Founder and Board President

Dr. Sherry Mitchell-Bruker has worked as a hydrologist to preserve, protect, and manage water resources for over thirty years. Her career in environmental research, consulting, and management has taken her from Indiana to the Everglades, the Sierra Nevada, and back home to Indiana.

Now retired from the federal government, she continues to share her skills and passion for the aquatic world through teaching and community service. Sherry is happiest when she is outside sailing, kayaking, gardening, hiking, biking, or camping.

Watershed Coordinator

Maggie Sullivan is a professional engineer and an experienced community organizer who holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from Purdue University. She has worked for over fifteen years in the fields of environmental consulting, local agriculture, and environmental education. Her volunteer service includes over ten years serving as board president of various non-profits, most recently with Bloomingfoods. She enjoys hiking, glamping, creating wildlife habitat, Girl Scouts, and organizing women’s retreats. She can be reached at

EMAIL

Vice President

Christy A. Crandall, PhD, a native Hoosier, grew up in Brown County. She holds a B.S. in Geology from IU, an M.S. in Watershed Sciences from Colorado State University, and a Ph.D. from Florida A&M University. She has worked as a hydrologist and ecological scientist in the Everglades National Park, the front range of Colorado, and throughout Florida and Georgia. She is a part-time science advisor for Conservation Concepts, LLC, an environmental lobbying group in Florida and has 2 adult sons who live in Florida. She lives with her spouse and their two dogs and cat in her childhood home in Brown County.

Board Member

Kate Wiltz serves on the Monroe County Council, bringing extensive experience in public service, strategic planning, and community collaboration. Kate is a program manager with the Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University, where she develops professional training and visitor education focused on natural resource stewardship, accessibility, and visitor engagement. With degrees in Anthropology and Environmental Studies from Indiana University and an M.S. in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, Kate is passionate about conservation, environmental education, and fostering meaningful connections between people and the places they value. She enjoys gardening, hiking, and traveling.

Treasurer

Joe Ryan taught university economics and then had a career as a USAID Foreign Service Officer before retiring in 2014 to Bloomington, his native place. He now teaches about international economic issues at IU.

His interest in environmental matters was heightened by heading USAID/Peru’s office assisting biodiversity protection in the Peruvian Amazon and adaptation to the loss of Andean glaciers. A former French horn player, Joe enjoys classical music.

Secretary

Dr. Landon Yoder is an assistant professor at Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He is a human-environment geographer whose research focuses on social-ecological systems, collaborative governance, and farmer decision-making. He has worked with farmers, watershed coordinator, conservationists, and government officials to find ways to collaboratively tackled water quality challenges.

Board Member

Lisa Townsend is a retired marketing professional with over 35 years of experience in the field. She served as the Executive Director of Marketing for the IU system and as Vice President of Marketing and External Relations for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. She also holds a master’s degree in organic chemistry from Purdue University and is a former science educator. Lisa is an avid traveler and loves the outdoors including gardening, hiking, camping, and SCUBA diving.