Counties, as well as the Clermont Count Agenda for the Future Task Force and the Connect Clermont Board.
Roland Johnson
Board Member
Meet Roland
Roland served as first President of Cardinal Land Conservancy at the merger of the three SW Ohio land trusts. 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 DAAP, and as a design manager for P&G. 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 and Communication committees and heads up Cardinal’s Hamilton County Area Council.
Maeve Mason
Board Member
Meet Maeve
As Environmental Policy and Affairs Director at Duke Energy, Maeve is responsible for building and maintaining positive working relationships with senior leaders in Ohio and Kentucky environmental and regulatory agencies, rulemaking boards and commissions and key external advocacy agencies. 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.
Graham Mitchell
Board Member
Meet Graham
Scott Thomas
Board Member
