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 typically held at our office in Marquette with remote options available.
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.
Board Members
Clare Mendelsohn
president
Born in Seward, Alaska, and raised in Negaunee, Clare developed a deep connection to nature and outdoor adventure while exploring the forests and waters of the Upper Peninsula. That early experience inspired a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, conservation, and sustainability. She earned a degree in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Tech, followed by an M.S. in Engineering and Environmental Management and an MBA through the MIT Sloan Fellows Program. Clare built a distinguished career in public service focused on environmental management and natural resource leadership. She served as a civilian with the U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense, ultimately becoming Director of the Air Force’s Western Regional Environmental Office in San Francisco. She later joined the U.S. Forest Service, beginning on the Hiawatha National Forest and eventually serving as Forest Supervisor of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and Maine. She also served as Deputy Secretary and policy advisor for the California Environmental Protection Agency. Now retired, Clare lives in her cabin on the shore of Lake Superior in Deerton and is thrilled to once again call the U.P. home. She is proud to contribute her time and expertise to the meaningful work of UPLC, coming full circle to help ensure continued respect for and connection to the beautiful lands and waters of the Upper Peninsula. Clare continues to enjoy trail running, kayaking, biking, backpacking, and skiing across the region’s magnificent landscapes.
Marc Labeau
vice president
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.
Carmen Greenwood
Treasurer
Carmen’s passion for nature began early exploring the woods and lakes of the UP as a child growing up in Negaunee. After a tour of military service, she pursued a career in academia. With a PhD in Entomology and an M.S. in Environmental Studies she worked as an Environmental Educator, Insect Ecologist and Conservation Biologist at several different universities over the years. She involved students in statewide native pollinator surveys and endangered species conservation and reintroduction and regularly exposed students to conservation efforts in the tropics with a study abroad experience in Panama. After a career that took her all over the country, she now lives on the Forestville Basin in Marquette, skiing, cycling, paddling and hoping to help preserve this rugged unique landscape.
Sam kapp
Secretary
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.
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Barb Trombley
Board Member
Barb Trombley retired from her accounting career in 2020. An Upper Peninsula resident since 1994, she worked in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, timber, and non-profits. Barb has been deeply involved in conservation education in Alger County through 4-H and community volunteering, and was instrumental in starting a semi-annual county-wide recycling collection in 2003 that is still active today.
Barb and her husband enjoy kayaking the area lakes, hiking, snowshoeing, and biking in the Hiawatha National Forest.
Paul Holeva
Board Member
Paul Holeva is a social scientist with a passion for public spaces, social capital, and placed based identities. From 2016-2025 he served as a Program Manager with both the Hiawatha and Ottawa National Forests, managing recreation, lands, and partnerships across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After leaving federal service, Paul worked as a realtor before joining WM as an Operations Manager in Marquette. In his free time, Paul enjoys cooking, reading, and adventuring with his two kids. He is also an avid woodworker and is excited to promote sustainability and public land access with UPLC.
Kacey Cook
Board Member
Kacey’s family relocated from Northern Michigan to Marquette when she was in high school, and growing up in these beautiful places inspired her to pursue a career in environmental law. Kacey is honored to contribute to UPLC’s mission of stewarding the Upper Peninsula’s natural resources for current and future generations. When Kacey is home for a visit, you can find her kayaking the Chocolay, sailing on Lake Superior, or hiking the trails with her rescue dog, Keweenaw.
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Lisa Long
Board Member
Lisa Long, MD has been a UP resident for 27 years and has a deep love for exploring the natural features the UP shares with us. When she first came to the UP for her medical residency, she fell in love with the land and decided it was where her family wanted to grow roots- and grow roots they have! Lisa and her husband, Lee, have an impressive homestead on the Dead River's McClure Basin, full of a garden, bees and ducks! As the Chief Medical Officer for UP Health System Marquette, she brings a perspective of integrative and family health to the UPLC Board of Directors. She believes a healthy external environment supports a person's internal environment. Connecting people to each other and the land is core to her values.
Logan Hawley
Board Member
As a native of Western Michigan, Logan grew to love the outdoors after a move out of the suburbs to a small wooded lot south of Grand Rapids. He found his passion for natural resources during a trip to the vast wilderness of the Porcupine Mountains where he was awestruck by the diverse landscapes to be found within our state. He continued that love for the outdoors and Upper Peninsula by completing his Masters of Forestry with a focus on Water Resource Management from Michigan Tech. His past and current work have earned him experience in coastal wetland protection and restoration for critical species habitat. Logan is currently working for a natural resource non-profit in the Lower Peninsula, but his love for the Northwoods connected him to the important land protection work conducted by UPLC. In his free time, Logan enjoys hiking, fishing, and looking for the hidden gems found throughout the state.
Staff
Emily Leach
Executive Director
emily@uplandconservancy.org
Emily’s connection to the U.P. began nearly 20 years ago while visiting her older sister at NMU. She moved to Marquette in 2009 to study Environmental Sustainability and Native American Studies at NMU. Like many of us, she stayed for the forests, waters and close-knit communities. Since then, she’s built a career grounded in collaboration, conservation, and community planning. From managing programs geared towards youth, young adults and vulnerable populations at the Superior Watershed Partnership to her recent work as Marquette County’s Senior Planner, Emily brings a wealth of experience in land stewardship, climate adaptation, and regional leadership. Her commitment to partnership and place makes her a natural fit for UPLC’s mission. You can find Emily in her garden, on the trail or in the lake with her husband Nick and their kids Elton (6) and Robin (3).
Clare Fastiggi
Lands 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 northwoods 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 strives 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 partner, Abraham, and her pups, Tsuga & Ernie, or tending to her garden and chickens.
Hannah Boyd
Administrative & Communications Manager
hannah@uplandconservancy.org
Hannah describes her career in a quote from the Grateful Dead: “What a long, strange trip it’s been". Before joining the UPLC team in 2022, she 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.
Emilyn Staat
Stewardship Coordinator
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, chillin at the Crib, or haunting bogs.
JENNY KALEJS
Connections Coordinator
Jenny@uplandconservancy.org
Jenny Kalejs is the Connections Coordinator at UPLC as part of the MI Healthy Climate Fellowship Program. She is most excited to spread the word about UPLC’s critical conservation work and strengthen local partnerships. Previously, Jenny led communications at the University of Michigan Biological Station, where she shared stories of research, teaching, and outreach activities. She is passionate about translating science for a wide audience and communicating effectively about our most pressing environmental challenges and opportunities. Jenny is also an artist/illustrator, rec sports enthusiast, and proud steward of Goldie the very good dog.
volunteer mentors
Randy Swaty
UPLC Science Mentor
Randy Swaty serves UPLC as a Science Mentor, contributing ecological and data science expertise, networking, and mentorship to our team and mission. He is an ecologist with The Nature Conservancy based in Marquette, Michigan, where he works at the intersection of conservation science, geospatial analysis, and decision support. He specializes in fire ecology, forest ecosystems, vegetation mapping, and landscape-scale conservation planning. Drawing on expertise in GIS, remote sensing, ecological modeling, and large environmental datasets, he develops tools and analyses that help conservation practitioners, land managers, researchers, and policy makers make more informed decisions. Randy fosters collaborative learning and innovation through founding and leading the Conservation Data Lab, and helps build reproducible workflows using R, Python, cloud computing, and modern geospatial tools. He is passionate about making ecological data more accessible, transparent, and useful for real-world conservation challenges. Across all of his work, he strives to bridge the gap between ecological science, technology, and on-the-ground conservation action.