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DIRECTORSThe Harris Nature Center Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, composed of a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Directors-at-large. Up to 15 Directors serve renewable 3-year terms, guiding and promoting the Foundation. Directors are members of the community who are interested in supporting the Harris Nature Center and have interests, skills, or knowledge that help fulfill the Board's mission.
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All Directors serve as volunteers, so all donations to the Foundation go directly to projects.
If you are interested in serving on the HNCF Board, please download and fill the application form:
Director Application Form (PDF)
Please email the application form to: directorpresident@hncfoundation.org
Alternatively, a printed form can be filled and emailed to the Nature Center Building.
All applicants are reviewed and elected upon voting by the current Board of Directors.
If you are interested in serving on the HNCF Board, please download and fill the application form:
Director Application Form (PDF)
Please email the application form to: directorpresident@hncfoundation.org
Alternatively, a printed form can be filled and emailed to the Nature Center Building.
All applicants are reviewed and elected upon voting by the current Board of Directors.
Current Board of Directors
Jim Buscetta, HNCF President
Mr. Buscetta is the retired Manager of Client Services for the Michigan Commission for the Blind. He has been a volunteer at the Harris Nature Center for over 10 years. He also is an active member of several conservation organizations including Michigan United Conservation Clubs, the Red Cedar Fly Fishers, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Ruffed Grouse Society, and Pheasants Forever.
Director since 2010.
Director since 2010.
Roxanne Truhn, HNCF Vice President
Ms. Truhn is the Coordinator of the MSU Science Festival. She is a MSU alumnus with a degree in Medical Technology. In her spare time she is a Cofounder of the Spartan Young Astronomer's Club where she creates hands-on activities for youth ages 8-12 years and is a docent for the MSU 4H Children’s Garden programs.
Her professional interests include promoting science literacy through informal science learning and connecting the public to nature.
Director since 2014.
Her professional interests include promoting science literacy through informal science learning and connecting the public to nature.
Director since 2014.
Alexa Warwick, HNCF Secretary
Dr. Warwick is a wildlife biologist and outreach/engagement specialist at Michigan State University. She works jointly with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, MSU Extension, and the MSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. She is passionate about youth and adults being more active in the outdoors and more interested in wildlife and conservation. An Iowa native, she moved to Michigan in 2016 after receiving her Ph.D. from Florida State University. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and taking her family to visit the many beautiful parks and natural areas in Michigan, like the Harris Nature Center.
Director since 2019.
Director since 2019.
David Detrisac, HNCF Treasurer
David Detrisac, MD is a retired orthopedic surgeon. He served on state and national societies. He enjoys nature and was an Eagle Boy Scout. Since retiring, he has been active in his church, volunteered as an AARP Tax-Aide, and has done contact tracing during the pandemic. He hopes to enable more people to enjoy the Harris Nature center, a gem in Meridian Township.
Director since 2020.
Director since 2020.
Melissa Benbow
Melissa Benbow, MD has lived in Okemos since 2014 and is a neighbor to the Harris Nature Center. Her children have participated in programs such as Chipmunk Story Time, and her entire family enjoys hiking, playing at the Nature Exploration Area, and exploring the native animals and plants at the Center. Melissa is a pediatrician at MSU and enjoys sharing her love of nature and encouraging families to get outdoors.
Director since 2020.
Director since 2020.
Christen Chapelle
Christen Chappelle is currently a student at Okemos High School. In the future, she hopes to pursue an environmental engineering degree. In her free time she can be found walking the trails of Harris Nature Center, working in her garden, or in Okemos High School’s greenhouse where she regularly works in caretaking.
A goal of Christen’s is to get more teenagers like herself invested in taking up a role in bettering the environment and becoming more involved in the outdoors.
Director since 2019.
A goal of Christen’s is to get more teenagers like herself invested in taking up a role in bettering the environment and becoming more involved in the outdoors.
Director since 2019.
Evelyne Cudel
Evelyne Cudel is an anthropologist and STEM consultant. She earned her Ph.D. in Anthropology at the University of California Riverside in 1994. She has published a number of papers, reports and documents and has worked on a variety of different kinds of projects in the U.S. and France. She is engaged in research and development of projects, bringing science to the public, concerning environmental issues, ethnobiology, ethnomusicology, philosophy of education. Other philosophy engagements are environmental and medical ethics as well as indigenous peoples' rights. She is a multimedia artist, photographer, and musician. Her philosophy of education is: “Learning by doing, doing by contributing educational projects to the community”. In terms of teaching she has principally taught cultural anthropology, human geography, philosophy of nature and French.
Director since 2019.
Director since 2019.
Bartolomeo Gorgoglione
Dr. Gorgoglione is a scientist dedicated to fish diseases and immunology. After achieving the DVM in Bari, Italy he specialized on fish with a Master in Stirling, Scotland, followed by a Ph.D. in Fish Immunology in Aberdeen, Scotland. Thereafter he worked at VetMedUni in Vienna, Austria. Moving to Ann Arbor, MI in 2016 with his wife Cristina (a neuroendocrinology researcher at University of Michigan), he worked in Toledo, OH and at Wright State University in Dayton, OH. Bart joined Michigan State University in March 2019, as an Assistant Professor (tenure track) at the Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory. A former boy scout and lover of nature, photography and traveling, Bart also covers volunteer duties for the European Association of Fish Pathologists and World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association. Director since 2019.
Barb Kissling
Ms. Kissling is retired from the Okemos Public Schools as a middle school math/science teacher. She is active in Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity in the Lansing area. In 2010, she published an educational book, Cemeteries: Alive with Learning, based on a national award winning project she developed at Kinawa Middle School in Okemos. She presented a workshop on her book at the national conference of the National Middle School Association in Baltimore in November, 2010. Ms. Kissling was honored at the 2012 "Parks Friend of the Year" by the Meridian Township Parks and Recreation for her work on the Harris Nature Center Board. She has served as both Treasurer and President.
Director since 2006.
Director since 2006.
Patty Robbins
Ms. Robbins is a retired Lansing elementary school teacher. Her young urban students were inspired to connect with nature and learn observational skills during their annual weeklong outdoor classroom at Fenner Nature Center (Annie’s Big Nature Lesson). Harris Nature Center hosts a similar program. Previously, Patty and her husband, Larry, worked with Fenner as wildlife rehabilitators. They have also spent several years living and working on archaeological excavations in Africa. Patty’s 2010 book, Red-Spotted Ox: A Pokot Life, features autobiographical stories of an East African herdsman, based on tapes she recorded in Swahili during the 1970s.
Director since 2009.
Director since 2009.
Honorary Directors
Howard & Helen Tanner, 2010-present
Rick Preuss, 2013-present
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Former DirectorsRon Bacon, 2006-2009
Tony Bauer, 2013-2015 Mike Eberlein, 2008-2012 Doug Eschtruth, 2006-2009 Norman Grannemann, 2008-2014 Steve Gruber, 2012-2013 Jeff Hicks, 2008-2011 June Hicks, 2015-2020 Jessica Kovan, 2006-2008 Mike Lenkowski, 2011-2015 Marilyn Lieber, 2006-2009 Rachel McDaniel, 2017-2020 Mike McDonald, 2008-2014 Julie Moore, 2011-2019 Nancy Parmenter, 2017-2018 Rick Preuss, 2006-2012 Robert Rusch, 2011-2014 Andy Such, 2009-2011 Helen Tanner, 2006-2009 Nora Thompson, 2016-2017 Gene Wasserman, 2006-2009 Jim Wood, 2010-2011 |