Our Advisory Board helps inform our organizational priorities to ensure MCAP remains responsive to emerging climate-related issues, help define organizational approaches to center principles of equitable resilience and social equity in all facets of our climate resilience research and practice, and will help further develop our organizational mission and values. Advisory board members come from a variety of backgrounds including researchers, practitioners, and recognized leaders in community engagement, climate science and adaptation. The Board also represents a range of partners from federal, state, and local governments, private industry, non-profits, Tribal entities, community organizations, and academia.
Our previous organizational structure included a committee of partners, known as the Conference Committee, who helped plan and coordinate our annual Climate Adaptation Conference. In late 2021 in response to our growing research and capacity building programs, we began the transition to a formal Advisory Board structure to help guide the next phase in organization. Board members serve a two-year term.
Advisory Board
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Marissa Ahlering
Lead Scientist
The Nature Conservancy in MN-ND-SD
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Ann Banitt
Senior Hydraulic Engineer
Regional Technical Specialist - Hydrology, Statistics, and Risk
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District
![joseph bauerkemper headshot](/sites/climate.umn.edu/files/2024-01/joseph_bauerkemper_1.jpeg)
Joseph Baukemper
Associate Professor
University of Minnesota Duluth
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Kenneth Blumenfeld
Senior Climatologist
Minnesota State Climatology Office
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
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Meredith Cornett
Climate Change Director
The Nature Conservancy in MN-ND-SD
Troy Goodnough
Directory of Sustainability
University of Minnesota Morris
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Patrick Hamilton
Manager of Sustainability Initiatives
Science Museum of Minnesota
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Ariane Laxo
Sustainability Director
HGA
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Olivia LeDee
Acting Director
Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center
![headshot of Teddie Potter](/sites/climate.umn.edu/files/styles/circle_300px/public/2024-01/teddie_in_garden_headshot_1.jpg?itok=NMHlBYdc)
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Brad Jordahl Redlin
Manager
Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
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Sharon Stephens
Climate Change Adaptation Coordinator
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
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Jamie Stroble
Owner
Noio Pathways
![Picture of Steve Vavrus](/sites/climate.umn.edu/files/styles/circle_300px/public/2024-01/steve_vavrus_headshot.jpg?itok=nrT6jC7Z)
Steve Vavrus
Director, Wisconsin State Climatology Office
Co-director, Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI)
University of Wisconsin-Madison