Sand County Foundation
Kevin McAleese mail_outline President & CEO
Kevin assumed overall leadership of Sand County Foundation in July 2015. In his 30 years with the Foundation, he has overseen all aspects of planning, program implementation, and personnel and financial management. Kevin founded the Cooperative Sagebrush Initiative in 2007, an award-winning 11-western state public-private partnership to balance energy production, ranching, and habitat protection. He served as President of its Board of Directors until 2013. He led a 10-year program in the Great Lakes states and northeastern U.S. to enhance the regeneration of important hardwood forests that support rural economies and abundant wildlife. He has organized and facilitated regional, national, and international conferences among landholders, resource managers, and scientists. He holds a BS degree in engineering from the University of Wisconsin and an MA degree in history from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. Kevin and his family vacation in Nova Scotia where they explore the islands and natural beauty around Mahone Bay in their small sailboat and swim in the cold north Atlantic waters.
Lance Irving mail_outline Vice President - Leopold Conservation Award®
Lance took the helm of Sand County Foundation's Leopold Conservation Award program in 2016 after more than 15 years of experience in the outdoor sporting goods industry, and prior to that as a professional wilderness hunting and fishing guide. As chief sales and marketing officer at two outdoor manufacturing companies, Lance recognized the impacts of conservation on both natural resources and outdoor recreation. The lessons and impacts of the Leopold Conservation Award have been brought home by Lance to help with his personal prairie restoration project and hobby farm improvement.
Heidi Peterson Ph.D. mail_outline Vice President - Agricultural Research & Conservation
Dr. Heidi M. Peterson leads Sand County Foundation’s agricultural conservation team and sets its strategic direction in research, and farmer and rancher engagement. She brings significant leadership, teaching, and research experience surrounding agricultural conservation and water quality issues. Heidi previously served as the Phosphorus Program Director with the International Plant Nutrition Institute, and prior to that at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. She serves the scientific community on the Field to Market's Science Advisory Council, Foundation for Food & Agricultural Research's Advisory Council, Agronomic Science Foundation's Board of Trustees, as an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota, and as a technical editor with the Journal of Environmental Quality. Heidi completed her Ph.D. in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at the University of Minnesota. At Purdue University she received a MS degree in agronomy, and a BS degree in natural resources and environmental science. Heidi resides in the Twin Cities, Minnesota on five-acres of an old Oak Woodland where she raises the happiest backyard chickens and spends her free time pulling weeds in her organic, no-till garden.
Christina Schellpfeffer mail_outline Vice President – External Relations
Chris leads Sand County Foundation’s communications and development programs. She joined the Foundation in 2013, bringing more than 20 years of experience in marketing, strategic communication and stakeholder relations to the organization. A former journalist, she covered government, public policy and politics for nearly 10 years at the Wisconsin State Capitol as Managing Editor for the Wisconsin Radio Network. As a partner in an advertising agency with a special emphasis on brand development, she consulted with organizations across the U.S. on marketing and communications issues, and led successful public relations programs securing prominent national media coverage. Chris is a volunteer master gardener, and serves on the board of Friends of Allen Centennial Garden at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Alice Canchola Fenochio mail_outline Administrative Coordinator
Alice joined Sand County Foundation as Administrative Coordinator in 2023. Previously she gained nearly a decade of retail managerial experience as an executive team leader at Target. Alice holds a B.S. degree from Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, New York. Alice grew up on a small farm and spent many summer evenings fishing with her dad. Today, she enjoys hiking state and national parks.
Nikki D'Adamo-Damery mail_outline Conservation Outreach & Equity Director
Nikki D'Adamo-Damery leads the Sand County Foundation's work with historically underserved farmers and ranchers, primarily through the Land Ethic Mentorship Program. Throughout her career, Nikki has worked to align practices with values, especially as they relate to governance, operations, engagement, and ecology. She helped to operationalize the first community land trust in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia, created a cross-sector network to address community food security in central Appalachia, and supported limited resource farmers in Alabama with Heifer International. Nikki has a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University, and an MS in Sociology and Sustainable Agriculture, with a certificate in Social Justice, from Iowa State University. She is based outside of Richmond, Virginia.
Alex Erickson mail_outline Associate Director - Leopold Conservation Award
Alex Erickson plays a key role in outreach to Leopold Conservation Award recipients and program sponsors nationally. He brings a decade's worth of professional experience in agricultural sales, business development and marketing. Growing up working on his grandfather's hog, calf and row crop farm, Alex got a first hand education in conservation and agriculture by experiencing a diversified farm that benefitted both livestock and wildlife. Alex earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from St. John's University. He lives in Grand Forks, North Dakota, where he enjoys many outdoor pursuits and serves as secretary of an archery club.
Craig Ficenec mail_outline Senior Director - Agricultural Conservation
Since joining Sand County Foundation in 2013, Craig has initiated several projects including prairie strips on farms, pollinator grants for schools, professional development for watershed coordinators, and funding for farmer-led watershed groups in the Midwest. He previously served as an agricultural engineer and manager of technical and financial assistance programs with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; and as coordinator of conservation initiatives for a non-profit organic farming business incubator program in California. Internationally he evaluated watershed planning projects in Peru, and developed domestic water projects as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras. A native of Nebraska, Craig earned a BS in engineering at Iowa State University and a MS in Land Resources at the University of Wisconsin. On his 0.2 acre homestead, Craig maintains a herd of thousands of worms turning kitchen and garden waste into high-quality compost, and bat houses to which about 150 little brown bats return every spring.
Eli Halverson mail_outline Agricultural Field Specialist
Eli joined Sand County Foundation in 2024 to provide technical assistance to farmers regarding soil health, conservation, and land management. He specializes in collecting and interpreting soil, plant, and other agricultural data. Eli attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for a BS in natural resource management and earned a MS degree focused on soil science from South Dakota State University. In 2025, he received his Associate Professional Soil Scientist certification and is involved with the Minnesota Association of Professional Soil Scientists. Eli previously worked with rangeland soil health in Wyoming, ecological restoration in Wisconsin, and in various soil science laboratory/research positions while receiving his education. Eli is a Wisconsin native now based in Minneapolis, where he enjoys fly fishing, hunting, hiking, camping, and canoeing.
Liina Keerd mail_outline Program Relations Coordinator
Liina Keerd joined the Sand County Foundation in 2019, bringing decades of experience to our team. In her previous roles, Liina provided administrative support to attorneys, executive recruiters and professional engineers in Madison, Boston and New York City. She served as an assistant to a retired Wisconsin Supreme Court justice, and engaged in marketing and event planning for the law firm of Michael Best. Liina also has enjoyed a 20 year volunteer relationship with the Susan G. Komen organization. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Parsons School of Design with a focus on botanical and wildlife illustration.
Samuel Kwakye Ph.D. mail_outline Agricultural Field Data Scientist
Samuel joined Sand County Foundation in 2023. He has experience in analyzing agricultural field data sets and developing innovative solutions to drive production growth. He completed his BS in Agronomy from EARTH University in Costa Rica. Samuel holds a Master's degree in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition from Louisiana State University, where he developed a deep understanding of statistical analysis, regression models, and data visualization techniques. Samuel worked as a research assistant at the University of Florida while pursuing his Ph.D. in Soil and Water Sciences. He applied his expertise to contribute to the update of micronutrients application rate for citrus trees with greening disease in Florida. Samuel is passionate about using data to drive decision-making. He excels at explaining complex concepts for non-technical stakeholders. Samuel grew up in Ghana, where he spent time on his parents' cocoa farm, learning the rhythmic process of harvesting pods and preparing the beans for market.
Casey Langan mail_outline Communications Director
Casey joined Sand County Foundation in 2018 with more than 20 years of experience in agricultural communications. He previously served as the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation's executive director of public relations and spokesperson. Prior to that, he was a legislative assistant inside Wisconsin's State Capitol researching policy matters, and a newspaper reporter covering farm and rural issues. Casey first came to appreciate agriculture and rural landscapes on his grandparents' dairy and tobacco farm. He served on the Edgerton City Council where he advocated to plant pollinator-friendly habitats.
Stacy Lischka Ph.D. mail_outline Western Director - Leopold Conservation Award
Stacy joined Sand County Foundation in 2026. She works across western states to recognize and support private landowners whose stewardship strengthens working lands, wildlife habitat, and rural communities. She previously led Poudre Valley Community Farms, where she brought a conservation lens to farmland access for farmers and ranchers. Her professional experience includes wildlife conservation, community engagement, applied social science research, and advancing conservation through partnerships. Based in Colorado, Stacy holds a master’s degree from Michigan State University, and a PhD from Colorado State University, both in wildlife conservation.
Haley Mikkelsen mail_outline Education and Outreach Specialist
Haley joined Sand County Foundation in 2022 as coordinator of the Pollinator Habitat Grant Program which provides grants to high school science and agriculture teachers for a hands on program that engages students in establishing pollinator habitat. Haley holds a Master of Environmental Education focused on sustainable agriculture from University of Minnesota-Duluth. She has co-owned a market garden farm in rural Iowa, and works as an agricultural educator with a variety of schools and nonprofit organizations. She is based in Duluth, Minnesota.
Greg Olson mail_outline Field Projects Director
Greg joined Sand County Foundation in 2010 as coordinator of a watershed nutrient management project in the West Branch of the Milwaukee River. In 2013, he began overseeing all field activities for water quality and nutrient management work. Born and raised in the Upper Peninsula of Mich., Greg has a degree in Wildlife Biology and Management from Central Michigan University. From 2004 to 2010, he worked in wetland, prairie, and forest restoration and research. Prior to Sand County Foundation, Greg worked for Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service and the US Geological Survey.
Holly Perrotti mail_outline Director of Finance and Operations
Holly’s comprehensive Sand County Foundation role encompasses financial management, grant management, and board support. She also serves as SCF's Assistant Secretary and Assistant Treasurer. She has several years of experience in executive assistant roles with senior leaders of non-governmental organizations. Prior to joining Sand County Foundation in 2013, Holly served as an administrative assistant to the President and Vice-President of the American Postal Workers Union in Washington, DC. Holly holds a B.A. in English Literature from Gustavus Adolphus College. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking in Wisconsin's state parks and on the Ice Age Trail, and paddleboarding in Madison's lakes.
Briana Schnelle mail_outline Agricultural Conservation Specialist
Briana joined Sand County Foundation in 2022. She previously worked with farmers and ranchers in northeastern California's Great Basin, collaborating with private landowners and managers to develop farm conservation plans to encourage bird habitat, watershed vitality, soil health, carbon sequestration, and wildlife-friendly management. She has worked throughout the U.S. on wildlife research projects and developed her interest in working lands while living and working with sheep grazers in the Andes Mountains as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru. Briana received a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Haleigh Summers Ph.D. mail_outline Agricultural Geospatial Data Scientist
Haleigh joined Sand County Foundation in 2023 as the Agricultural Geospatial Data Scientist. She uses geospatial tools to collect, organize, and analyze data for Sand County Foundation’s conservation projects. Haleigh obtained her Ph.D. in Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Science at Iowa State University where she also received certificates in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Data-Driven Food Energy and Water Decision Making. Her dissertation work focused on the economics and efficiencies of conservation practice adoption, as well as equitable food-energy-water systems. She has an M.S. in Agronomy from Penn State University, where she studied integrated weed management in dairy cropping systems. She lives in Dubuque, Iowa, where she enjoys walking her dog through nearby prairies.
Tricia Verville mail_outline Director of Agricultural Systems
Tricia Verville joined Sand County Foundation in 2021 to lead a regenerative agriculture initiative in Wisconsin's Lake Michigan Basin. She works with farmer-led groups to achieve water quality and climate resiliency goals. She previously served as a research project manager and safety lead for the Soil Health Partnership, a project of the National Corn Growers Association. Prior to that, she worked as a crop specialist, and as a deputy conservation warden for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Based in Wausau, Wis. she plays an active role in Sand County Foundation projects across the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins.
Katie Ziemer mail_outline Soil Conservationist
Katie Ziemer joined Sand County Foundation as a soil conservationist in 2018. She assists farmers with writing and implementing conservation plans to achieve water quality and soil health improvements. Her work in the Milwaukee River watershed facilitates our collaborative efforts with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service. She works from the USDA's Service Center in West Bend. She earned dual-degrees in soil and crop science, and environmental horticulture. Katie and her husband and their family own a dairy farm near Cedarburg, where they implement no-till practices, and grow cover crops and multi-species forages.