Groundswell Conservancy is seeking a new Communications Coordinator. This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, organized, outgoing, innately curious individual who embodies empathy and enjoys developing and maintaining close relationships with supporters. Please share this announcement with anyone you think might be interested in this job.
The Director of Major & Planned Gifts, working closely with the Executive Director, Development Coordinator, and a Development Committee, will be responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing Groundswell’s development plan to support its programs and operations.
They will create and build relationships with individuals, businesses, foundations, and partners to secure funding to meet our $1.2M operating budget.
They will directly solicit and secure major gifts with a portfolio of prospective and leadership donors. They will promote and solicit planned gifts and steward relationships with existing Legacy Circle members. They will involve and engage staff and board members in donor cultivation and stewardship, continuing a culture of philanthropy within Groundswell.
This is a full-time, salaried position with paid benefits including health and dental insurance, annual and sick leave, and retirement.
The hiring team will begin reviewing and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis as soon as January 1, 2025, with the goal of having the successful candidate in position by February.
The complete position description with salary range and benefits is available at groundswellconservancy.org/careers.
To Apply:
Please email a resume, cover letter, and three references to admin@groundswellconservancy.org. Please include “Communications Coordinator Application” in the subject line.
Photo credit: Ben Jones
The Prairie Partners summer internship returns in 2025!
For more than a decade, Prairie Partners interns have helped restore valuable wildlife habitat while gaining professional experience in conservation. Many interns have gone on to achieve great things at other land trusts, the DNR, local environmental contractors, and graduate school!
The internship was on hold this past year while partnering organizations focused on how to restructure the program to make it even better. In 2025, the internship will include new partnerships, a 4-day work week, a higher hourly pay rate, and new educational experiences.
This year, the partner groups involved in the program are:
– Groundswell Conservancy
– Ice Age Trail Alliance
– Riverland Conservancy
– Wisconsin DNR
If you know someone who might be a good candidate and loves working outside, send them on over to our Careers page for the job announcement. We’re excited for what the future holds and cannot wait to get back in the field to conserve some of our favorite local green spaces!
The Groundswell community is connecting people with nature–and each other! Here’s some of what we’ve been up to recently…
Operation Fresh Start at Westport Prairie
Photo credit: Brandon Mann
It takes a lot of work to restore and maintain large natural areas like the one at Westport Prairie. So we’re very lucky to have friends like this group from Operation Fresh Start’s Conservation Academy come help when they can! These hardworking young folks removed a lot of invasive brush that otherwise might have spread into the native prairie nearby. Thanks so much, OFS crew!
Learn more about OFS here.
Seed Collecting at Westport Prairie
Photo credit: Amanda Dambrink
Speaking of prairie restoration, thank you to everyone who helped collects seed this fall! After gathering lots and lots of seeds by hand, Groundswell staff and volunteers sort and process the seeds to get them ready for planting. This winter we’ll be planting several acres along Bong Road, so check out our progress the next time you drive by Westport Prairie!
Stay tuned: In the next week or so we’ll be sending out information about how you can help spread seed with us at Westport with us this winter. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s pretty easy, too! If you’d like to get involved, let us know on our website.
CoolBot Workshop at Westport Farm
Photo credit: Sam Douglass
Did you know that you can build your own outdoor cooler using a trailer and a window AC unit?? CoolBot coolers offer an affordable cold storage option for many farmers. And having a cooler on site makes it possible to keep fruits and veggies fresh long enough to be able to sell them at local stores and farmers markets.
Farmers from across the state got to learn how to build these coolers at a recent workshop co-hosted by Groundswell at Westport Farm. Thank you to our partners, WI Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, Fair Share CSA, and Marbleseed, for making this event possible!
Black Hawk Ridge Trail Run
Photo credit: Roberta Herschleb
Each October, the trails at Black Hawk Ridge fill with runners who appreciate a good challenge and a great view. This year, the weather for the Trail Run was better than we could have hoped—as was the lunch of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches waiting at the finish line! A BIG thanks goes to Willi Van Haren, Sherren Clark, and Gail Van Haren for coordinating this event that so many of us look forward to every year!
Celebrating Conservation at Bjugstad Farms
Photo credit: Ben Lam
In late October we joined the Bjugstad family, friends, and partners to celebrate a 189-acre easement near Evansville, WI. This easement will protect farmland and wildlife habitat and provide access to outdoor recreation! Additional funds for this project come from the Bjugstad family, the Rock County PACE Program, the Rock River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the USDA NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program, and American Farmland Trust.
Hiring a New Director of Major & Planned Gifts
Photo credit: Ben Jones
We’re looking for a new Director of Major & Planned Gifts! This person will be responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing Groundswell’s development plan to support its programs and operations. If you or anyone you know would like to learn about the position, please follow this link.
We’re very grateful for the support of our Groundswell community, and that includes you! Whether you attend or sponsor a field trip, rent farmland, volunteer your time, make a donation, or own a conservation easement, you’re helping to protect special places. Thank you!
Thanks to supporters like you, this year Groundswell protected special places in our community, restored important wildlife habitat, connected people to nature, and more! Read all about our latest projects in our 2023-2024 Annual Report. Here’s a preview of the stories inside.
This is our legacy…
I am honored to be the new Executive Director of Groundswell Conservancy! I want to thank those of you who sent thoughtful cards, emails, or called to share in the excitement with me. I’m deeply grateful for your support. To those of you I have yet to meet, I look forward to connecting in person. READ MORE HERE.
Good News for Ducks and Other Wildlife
Photo credit: Tony Abate
In January 2024, Groundswell purchased 20 acres of wetlands in southern Columbia County. This property adds land to the Anderson Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) and provides habitat for ducks, geese, and other wildlife. READ MORE HERE.
Improving Soil Health at Westport Farm
Photo credit: Ben Lam
Healthy soil creates healthy plants and thriving farming communities. At Westport Farm, I help to tend the soil for HMoob farmers who have collectively farmed there for decades. This year, we took 3 acres of land out of production to nourish the soil for incoming growers. READ MORE HERE.
Support the Knowles Nelson Stewardship Program Today!
We’re at risk of losing public funding for vital conservation and we need your help. READ MORE HERE.
Groundswell Conservancy is seeking a new Director of Major & Planned Gifts. This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, organized, outgoing, innately curious individual who embodies empathy and enjoys developing and maintaining close relationships with supporters. Please share this announcement with anyone you think might be interested in this job.
The Director of Major & Planned Gifts, working closely with the Executive Director, Development Coordinator, and a Development Committee, will be responsible for planning, implementing, and overseeing Groundswell’s development plan to support its programs and operations.
They will create and build relationships with individuals, businesses, foundations, and partners to secure funding to meet our $1.2M operating budget.
They will directly solicit and secure major gifts with a portfolio of prospective and leadership donors. They will promote and solicit planned gifts and steward relationships with existing Legacy Circle members. They will involve and engage staff and board members in donor cultivation and stewardship, continuing a culture of philanthropy within Groundswell.
This is a full-time, salaried position with paid benefits including health and dental insurance, annual and sick leave, and retirement.
The hiring team will begin reviewing and interviewing candidates on a rolling basis as soon as December 2, 2024, with the goal of having the successful candidate in position before the end of the calendar year.
The complete position description with salary range and benefits is available at groundswellconservancy.org/careers.
To Apply:
Please email a resume, cover letter, and three references to admin@groundswellconservancy.org. Please include Director of Major & Planned Gifts Application in the subject line.
Cate Harrington
Cate retired after 33 years with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 2023, most recently as the Wisconsin program’s Director of Marketing and Communications. In that role, she led a great team that helped advance TNC’s work to connect people with nature and protect critical lands and waters in Wisconsin, the Great Lakes region, and beyond. Cate received her MA in Spanish language & linguistics and her MA in journalism & mass communications from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She enjoys traveling, birding, volunteering on Groundswell’s communications committee, and spending time outdoors with her husband, John, and their English springer spaniel, Tanner.
Laura Hanson
For nearly three decades, Laura has worked to improve systems and organizations through various leadership roles advocating for self-determination, access, and inclusion for people with disabilities and older adults. She currently works as a project manager at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in the Bureau of Eligibility and Enrollment Policy. Laura has previously served on the Board of InControl Wisconsin for three terms and on the Board for Community Shares as a representative from Disability Rights Wisconsin. She also volunteered on Groundswell Conservancy’s Community Committee before becoming a board member. Laura has a BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, and she recently obtained a Graduate Certification at Edgewood College in the Social Innovation and Sustainable Leadership program. She lives in the Town of Dunn with her husband, two college-aged children, and two mischievous cats. When she’s not in her garden, she’s out hiking and foraging, studying herbalism, or going to concerts with her kids.
Davin Lopez
Davin Lopez has been with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) since 2005. In 2011 he joined the WDNR’s Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation (formerly Endangered Resources), where some of his main duties are to serve as the state Whooping Crane reintroduction coordinator and the state lead for the Kirtland’s Warbler conservation project. Previously, Davin was in the WDNR’s Chronic Wasting Disease program where he started as a field technician and eventually took over as the statewide coordinator. He has also worked at Colorado State University as a lab technician in a malaria research lab and as a zookeeper at the Denver and Pueblo Zoos. Davin grew up in Denver, Colorado, has bachelor’s degrees in biology and anthropology from New Mexico State University, and did his master’s degree work in population ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Rachel Snyder
Rachel is the Senior Director of Gift Planning and Agreements for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to her position with UWM, she was a Senior Associate Attorney with Stafford Rosenbaum LLP where she worked with clients on estate planning, probate and trust administration, and nonprofit advising. She also served for several years as a staff attorney with the Wisconsin Legislative Council, working on a range of issues including education, family welfare, state tribal relations, tax, and tourism. Rachel received a bachelor’s degree in history and business administration from Ripon College and a J.D. from University of Wisconsin Law School. Rachel also currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Road Home Dane County and as a member of the Old World Foundation Advisory Committee.
We have exciting news to share! I am pleased to announce that Heidi Habeger has been chosen as the permanent Executive Director of Groundswell Conservancy.
At the end of July, Angela West Blank, the former Executive Director, left Groundswell Conservancy to take a new position as Senior Development Director with Emerge America. Emerge is a national organization that recruits and trains women to run for political office and creates a more inclusive democracy.
On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I’d like to express our gratitude to Angela for all that the organization accomplished under her leadership.
Heidi stepped in as interim executive director on August 1st and assumed the role of permanent executive director on September 5th. Heidi’s passion for Groundswell’s mission has been unwavering for the past 14 years. She’s played a leadership role in strengthening Groundswell’s relationships with supporters, volunteers, partners and landowners. Her institutional knowledge of the organization along with the board and staff’s trust allows her to hit the ground running.
In addition, Heidi’s vision for Groundswell is strong and well-aligned with past and future goals. She wants the organization to be a leader in innovative land protection and equitable access to land; she wants Groundswell to continue to provide the many lasting benefits of open space to all; and she is ready to roll up her sleeves and dive into the hard work needed to achieve all this.
Heidi started at Groundswell in April 2010 as the part-time membership coordinator. She then served as the membership & outreach manager before being promoted in 2015 to her most recent role as director of major and planned gifts. For the last 9 years she has led Groundswell’s private fundraising, outreach, and communication programs. Fundraising by staff and board tripled under Heidi’s leadership.
“I’m honored that the board entrusted me to lead this organization that I love and have worked long and hard to help grow. I’m excited about the tremendous opportunities we have to protect our special places, forever.”
Many people reached out to me to share their strong support for Heidi as Executive Director. Mike Foy, a former employee and current Groundswell volunteer, said something that captures, for me, a primary reason the Board unanimously selected Heidi for this role.
“Heidi is the living, breathing heart of the organization. She exudes a personal warmth and professional passion for Groundswell and everyone associated with the organization. In turn, this engenders passion from the community to support and further the organization.”
With her wealth of experience, her strong work ethic, and her natural skill at creating strong and trusting relationships with staff, supporters and partners, we are excited about the progress we will make under Heidi’s leadership.
Join me in thanking Heidi for stepping up into this critical role. As Groundswell moves into this exciting new chapter, we thank you for your continued support.
To a world filled with green places,
It is with a mix of sadness and gratitude that Ann Vaj’s last day with Groundswell will be August 27th. We thank her for her hard work and passion in supporting HMoob farmers across Wisconsin.
This means we are looking to hire an Outreach & Technical Assistance Manager.
Bi-lingual and bi-cultural in English and HMoob is a requirement for this position.
As with all staff at Groundswell, this employee will help build lasting relationships with people and partners that enable us to create a world where everyone can enjoy nature and equitable access to land.
This is a full-time (40 hours/week), USDA-funded position with paid benefits including health and dental insurance, annual and sick leave, and retirement.
Check out the full job description to learn more. The application deadline is August 31, 2024. The position must start by October 1, 2024.
To Apply:
Please email a resume and cover letter via email in one PDF format to Yimmuaj Yang, Community Director at yimmuaj@groundswellconservancy.org. In the subject line include Outreach & TA Manager. The cover letter should summarize your interest and qualifications for this position.
Cate Harrington retired after 33 years with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in 2023, most recently as the Wisconsin program’s Director of Marketing and Communications. In that role, she led a great team that helped advance TNC’s work to connect people with nature and protect critical lands and waters in Wisconsin, the Great Lakes region, and beyond. Cate received her MA in Spanish language & linguistics and her MA in journalism & mass communications from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She enjoys traveling, birding, volunteering on Groundswell’s communications committee, and spending time outdoors with her husband, John, and their English springer spaniel, Tanner.
Davin Lopez has been with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) since 2005. In 2011 he joined the WDNR’s Bureau of Natural Heritage Conservation (formerly Endangered Resources), where some of his main duties are to serve as the state Whooping Crane reintroduction coordinator and the state lead for the Kirtland’s Warbler conservation project. Previously, Davin was in the WDNR’s Chronic Wasting Disease program where he started as a field technician and eventually took over as the statewide coordinator. He has also worked at Colorado State University as a lab technician in a malaria research lab and as a zookeeper at the Denver and Pueblo Zoos. Davin grew up in Denver, Colorado, has bachelor’s degrees in biology and anthropology from New Mexico State University, and did his master’s degree work in population ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
For nearly three decades, Laura Hanson has worked to improve systems and organizations through various leadership roles advocating for self-determination, access, and inclusion for people with disabilities and older adults. She currently works as a project manager at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services in the Bureau of Eligibility and Enrollment Policy. Laura has previously served on the Board of InControl Wisconsin for three terms and on the Board for Community Shares as a representative from Disability Rights Wisconsin. She also volunteered on Groundswell Conservancy’s Community Committee before becoming a board member. Laura has a BA in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, and she recently obtained a Graduate Certification at Edgewood College in the Social Innovation and Sustainable Leadership program. She lives in the Town of Dunn with her husband, two college-aged children, and two mischievous cats. When she’s not in her garden, she’s out hiking and foraging, studying herbalism, or going to concerts with her kids.
Rachel Snyder is the Senior Director of Gift Planning and Agreements for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Prior to her position with UWM, she was a Senior Associate Attorney with Stafford Rosenbaum LLP where she worked with clients on estate planning, probate and trust administration, and nonprofit advising. She also served for several years as a staff attorney with the Wisconsin Legislative Council, working on a range of issues including education, family welfare, state tribal relations, tax, and tourism. Rachel received a bachelor’s degree in history and business administration from Ripon College and a J.D. from University of Wisconsin Law School. Rachel also currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Road Home Dane County and as a member of the Old World Foundation Advisory Committee.
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