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Ecosystem Management Initiative Staff
Dr. Steven Yaffee, Program Director
Dr. Yaffee has worked for more than twenty years on federal endangered species, public lands
and ecosystem management policy. He is the author of Prohibitive Policy: Implementing the
Federal Endangered Species Act (MIT Press, 1982) and The Wisdom of the Spotted Owl: Policy
Lessons for a New Century (Island Press, 1994). He is a co-author of Ecosystem Management
in the United States: An Assessment of Current Experience (Island Press, 1996) and Making
Collaboration Work: Lessons from Innovation in Natural Resource Management (Island Press,
2000). His most recent work explores ecosystem management as a conceptual framework for
managing natural resources, and multi-party, collaborative problem-solving efforts as necessary
elements of an ecosystem approach. Dr. Yaffee received his Ph.D. in 1979 from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in environmental policy and planning. He holds a B.S. in
resource planning and conservation and a M.S. in natural resource policy from The University of
Michigan. Before joining the SNRE faculty, he was a faculty member at the Kennedy School of
Government at Harvard University, and has been a researcher at the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory and the Conservation Foundation/World Wildlife Fund.
Marcia Lochmann, Program Coordinator
Ms. Lochmann has worked in environmental education, outreach and project management for
nearly 9 years. Her professional experience includes project management and coordination with
the Texas Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, a Texas public outreach firm, and the
Tennessee Valley Authority where she worked to bridge stakeholders, build partnerships and
educate citizens in natural resource management. Marcia began her career as a high school
science teacher where she had the opportunity to teach and become inspired by students,
colleagues, and community partners in the environmental arena. Marcia received her Master of
Science degree in Environmental Science from Texas A&M University and her Bachelor of
Science degree in Education from Indiana University.
EMI Fellows
EMI Fellows provide research and logistical support for a wide range of the Initiative's ongoing
projects. At present, Fellows are involved with the design of the case-study database, proposal
writing, and website design and maintenance. Other projects include coordination of a speaker
series and development of a series of case-studies for training workshops and mid-career
educational programs. EMI Fellows are current graduate students and recent graduates of
SNRE with academic and/or professional experience in ecosystem management.
Todd Bryan
Todd Bryan has worked in the natural resource and public policy field for over 22 years and has
spent the last 10 years as a mediator, trainer and organizational consultant. He specializes in
helping government agencies, organizations, and communities develop more collaborative
approaches to natural resource and environmental management. For the past three years Todd
has been part of an interdisciplinary training team that is helping the Bureau of Land
Management develop collaborative partnerships that integrate ecosystem management
principles with community-based land stewardship. Todd has worked on endangered species
issues, wetlands and riparian protection, farmland and open space conservation, watershed
management, land development and facility siting, mine-waste cleanup, and water quality and
quantity. Todd is also an adjunct assistant professor in the Graduate School of Public Affairs at
the University of Colorado-Denver where he teaches popular interactive courses in negotiation
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and conflict resolution, environmental dispute resolution, and managing conflict and change. He
has also taught both negotiation and mediation courses in the School of Natural Resources &
Environment at the University of Michigan. Todd has a Master of Public Administration (MPA)
degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and MS degrees in
landscape architecture and water resources management from the University of Wisconsin.
Todd is currently a Ford Foundation Community Forestry Research Fellow and a doctoral
candidate in the School of Natural Resources & Environment at the University of Michigan. His
dissertation research is on community-based collaborative resource management and
specifically the Quincy Library Group in northern California. Todd is helping to develop and
teach the EMI Collaborative Resource Management course for the US Department of Interior.
Jesse Buff
Jesse Buff graduated with a BA degree in Sociology and Anthropology and a concentration in
Biology from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 1992. After graduating, he worked as an intern
with the National Audubon Society in Washington, DC, as an environmental educator with the
National Wildlife Federation in North Carolina and Colorado, and as a substitute teacher in
public high schools. Jesse joined the Peace Corps in 1996 and worked as a community forestry
extensionist in Nicaragua where he led training seminars in tree nursery establishment,
agroforestry, soil conservation, fruit tree grafting, and organic agriculture. At SNRE, Jesse's
research focused on protected areas management in Belize and, more specifically, how
communities are involved in the management and decision-making processes of six protected
areas managed by the Belize Audubon Society. After graduating from SNRE in 2000 with an
MS in Resource Policy and Behavior, Jesse continued his work in community-based natural
resource management in Honduras with the Crisis Corps. There he worked as a watershed
management advisor, coordinating community watershed mapping activities and natural
resource management action plans with coffee-growing communities in the Upper Humuya
watershed of central Honduras. As a Research Associate with EMI, Jesse's current work
includes researching and assessing the international dimension of EM as well as identifying
case studies, dialogue and research topics, and training needs for the program.
Althea Dotzour
Althea Dotzour is a first-year Master's student in Resource Policy and Behavior at the University
of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment. Her primary academic interests
include collaborative decision making, increasing the integration of science into policy-making,
and improving land use planning techniques through better community communication. Althea
received her undergraduate degree at Carleton College in Northfield, MN where she majored in
biology and concentrated in environmental science. While studying at Carleton, Althea interned
with the aviculture department of the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, WI and with
the Audubon Society doing prairie restoration at Goose Pond, WI. Althea is working on the EMI
database, entering onto the web-based database the endless files maintained by EMI on
ecosystem management collaboration. She is also doing cross-case analysis on aspects of
collaborative efforts to look for successful trends between different processes. This information
should help to provide a more in-depth understanding of what makes for a successful
collaborative effort.
Jon Kazmierski
Jon Kazmierski returned to the School of Natural Resources and Environment after receiving his
Bachelor of Science from the School in 1998. Jon is now a Master's candidate in the Resource
Policy and Behavior program, focusing on Conservation Biology and Ecosystem Management.
Since graduation, Jon has held positions with both the National Park Service and National
Forest Service. As a biological science technician at Isle Royale National Park, Jon worked with
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the Nature Conservancy on the development of a vegetation map of the Park and assisted the
Park in other ecological monitoring projects. On the Inyo National Forest in the Eastern Sierra
Nevada, Jon works as a ranger in the John Muir Wilderness where he greets backcountry
visitors, restores degraded-use areas, and promotes behaviors that ensure the preservation of
wilderness resources. Jon is interested in continuing to work for public land management
agencies in an effort to promote the ideas and philosophies of ecosystem management. He is a
2001 recipient of a Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship and working on mid-career
assessments and mid-career faculty and alumni affiliates surveys for the Ecosystem
Management Initiative.
Megan Kram
Megan graduated with a BA in Economics in 1997 from DePauw University (Greencastle,
Indiana). Following her undergraduate education, she worked for two years as a Management
Consultant with Ernst & Young LLP. Her passion for environmental issues prompted her to then
intern with Region 5 of the US Environmental Protection Agency through the Environmental
Careers Organization. Most recently, she helped meet the needs of domestic communities by
serving with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. Megan is a 2001 recipient of a
Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship, and hopes to intern with The Nature Conservancy this
coming summer. As a first-year Master's student in Resource Policy and Behavior, Megan
Kram is working with the Ecosystem Management Initiative (EMI) to help structure and add
content to the new database of EM cases. Her intent to pursue a career in conservation
planning with a land trust sparked her interest in working with EMI, where she has learned
invaluable lessons about factors that facilitate collaborative efforts in natural resource
management.
Bill Mangle
Bill Mangle graduated from Colorado College with a BA in History/Political Science in 1996.
After college, he worked with the Grand Canyon Trust in Arizona, studying regional economic
and demographic trends on the Colorado Plateau. Upon his return to Colorado, he worked on
the restoration and management of an urban wildlife refuge within the confines of Denver's
former airport site. This experience took him to ERO Resources, a Denver-based natural
resources consulting firm, where he undertook a broad range of projects ranging from open
space planning to hydrological studies and groundwater remediation. These broad interests led
Bill to SNRE, where he has focused his efforts on developing skills for effective natural resource
conservation planning and decision making. While at the University of Michigan, his applied
experiences have included greenway planning in the Ann Arbor area, and the development of a
community green space implementation strategy for Park City, Utah. As part of the Ecosystem
Management Initiative, Bill is developing a database of innovative community-based
conservation projects throughout the US After completing his work at SNRE, Bill hopes to work
towards community-based conservation in the American West.
Alex Mas
Alex Mas received his undergraduate degrees in Environmental Studies and English from Tufts
University. He has since worked on terrestrial and marine conservation in the tropics with the
School for Field Studies in Mexico and Argentina, as a Project Coordinator with the Earthwatch
Institute, and as a Program Manager with the Earth Preservation Fund. In 1999, Alex received
a Master’s degree in Resource Ecology and Management from the School of Natural Resources
and Environment at the University of Michigan, where he focused his research on biodiversity
on shaded coffee farms in Mexico. He is currently on leave from a doctoral program at SNRE
and has been working full-time as a Research Associate for the Ecosystem Management
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Initiative since May of 2000. His responsibilities include case study research and writing,
exercise development and logistics support for the mid-career training program, and assisting in
the development of EMI's international program.
Elizabeth McCance
Elizabeth McCance received her undergraduate degree in biology with an emphasis on
environmental science from Yale University. She went on for a Master of Science in
Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from the University of Maryland. After
finishing her degree, she pursued her interest in Latin American conservation and interned for
several organizations including the National Parks of Argentina and the Wildlife Conservation
Society. In 1994, Elizabeth joined IUCN's Species Survival Commission as Special Assistant to
the Chair. For three years, she helped to facilitate communication through the network to aid
the volunteers assess the global status of species and produce actions plans for their recovery.
Moving from international conservation work to local conservation, Elizabeth joined Chicago
Wilderness as the Science and Land Management Team Coordinator. Again, her work involved
facilitating scientists and other experts to develop conservation strategies. The product of this
work was the Biodiversity Recovery Plan for the Chicago Region. Now, as a doctoral student at
the School of Natural Resources and Environment, Elizabeth is focusing on ecosystem
management and adaptive management, and the evaluation of these strategies. Her work with
EMI has included development of the speaker series and other conferences. Currently, she is
working on a research project to develop a framework to assess the progress of ecosystem
management projects.
Sarah McKearnan
Sarah McKearnan received her undergraduate degree in government from Harvard University.
She has spent eight years working as a professional facilitator and trainer in the environmental
field. She is currently a research associate at the University of Michigan's School of Natural
Resources & Environment focusing on eco-regional planning and decision making for recovery
of the Pacific salmon, working with Seattle's endangered species recovery team.
Simultaneously, she is completing a dual master's degree program in the Schools of Natural
Resources and Environment and Public Policy. Before returning to graduate school, Sarah was
a Senior Associate at Consensus Building Institute, a non-profit organization in Massachusetts
that provides mediation and facilitation services to public agencies, non-profit organizations and
industries in the United States and abroad. While at CBI, Sarah facilitated multi-party dialogues
on land use, facility siting and other environmental and public policy issues. She served on the
faculty of the International Programme on the Management of Sustainability, and coordinated
the design of programs to train the staffs of public agencies and non-profits in consensusbuilding skills. She was the editor of Consensus magazine for four years; and is co-author (with
Lawrence Susskind and Jennifer Thomas-Larmer) of the Consensus Building Handbook: A
Comprehensive Guide to Reaching Agreement (Sage Publications, 1999).
Elizabeth Mills
Elizabeth Mills received her undergraduate degree from Duke University in 1999, where she
majored in Environmental Science and Policy and Biology, with a concentration on aquatic
ecosystems. While studying at Duke, she served as a research assistant in labs whose
research focused on marine chemical ecology, marine micropaleontology, and plant/fungal
interactions. After graduation, Elizabeth worked as a research assistant in landscape ecology
laboratory at Duke University, where she studied forest dynamics as affected by natural
disasters. She later worked as a research technician in an ecology laboratory investigating
carbon uptake by below ground biomass in wetlands. Currently, Elizabeth is a first-year
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Master's student in Resource Policy and Behavior at the University of Michigan's School of
Natural Resources and Environment. Her main academic interests include alternative methods
of dispute resolution in environmental conflicts, collaborative decision-making, and improving
the integration of science into policy-making. Elizabeth is investigating current web-based
alternative dispute resolution training information in order to develop a comprehensive
mediation training website for EMI. Together with her experience as training co-director for U of
M's Student Mediation Services, Elizabeth hopes to use this experience with EMI to promote
alternative dispute resolution methods in coastal management conflicts after graduation.
David Phemister
David Phemister graduated from Brown University with a BS in Geology in 1994. After
graduation he traveled to Australia on an Arnold Fellowship to investigate environmental
concerns associated with agricultural and ranching operations. David spent a year working on
cattle and sheep ranches in Western Australia to gain firsthand exposure to the country's
environmental issues and ranching culture. After returning to the States, he worked for four and
a half years at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, an environmental grant making
organization in Washington, DC. He served as the Foundation's Assistant Director for the
Mississippi Valley Region, and much of his work focused on supporting wildlife and habitat
conservation in agricultural landscapes. He also served as Program Director for the Save The
Tiger Fund, a special project of the Foundation that supported conservation efforts across tiger
range in Asia. David is currently in is first year of graduate study at SNRE and is focusing on
land use planning, conservation in rural landscapes, and open space protection. He is
interested in ecosystem management as a way to facilitate collaborative approaches to land and
resource management in rural areas, which are increasingly a challenging intersection of
natural, agricultural, and developed lands. He is a 2001 recipient of a Doris Duke Conservation
Fellowship and is working on fundraising and program development issues for the Ecosystem
Management Initiative.
Naureen Rana
Originally from the Chicago area, Naureen Rana received her BA in cultural anthropology from
the University of Michigan in 1995. Since then, she has served in an intern capacity for the
USDA Forest Service's Urban Forestry Center for the Midwestern States, as a program
manager for recycling and brownfield redevelopment projects at the Council of Great Lakes
Governors, and most recently as an associate for the Chicago-based Campaign for Sensible
Growth. Currently, Naureen is in her second year of the Master's program in Resource Policy
and Behavior at the University of Michigan's School of Natural Resources and Environment.
Her graduate studies have centered on her interests in natural resource conflict resolution,
community-based conservation, and ecosystem management. Naureen has been an EMI
fellow since the summer of 2000, working mainly on the development of multiparty negotiation
exercises for EMI's mid-career training program.
Jennifer Rennicks
Jennifer Rennicks received her BA in anthropology and environmental studies from Tufts
University in 1993. After graduating, she assisted with sustainable development and
conservation projects through the School for Field Studies in Costa Rica and with outdoor
environmental education programs in Western North Carolina. She also served as ecotourism
development manager for the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
working with individuals to develop ecotourism businesses and communities interested in
promoting stewardship of natural resources. In 2000, Jennifer received an MS in Resource
Policy and Behavior from the School of Natural Resources & Environment at the University of
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Michigan. Her graduate studies were centered on her interests in community-based
conservation and ecosystem management, and her research examined protected-areas
management in Belize. Jennifer has been involved with EMI since April of 2000 assisting with
the development and continued management of the new Ecosystem Management Initiative
website, and other outreach materials. In addition, she is working with the alumni affiliates
surveys for the Ecosystem Management Initiative.
Elizabeth Rettenmaier
Elizabeth Rettenmaier is in her third year at the University of Michigan, concurrently working
towards an MS in Resource Policy & Behavior and Master’s of Urban Planning. Prior to
attending the University of Michigan, Elizabeth completed a BS in Environmental Science and
Biology at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, was an Urban Environmental
Management/Community Development Peace Corps Volunteer in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa,
and worked as a private consultant on the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields
Economic Development Initiative in Arlington, Virginia. She brings her interest in the urban
environment and community-based processes to her work on the Ecosystem Management
Initiative (EMI). Elizabeth completed her Master’s project in May 2000 working with Dr. Steven
Yaffee and three other graduate students, focusing on Recent Trends in Ecosystem
Management, examining the accomplishments of approximately 100 ecosystem management
projects in the US, the factors that led to their successes, and the challenges they faced. Her
activities under EMI include creation and management of the new Ecosystem Management
Initiative website, organization of a pilot workshop focusing on the role of environmental NGOs
in negotiations over natural resource management to be held in May 2001, development of a
case study database, and outreach to SNRE alumni involved in ecosystem management in the
field.
Chris Riggs
Chris Riggs attended Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin where he received his
Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Environmental Studies. His professional experience
includes environmental education and community outreach with the City of Ann Arbor, and solid
waste policy development and program implementation for Washtenaw County, Michigan. As a
first year Master's student in Resource Policy and Behavior at the University of Michigan's
School of Natural Resources & Environment, Chris' interests are in watershed conservation
planning and collaborative decision-making processes. His contributions to the Ecosystem
Management Initiative currently focus on helping to develop a series of working papers that
identify common trends of successful collaborative resource management partnerships. Chris
also assists with case study research and writing, and compiling information for the EMI
database on community-based conservation projects.