Dr. Todd Aschenbach is an associate professor in the Natural Resources Management Program at Grand Valley State University. He teaches courses in ecological restoration, wildland fire management, and soil science. Dr. Aschenbach earned his B.S. degree in Wildlife Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas. He has research experience in a variety of ecosystems and currently integrates fire, soil science, and invasive species management in the context of oak savanna and sand prairie restoration. Dr. Aschenbach also serves as the Michigan Representative on the Board of the Society for Ecological Restoration – Midwest Great Lakes Chapter.

Ms. Bobich, supervises a talented team of ecologists and biologists based out of Davey Resource Group, Inc.’s, Indiana offices. She is a professional wetland scientist, is proficient with NEPA work and projects, and has been trained by the Ohio Department of Transportation in Ecological Surveys and Waterways Permitting. In addition to managing a large portfolio of diverse and complex projects, Ms. Bobich also generates pricing and proposals for a wide range of consulting and restoration projects. She works on field investigations, wetland and stream permitting, restoration and mitigation design, native landscape design, best management practice plans, construction oversight, violation resolution and facilitation, and client and agency coordination. She holds an undergraduate degree from the SPEA program at Indiana University and a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Ball State University.

Shawn Duke is a senior staff ecologist at Cardno. He is primarily responsible for developing and implementing ecological restoration plans. His restoration experience includes invasive species control, native planting and seeding, natural shoreline design and establishment, erosion control, green infrastructure and prescribed fire. Mr. Duke also performs natural area management planning; wetland delineations; natural community, fauna and botanical surveys; soil studies; wetland delineations; mitigation projects; environmental monitoring; and endangered species reviews. He has advanced level training in aquatic entomology and limnology, completing field courses in both disciplines and performing macroinvertebrate identification for research studies. He also volunteers with the Huron River Watershed Council to assist with aquatic invertebrate data collection projects.

Deanna Geelhoed received her bachelor of Biology and Spanish degree from Calvin University. Since 2016, she has been working as the program coordinator for Plaster Creek Stewards, an initiative out of Calvin University to restore the health and beauty to the Plaster Creek Watershed. She educates communities about the predicament of the Plaster Creek Watershed, deemed the most polluted waterway in west Michigan. Ms. Geelhoed has a breadth of experience in designing green infrastructure, propagating native Michigan plants, and conducting various ecological restoration research projects in western Michigan.

GEI Consultants of Michigan, P.C. – Allendale
Brian Majka is a professional restoration ecologist at GEI Consultants of Michigan, P.C., in Allendale. He has extensive experience in ecological restoration, design and implementation of wetland construction, soft shoreline engineering, prairie planting, natural areas management and best management practice (BMP) design projects with more than 19 years of experience throughout the country. He has a B.S. degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from Purdue University and is responsible for project management of ecological restoration design and implementation projects for GEI.

Suzanne P. Sutherland is an associate at Barnes & Thornburg LLP, where she is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department. Ms. Sutherland focuses her practice in the areas of development and construction matters and the acquisition, leasing, sale, and financing of real property. She also counsels clients on environmental compliance and enforcement (including air quality and chemical regulation); remediation, corrective action and voluntary cleanups; environmental diligence for commercial and real estate “brownfields” transactions; and wetlands permits. In addition to construction matters, she has experience counseling a range of clients on business planning, contract review, negotiation and preparation.

Dr. David Warners has taught Biology at Calvin University since 1997, working in the areas of field botany, plant evolution, and community-based ecological restoration. In 2009, he was a co-founder of Plaster Creek Stewards, a university-based watershed group focused on restoring health and beauty to the highly-urbanized and degraded Plaster Creek watershed. This work involves propagating native plants for green infrastructure projects, as well as conducting ongoing research on stream microbes, macroinvertebrates, flow dynamics, and the relative success of native species in novel, urban ecosystems. Dr. Warners has served as an environmental consultant, and he has performed many botanical inventories for local townships, state parks and other organizations.