Image

Staff & Stats

We’re comfortable being the Ecological Professionals behind the scenes but sometimes people what to know what our qualifications are. Click through our gallery and check out our what our employees have to offer!

Jonathan Koepke

President / Owner

Years of Experience in the Industry: 20
Years of Experience in Management: 15
Areas of Expertise: Stream Restoration, Erosion and Sediment Control, Business Management
Education: B.S. in History and Environmental Science from Northern Illinois University, M.A. in History and Geography from Northern Illinois University, MBA from Northern Illinois University
Certifications: CPESC, Prescribed Burn Boss, Herbicide Applicator, LEED-AP, Lake County SMC-DECI
Operates: Drip Torch to Excavator and everything in between
Best Project to Ask Me About: Northerly Island
Also Passionate About: All Things Star Wars, Deer Season, Indie Rock, Travel, Family, and Beer League Hockey

Melissa Wheeler

Vice President / Chaos Coordinator

Years of Experience in the Industry: 14
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 5
Areas of Expertise: Plant Identification, Purchasing, Chaos Management
Education: B.S. in Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. MBA courses Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Certifications: Notary
Operates: Trucks, Trailers, Cell Phones
Best Project to Ask Me About: Northerly Island
Also Passionate About: Traveling, Dogs & Diet Coke

Susan Rowley

Assistant Vice President / Ecological Consulting Director

Years of Experience in the Industry: 18
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 13
Areas of Expertise: Ecological Consulting
Education: B.S. in Environmental Studies with Honors from Illinois State University, Bloomington-Normal, IL.
Certifications: Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS), LEED AP, ISA Certified Arborist, Lake County Certified Wetland Specialist (CWS), McHenry County CWS, Kane County Wetland Specialist, IL Pesticide Applicator, Certified Prescribed Burn Manager
Operates: Vehicles, Small Equipment, Computers (but not very well)
Best Project to Ask Me About: Sybaquay Wetland Mitigation Bank
Also Passionate About: Camping & Hiking, & Eating Others’ Culinary Masterpieces

Ryan Alltop

Field Operations Director & Corporate Safety Officer

Years of Experience in the Industry: 14
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 14
Areas of Expertise: Native Landscape Construction, Soil Erosion Sediment Control, Safety
Education: B.S. in Biology from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI
Certifications: CPESC, IL Pesticide Applicator, Certified Prescribed Burn Manager
Operates: Anything with 4 or more wheels or tracks
Best Project to Ask Me About: Eugene Field, Nippersink Creek Ecosystem Restoration
Also Passionate About: Hunting & Fishing & Family

Mark DeDina

Superintendent / Restoration Extraordinaire

Years of Experience in the Industry: 15
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 14
Areas of Expertise: Ecological Project Management, Prescribed Burning
Education: B.S. in Biology & Environmental Studies, Ripon College
Certifications: IL Pesticide Applicator, Certified Prescribed Burn Manager
Operates: All heavy equipment, but not indoor office equipment
Best Project to Ask Me About: Lower Bee Branch Floating Islands
Also Passionate About: Fancy Pigs, Fancy Pigeons, #Kishishippiliving

Samantha (Sam) DeDina

Ecological Restoration Superintendent

Industry Experience: 10 years
Crew Management Experience: 8 years
Areas of Expertise: Native landscape management, arboriculture, wetland consulting
Education: B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies, Northern Illinois University
Certifications: IDNR Prescribed Burn Manager, ISA Certified Arborist, Wetland Specialist (Lake & McHenry Counties)
Operates: Tractors, drip torches, keyboards
Best Project to Ask Me About: Skare Park
Also Passionate About: Cut flowers, baked goods, and being a cool mom

Edward (Eddie) Clenney

Ecological Restoration Superintendent

Years of Experience in the Industry: 10
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 8
Areas of Expertise: Native landscape management, arboriculture, wetland consulting
Education: School of Hard Knocks
Certifications: IDNR Prescribed Burn Manager, IL Herbicide Applicator
Operates: Trucks, tractors, hand equipment, GPS units
Best Project to Ask Me About: Skare Park
Also Passionate About: Hunting, Fishing & Great Food

Brett Suhayda

Senior Estimator

Years of Experience in the Industry: 10
Years of Experience in Estimating: 7
Areas of Expertise: All Estimating
Education: B.A. in Biology, Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, M.S. in Plant & Soil Sciences, University of Massachusetts
Certifications: IL Herbicide Applicator
Operates: Trucks, Kubota UTV, Hand Equipment
Best Project to Ask Me About: DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport
Also Passionate About: Debating, Dogs & Target Shooting

Megan Haenitsch

Office Manager

Years of Experience in the Industry: 4
Years of Experience in Office Management: 8
Areas of Expertise: AP, AR, HR/Payroll, and Commercial & Employee Insurance
Education: First-hand Knowledge and Experience
Operates: Quickbooks like a boss
Also Passionate About: Family, Faith, Health & Fitness, and Outdoor Recreation

Robert (Robb) Van Herik

Ecological Consultant

Years of Experience in the Industry: 6
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 5
Areas of Expertise: Wetland Delineation, Vegetation Monitoring, Habitat Assessment, GIS
Education: B.S. in Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies, Northern Illinois University
Certificates: Certified Wetland Specialist- Lake and McHenry Co., Qualified Wetland Review Specialist- Kane Co., ISA Certified Arborist
Operates: Soil Auger, Quadrat, GPS
Best Project to Ask Me About: College of DuPage Natural Resources Consulting
Also Passionate About: Fishing, Kayaking and Botanizing

Karissa (Kara) Smit

Junior Ecological Consultant

Years of Experience in the Industry: 5
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 4
Areas of Expertise: Plant Identification, Wetland Delineations, Ecosystem Ecology
Education: B.S. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies from Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Certificates: Certified Wetland Specialist, ISA Certified Arborist, Wildland Firefighter, and Illinois Commercial Pesticide Applicator
Operates: GPS Units, Herbicide Backpack Sprayers, Brush Cutters
Best Project to Ask Me About: Little Calumet or LogistiCenter at Sauk Village
Also Passionate About: National Parks, Sci-fi & Fantasy Books, Vegetarian Cooking

Jeff Hamilton

Junior Ecological Consultant

Years of Experience in the Industry: 9 years on and off
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 2
Area of Expertise: Plant Identification, Monitoring protocols, effective restoration practices
Education: A.S. University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point
Certifications: Herbicide operator, Class 2 firefighter, Chemical immobilization of animals.
Operates: The Pen, The Blade, The getaway vehicle
Best Project to Ask Me About: Woodstock Solar
Also Passionate About: Wild edibles, Sword fighting and Dungeons and Dragons

Emilie Giardini

Ecological Field Technician

Years of Experience in the Industry: 3
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 2
Area of Expertise: plant ID and restoration projects that utilize herbicide application
Education: Bachelor's in Agricultural Science from Ohio State University
Certifications: Herbicide applicators license, wetland delineation license
Operates: Brush saws, chain saws, tractors
Best Project to Ask Me About: Marmet Adaptive Management for Terrestrial MIT
Also Passionate About: fungi and bats

Jake Hynes

Ecological Restoration Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 12
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 8
Areas of Expertise: Large Scale Restoration, Invasive Plant Management, Tree Felling
Education: B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign.
Certificates: Prescribed Burn Manager, Multiple Herbicide certifications, OSHA 30, USACE Quality Control Manager
Operates: Large Chainsaws, Small Chainsaws, and even Medium Chainsaws
Best Project to Ask Me About: Portage Park
Also Passionate About: Baseball, Hiking, Breakfast

Adam Sparks

Ecological Restoration Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 10
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 8
Areas of Expertise: Invasive Plant Management
Education: ENCAP School of Hard Knocks
Certificates: IL Herbicide Applicator, First Aid & CPR
Operates: Trucks, Tractors & Hand Equipment
Best Project to Ask Me About: Sauk Village
Also Passionate About: Gaming & Music

Rafael (Rafa) Hernandez

Ecological Construction Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 19
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 7
Areas of Expertise: Plant Installation
Education: Hands on Experience
Certificates: First Aid & CPR
Operates: All Machines under 14,000 lbs
Best Project to Ask Me About: Northerly Island
Also Passionate About: Fancy Things, The Finer Things

Abraham Harris

Ecological Restoration Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 8
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 6
Areas of Expertise: Invasive Plant Management
Education: ENCAP School of Hard Knocks
Certificates: IL Herbicide Applicator, First Aid & CPR
Operates: Skidsteers, Kubotas & Tractors
Best Project to Ask Me About: Any Out of State Jobs
Also Passionate About: Black Friday Shopping, Family

Eric Boewe

Ecological Restoration Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 5
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 3
Areas of Expertise: Ecological Management
Education: B.S. in Energy & Environmental Studies from Northern Illinois University
Certificates: Firefighter Type II First Aid & CPR
Operates: Kubotas & Tractors
Best Project to Ask Me About: Nippersink Creek
Also Passionate About: Kittens, Picnics and Sunsets

Tyler Walker

Ecological Restoration Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 3
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 2
Areas of Expertise: Invasive Plant Management
Education: B.S. in Wildlife Conservations with a Minor in Criminal Justice, Southeast Missouri Stave University
Certificates: IL & KY Herbicide Applicator, First Aid & CPR
Operates: Trucks, Tractors & Hand Equipment
Also Passionate About: Conservation, Sports & Outdoor Recreation

Kyle Akins

Jr. Foreman

Years of Experience in the Industry: 3
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 2
Area of expertise: Invasive species management
Education: University at Buffalo-Environmental Studies
Certifications: CPR/First Aid
Operates: skid loader tractor and mini skid
Best Project to Ask Me About: clearing or herbicide work
Also Passionate About: fly fishing and hiking

Mayko Caudel

Jr. Project Manager

Years of Experience in the Industry: 6
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 1
Area of expertise: Seed & Blanket
Education: Business Administration from Centro Universitario de Monterrey
Certifications: CPR/First Aid
Operates: Trucks, Trailers, Tractors, Skidsteers, Dingo, Kubota
Best Project to Ask Me About: North Pond
Also Passionate About: Soccer, Dancing up a Storm

Steve LeMaire

Crew Leader

Years of Experience in the Industry: 10
Years of Experience in Crew Management: 35
Area of Expertise: trees and equipment operation
Education: AS - Business Management
Certifications: CDL, pesticide certs multiple states, CPR/First Aid
Operates: various tractors and Implements, excavator, track skid loaders, dump trucks, chainsaws
Best Project to Ask Me About: Northerly Island
Also Passionate About: Family, the outdoors, nature, wildlife, fishing and hiking

Jamie Arntzen

Crew Leader

Years of experience in the Industry: 3
Years of experience in crew management: 2
Area of expertise: Plant ID
Education: BS from NIU, major in Geography with an emphasis in biomes and topography, minor in Environmental Science
Certificates: CPR, Herbicide Applicator License, and Various Ecological Course Work Certificates
Operates: brush saws, chainsaws, pumps, atvs
Best projects to ask me about: Kankakee Sands Forest Preserve or Weldon Springs, Missouri
Also passionate about: Good Beer & Wine, Hiking, Singing, and Long Weekends