Staff

Meet Our Staff

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Beisker began her role as CEO at Trees Forever on April 29, 2024. She brings extensive not-for-profit and for-profit experience to the role, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Development at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Beisker also served as Chief Operating Officer at Waypoint Services in Cedar Rapids, Program Director at Four Oaks in Cedar Rapids, Assistant Vice President at Mount Mercy University, and Global Sales Manager at PMX Industries. Michelle is a proud graduate of the University of Iowa. Michelle is an Iowa native and loves to immerse herself in nature. She enjoys reading and writing by her pond, working in her flowerbed, and tending her family’s acreage. Currently she has a menagerie of animals including chickens, cats and two goats. Most importantly, Michelle loves to share her farm fresh eggs.

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Michelle Beisker

Chief Executive Officer

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John comes from a long background of nonprofit communications work with the Human Society, Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps. He got his first taste of working alongside Trees Forever during tree planting partnerships with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. John work out of the Marion, Iowa office and is responsible for much of the social media and communications you see coming from Trees Forever. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Iowa State University and enjoys sharing the accomplishments of Trees Forever and its supporters

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John Bright

Director of Marketing and Communications

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Heather is originally from O’Fallon Illinois, but has called Iowa home since 2000. She has earned Masters degrees from Southern Illinois University and the University of Iowa studying cultural and organizational communication and conversation analysis. Prior to joining Trees Forever, Heather spent over eight years in development for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Her career, spanning over 20 years, has included work with enrollment management, air service development, and marketing. Heather loves new adventures to keep learning, growing, and meeting new people. She spends her down time with family, is involved with theater, and serves on the Marion Civil Rights Commission.

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Heather Cordon

Director of Development

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Deanna has over ten years of experience in human resources in non-profit organizations. Before joining Trees Forever, Deanna led HR projects aimed at employee engagment, process improvement, and team collaboration. In her free time, Deanna spends time outdoors, runs regularly, and enjoys being with her family, including her first granddaughter.

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Deanna Derlein

Human Resource Manager

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Jeff is Director of Community Programs at Trees Forever leading field staff in Iowa and overseeing all programming outside the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids Metro areas. He has a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and has worked in the field of sustainable agriculture for the past 20 years. He has over eighteen years of experience working with landowners and farmers growing perennial crops and is active with several existing organizations and partners, including the Iowa Nut Growers Association. He grows nuts and berries on his farm, Nuthaven, in North-Central Iowa.

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Jeff Jensen

Director of Community Programs Iowa

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Megan put down roots in Des Moines after earning a B.A. in writing from Drake University and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Washington in Seattle. She embarked on a career in higher education in the nonprofit sector, most recently working in resource and community development roles for Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. Megan joined the Trees Forever team in November 2022, after serving as a Trees Forever TreeKeeper and community supporter for five years. She is an aspiring backyard berry farmer, self-identified bookworm, and mom to two beloved dogs and a small flock of chickens. Megan is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and a Master Gardener.

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Megan Schneider

Director of Programs Des Moines Metro

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Molly fell in love with Trees Forever when became a Trees Forever TreeKeeper and is excited to make new connections as the Director of Programs Linn County. She has spent a majority of her career working in various Parks and Recreation positions but the best part of all her jobs has been the relationships she’s built with families and volunteers. She enjoys spending her free time getting into trouble with her husband and kids.

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Molly Stuelke

Director of Programs Linn County

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Brooke has a background in conservation and community engagement, coalition building and developing partnerships that support collaborative environmental stewardship efforts. She is passionate about connecting people, communities, and the natural world through conservation and sustainability initiatives, with a strong commitment to equity and inclusion. In her free time, Brooke enjoys birdwatching, tending to her backyard prairie, and spending time outdoors with family and her dog, Hawk.

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Brooke Thurau

Director of Programs Illinois

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Dan has more than fifteen years of experience in finance and strategic planning. His background includes serving as Chief Financial Officer for nonprofit organizations and holding key leadership roles in finance and strategic planning support. Dan most recently was the Chief Financial Officer at Des Moines Area Regional Transit (DART), a multi-city collaborative serving the greater Des Moines metropolitan area. He has served in various volunteer roles including National Trails Day with Polk County Conservation and member of the Finance Committee with Indian Creek Nature Center

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Daniel Washburn

Chief Strategy and Financial Officer

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Erin’s background spans AmeriCorps service, municipal partnerships, nonprofit leadership, and community-based planning. She holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University and previously ran a small ceramics studio specializing in carved porcelain. Erin lives in Marshalltown with her family and two outrageously spoiled cats, and spends her spare time coaching taekwondo and hunting for mushrooms.

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Erin Carpenter

NE Iowa Field Coordinator

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A transplant from Kansas, Shaila is a passionate advocate for community and nature. She graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. When she’s not paddling, or making art, Shaila oversees annual tree distributions across Iowa.

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Shaila Claibourn

Urban Forestry Project Manager

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Bianca (she/her) first got involved with Trees Forever while serving a term with Green Iowa AmeriCorps in 2022. There she became a TreeKeeper to assist her as she organized tree plantings and focused on getting community members involved in the process. Here at Trees Forever, she works with volunteers to create fun events planting and caring for trees in the Des Moines metro. At the University of Northern Iowa, she earned a degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. When she’s not digging in the dirt at work, you can find her hiking with her dog, Remy, or cuddling up on the couch with a book and her cats.

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Bianca Cook

Des Moines Volunteer & Community Education Coordinator

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Connie has worked in the environmental field for a majority of her career. She has experience in horticulture, agriculture, and natural resources. She looks forward to sharing her passion for plants, nature, and ecology with Illinois communities in an effort to improve the natural surroundings. She recently returned home to the family farm in Illinois, where she enjoys spending time with family, pets and exploring the outdoors.

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Connie Cowan

Illinois Program Manager

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Ethan graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and minors in Earth Science and Environmental Earth Science. After graduating, he served two 11-month terms as a Green Iowa AmeriCorps member. In his free time Ethan likes to read, spend time outdoors, and take care of his many houseplants. He is excited to work with Trees Forever and the Growing Futures members to make a positive impact in the community and environment.

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Ethan Dickey

Linn County Growing Futures Program Coordinator

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Anu graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Environmental Science. He previously served a summer AmeriCorps term with Trees Forever, where he continued to develop a strong passion for community-based environmental work. His hobbies include reading, building Legos, gaming, lifting, fishing, and golfing. As the ReLeaf Program Coordinator, Anu is excited to connect with the community and help plant trees for a greener, better tomorrow.

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Anu Dokun

ReLeaf Program Manager

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Callie (she/her) received a Bachelor of Studio Arts from Central College and later obtained a Certificate of Graphic Design from Kirkwood Community College. Much of her time in and out of work is spent creating. Callie is a chair for the environmental nonprofit event, Ecofest Cedar Rapids, and maintains the website and social media account for the group. Additionally, she serves on the Cedar Rapids Public Art Commission collaborating with others to find unique ways of bringing art out the community.

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Callie Gardemann

Marketing & Board Relations Coordinator

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Bri graduated from Wartburg College in 2021 with a degree in Biology with minors in Environmental Science and Leadership. In the following two years she completed two 11-month service terms with Green Iowa AmeriCorps as a Land and Water Steward. In her free time she enjoys reading, exploring prairies and woodlands, and testing new foraging recipes.

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Bri Hull

Illinois Field Coordinator

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Jaeden graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Environmental Policy and Planning as well as minors in Political Science and Environmental Science! Her journey at Trees Forever began in Summer of 2025 as a supervisor for Growing Futures. She has always had a passion for helping the environment and enjoys spending time in nature. When Jaeden is not at work, she loves spending time with friends and family as well as lifting, listening to music, and attending yoga classes.

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Jaeden Humphries

Outreach, Volunteer, & Community Education Coordinator

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Anna graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa with a major in Communications and a minor in English in 2021. She has always had a passion for engaging with nonprofits and her time at Central only reinforced that goal. At Trees Forever, Anna is excited to have the opportunity to keep learning while she analyzes, designs, and optimizes processes using Trees Forever’s CRM system and other online tools. In her leisure time, she loves to read and relax outdoors with her dog, Boji, or cozy up for a movie night with her cat, Whiskey.

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Anna Long

Systems Coordinator

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Hilary joins Trees Forever as the Development Manager based out of the Des Moines office. She holds a master’s degree of Art History and her favorite artist is Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Hilary has a 10-year-old Labradoodle named Monty who she absolutely spoils rotten. Her favorite past times are reading, taking Monty for long walks, and spending time with friends. Hilary joins Trees Forever with several years of experience in non-profit administration, fundraising, development, and community outreach. She is excited to help further Trees Forever mission in the Des Moines Metro and help share the Trees Forever story!

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Hilary Nicolas

Development Manager

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James graduated from Iowa State University with a B.A. in Political Science. He has completed three service terms with the Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa as the Trails and Driftless crew lead. His hobbies include kayaking, hiking, and battling the weeds in his garden. As the Growing Futures program coordinator, he is excited to work with and inspire a new generation of community leaders.

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James Partridge

Urban Forestry Project Manager

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Lisa updates and maintains Trees Forever’s member and partner database. Prior to her time at Trees Forever, she worked nine years at Orchestra Iowa as a Patron Associate and also did the billing and payments for the Orchestra Iowa School. She has two daughters and enjoys taking walks.

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Lisa Renfer

Administrative Coordinator

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Brad has a B.A. in Biology and an M.S. in Land Resources with a focus on prairie restoration and soils. He has been a Trees Forever Field Coordinator since 1995 and worked in almost all the program areas, including community tree plantings, Visioning, and buffer/watershed work. He has a strong interest in reduction of stormwater runoff especially in urban areas through the use of infiltration practices such as rain gardens and bio-retention basins. Brad is also a Certified Arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture.

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Brad Riphagen

Iowa Program Manager

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Deb is best known as the voice of Trees Forever, as she is most often the person answering telephone at our main office in Marion. Deb supports all the necessary administrative processes for hundreds of grant applications, awards and reports. Deb grew up on a farm west of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and graduated from Kirkwood Community College. She has a special place in her heart for her pets, the outdoors, and she thrives on hard work and helping others.

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Deb Roman

Program Support Coordinator

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She began her role as Finance and Operations Manager in November 2025. She comes to Trees Forever with both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in accounting from Kansas State University, bringing more than 10 years of experience across nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Most recently, she served with the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, further strengthening her expertise in financial management, internal controls, and process improvement. Beyond her professional accomplishments, she brings a warm and creative spirit shaped by her love of baking, taking peaceful walks with her dogs, and spending meaningful time with her grown children and their families.

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Christi Smeed

Finance & Operations Manager

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Dina comes to the Trees Forever Finance team with a strong background of Accounting and Business office management. She is eager to share her vast expertise and experience with the TF team and its operations and goals. Dina grew up in NE Iowa, is a Kirkwood Community graduate, and has over 28+ years of experience in accounting, payroll, HR & office management. On her time off, you can find her spending time with family, friends, and pets, as well as being outdoors, and enjoying Hawkeye sports.

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Dina Wachendorf

Finance Assistant

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Kelly is a proud Iowa native and graduate of Iowa State University, where she earned a B.S. in Animal Ecology. After spending several years working in environmental education around the country, Iowa called her home, and she’s spent the last 10 years in community programming and higher education. She’s excited to return to her roots in environmental stewardship and thrilled to share her passion for nature and community engagement with Trees Forever and SE Iowa. Kelly lives on a cattle farm with her husband, two kids, and their dog. And because there wasn’t enough chaos, they recently added chickens and ducks to the mix. In her free time, you’ll find Kelly outdoors—biking, kayaking, fishing, reading, crafting, or working around the farm.

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Kelly Waters

Southeast Iowa Field Coordinator

Originally from Kansas, Ellie graduated from Coe College with a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, bird-watching and working with animals! Following internships with Indian Creek Nature Center, and Lakeside Labs in Northwestern Iowa, she is excited to collaborate with Iowa communities and the Iowa DNR to aid in storm and pest recovery as the Community Disaster Recovery Coordinator.

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Ellie Jones

Community Disaster Recovery Coordinator

Laurie graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Science from Drake University in 2019. She joined Trees Forever in August of 2024 after serving two terms as a member of Green Iowa Americorps. In her free time she enjoys skiing and spending time with her dog. She is excited to continue her work with trees and build connections with communities across Iowa.

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Laurie Dams

DNR Urban & Community Forestry Technician