staff& board
Our Board of Directors is a “working board” that meets once a month, and each director is generally on at least one committee that meets either ad-hoc or on a monthly basis. The board is a diverse group of folks of all ages and walks of life – including foresters, college students, teachers, lawyers, accountants, and caretakers. All skills and viewpoints are welcome and necessary to represent our community and keep UPLC on track with our mission. Board meetings occur on the second Tuesday of each month, from 5:30-7:30 PM, and are held at various places in Marquette and occasionally in Munising as several of our board members are from Alger County.
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If you would like to learn more about serving on the Board or joining a committee, the best way to learn more is to come to a board meeting and listen to what we’ve got going on.
Call us at (906) 225-8067 to find out more!
Board Members
president
Robb Ferguson
Robb became a permanent resident of the UP 34 years ago when he accepted the job of Munising City Attorney. He continues in that position, happily, but his practice focus is in land and real estate matters. The soft spot he has for wild land first began to develop when, as a boy, he hunted and fished with his father, uncles, and cousins around his home town, Traverse City. But watching Traverse City develop and grow left him with the strong feeling that some land must be kept off the table, so far as development is concerned, so there will always be green places for trees to grow, wildlife to prosper, and people to recharge. He is a life-term believer in the goals and mission of the UPLC. He provides his rather deep experience with real estate law to the organization on a pro bono basis. He was very please to be asked to become a member of the Board of Directors and looks forward to also serving the UPLC in that capacity.
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Brock Robinson
vice president
I have been interested in the outdoor environment and conservation since childhood spending my summers in the wilderness canoeing. I am now more than one year retired from nearly 30 years practicing medicine in Green Bay. My specialty is Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a diverse field that focuses on maximizing function. In my earlier years, I worked as a hospital medical doctor and had lots of experiences working in groups. However, I have had only minor experiences being on boards of directors. In addition to outdoor activities, I enjoy woodworking, dancing, and playing Irish drum, the bodhram. Together with my wife, Jane Blameuser, and my two adult sons, I own properly at AuTrain Bay which is under conservation easement with UPLC since 2007.
Mark Ehlert
treasurer
After receiving a degree in Microbiology from Michigan State, Mark pursued a career in Medical manufacturing and was away from Michigan for 37 years. Upon their return, he and his wife, Sandy, settled on the shores of Lake Superior and wake up each day to the unique splendor and moods of the Lady of the Lake. Mark has a passion for the land around him and relishes the chance of sharing that with his grandchildren as they visit and enjoy their time in the woods. In his spare time, he enjoys cross-country and backcountry skiing, hiking when the bugs aren't too bad, travel to new countries and continuing to debate in helping start-ups in medical manufacturing.
Secretary
craig wiseman
Craig grew up on the outskirts of the City of Marquette. Near his childhood home, he spent countless hours exploring the swamp, fir stands, and maple forests. His parents instilled a love of outdoor recreation in him with many skiing, fishing and camping trips across the UP and Western part of the country. In 2010, he graduated from Northern Michigan University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology and has worked in the Medical Device Manufacturing industry since. He resides in and around the community he grew up in to continue to pursue his passion for the local outdoor recreation opportunities and tend to his hobbies. He currently resides with his wife and his dog Rossi in Marquette Township.
Adam Berger
Board Member
Adam holds a Ph.D. in social anthropology and an M.A. in educational psychology. He is interested in place-based education, and the connection between schools and environmental nonprofits in the Upper Peninsula. Professionally, he has worked in educational and nonprofit sectors, including at a major foundation in NYC. Adam owns a cabin surrounded by the Ottawa National Forest and has a lifelong interest in preserving the biological diversity of the Northwoods ecosystem.
Adam Jones
Board Member
Adam moved to Marquette in 2001 to attend Northern Michigan University. He fell in love with the land and water and decided to find a way to stay. He got a job in construction and purchased land north west of Marquette and has been building a homestead since 2011. Adam joined UPLC in 2020 because of his love for the land and desire to help protect it for future generations. He also enjoys primitive skills, exploring, cross country skiing, kayaking, hiking, and learning more about the natural world around him.​
Sam kapp
Board Member
Sam Kapp joined the UPLC as a student board member in 2018, helping to organize events between Northern Michigan University's Conservation Crew and the conservancy. He graduated in 2021 from Northern Michigan University, earning a BS in history. Sam is the recipient of the Grace Magnaghi Grant, which he has used to research female-led labor actions in the Midwest. Recently, the board of directors voted to establish him as a proper member as a result of his graduation. Sam's interest in conservation was instilled upon him by his grandparents at a very early age, joining the board to facilitate this passion. While not currently residing in the Upper Peninsula, he is still enthusiastic about its preservation and has planned many visits.
Board Member
Marc Labeau
Growing up with a father in the military offered a lot of moving and exploring of the US and following his own stint in the army, Marc completed a B.S. and M.S. at NMU in biology. He has continued in biology by teaching at Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba for over 20 years. When not in the classroom he is likely to be found on any body of water seeking fish, or on the trails running and hiking and skiing, or in the fields and forests hunting mushrooms or birds. These activities and the life-long explorations around the country have provided the impetus to help keep undeveloped lands available for people to explore and enjoy.
Lora Loope
Board Member
After growing up in Traverse City, Lora studied biology at Alma College (B.S.) and NMU (M.S.). Now retired from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, where Lora served as an aquatic ecologist, she values natural habitats and admires UPLC's vision and efforts. She participates in Alger Conservation District's stream monitoring program and Michigan DNR's frog-and-toad survey and enjoys cross-country skiing, hiking, reading, and singing with the Marquette Choral Society.
Lewis Goff
Student Board Member
Lewis is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Business and Enterprise Creation at Northern Michigan University. Born and raised in Marquette, Michigan, Lewis has enjoyed calling the Upper Peninsula home. Growing up, Lewis and his family frequently visited their camp on the Michigamme River – this is where he found his love for the outdoors. Whether it be fishing, kayaking, tapping trees, or looking for morels, Lewis has always enjoyed spending time in nature. As a local, the conservation of the Upper Peninsula’s natural beauty is important to Lewis because he wants others to be able to have the experiences he did, growing up. UPLC ignites Lewis’s passion for environmental, mission-based work.
Staff
Clare Fastiggi
Interim Director &
Lands Program Manager
clare@uplandconservancy.org
Clare first moved to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in 2016 to complete her university studies in Ecology at Northern Michigan University. After graduating, she traveled and worked field jobs locally and in the western states with a focus on avian and bat research. The draw of the north-woods brought her back to the U.P. where she joined the UP Land Conservancy in 2021. Among the roles of land stewardship, she particularly enjoys the opportunity to connect with UP communities and partners in the shared love of the land and water. At UPLC, she hopes to work with partners and data-driven tools to identify priority conservation lands in the UP, in particular along its water systems. In her time outside of work, she’s out exploring the UP with her pup, Tsuga, and partner, Abraham, or tending to her garden and chickens.
Hannah Boyd
Administrative & Communications Manager
hannah@uplandconservancy.org
When asked to describe her career, Hannah quotes the Grateful Dead,
"What a long, strange trip it's been." Hannah has worked various environmental jobs throughout Michigan from mosquito monitoring to invasive plant management, as well as in the non-profit sector as a behavioral health grant writer. In 2020, she earned her B.S. in Biology from Northern Michigan University, concentrating her academics in the field of aquatic ecology. Today she continues her passionate pursuit of freshwater conservation and resource management while bringing her administrative skills to the UPLC table.
If you see her cycling around town, she’s likely on her way to the nearest food truck or brewery. Don't be a stranger- stop by and say Hi!​
Emilyn Staat
Lands program assistant
emilyn@uplandconservancy.org
Emilyn grew up a troll in West Michigan and first came to Marquette in 2018 to study at Northern Michigan University. During their time at NMU, they fell in love with the harsh winters and beautiful ecology of the Upper Peninsula. They have an intense passion to protect the UP from the threats it faces and want to help preserve it for future generations. After graduating in 2022 with a degree in Ecology, they became the summer intern here at UPLC, where they got to explore even more of the Upper Peninsula. Now, they get to continue to help protect the UP as the Lands Program Assistant. In their free time, you can find Emilyn ogling at the local flora and haunting bogs.
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Casey Stevens
Summer Stewardship Intern
​My name is Casey, and I grew up in Alpena, Michigan. I am now in my final semester at Northern Michigan University with a major in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. I grew up camping, skiing, and horseback riding, and in 2021 I got to lead trail rides through the woods of the northern lower peninsula at YMCA Camp Timers. After coming to NMU, I fell in love with Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula. I got to work for Superior Watershed Partnership’s Great Lakes Climate Corps last summer and I learned about the region’s natural systems and problems facing our local environments. I am super excited to spend more time this summer romping around the awesome natural areas that UPLC protects, and to be a part of the effort to protect spaces for nature and people. In my free time, you can find me hiking, crocheting, or playing my piano.