Staff/Board
Executive Director
MaryLynn Conter Strack
marylynn@ecojusticecenter.org
(262) 681-8527 x1
"Although I've only been with Eco-J since 2020, I'm proud to continue the work that the founding Racine Dominican Sisters began in 2004 - creating healthier people, communities, and ecosystems by connecting people with nature. I'm excited every time I hear staff or board members discuss future ideas, watch children taste a new vegetable for the first time, or see interns learn a new skill like driving the tractor. The mission of the Eco-Justice Center is more vital now than ever before and I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to further that mission." - MaryLynn
Education Program Manager & Developer
Katie Flannery
katie@ecojusticecenter.org
(262) 681-8527 x2
"I love being a part of the Eco-J community and am very excited to see where this season of growth will take us! It is so rewarding to have the opportunity to work to refine and expand our educational programming focusing on connecting people of all ages to the Earth in developmentally conscious ways. Whether it is through summer camp adventures, Solstice and Equinox reflections, or school trip discoveries, I am always excited to help facilitate learning and connection is such a beautiful space." - Katie
Farm Corps & Property Manager
Aubrey Gordon
aubrey@ecojusticecenter.org
(262) 681-8527 x4
"My favorite season on the farm is spring because that's when everything starts to become green again. The spring ephemerals spread throughout the trails begin to bloom and the farm starts to feel more alive again. My personal favorite is the bloodroot patch that we have near the far eastern entrance of the field. I also love being able to start all of our plants from seed and then finally being able to plant them in the ground, knowing that those plants are going to provide people with fresh, chemical-free produce." - Aubrey
Farm Corps Assistant Manager
Alex Weyenberg
alex@ecojusticecenter.org
(262) 681-8527 x4
“I am excited for the future of our Farm Corps program. We’ve been working hard to get our gardens planned and ready for future seasons and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish. I can’t wait to work with new groups of interns, growing nutrient-dense food for the community and exploring new ways to make our farm more sustainable and efficient.” - Alex
Maintenance
Jeff Appenzeller
jeff@ecojusticecenter.org
(262) 681-8527 x3
"I'm a native of the beautiful driftless area of rural southwest Wisconsin. The bucolic setting of Platteville instilled within me a deep connection to nature and all of its denizens. Even while serving 20 years in the army, it was the opportunity to experience different natural settings that made that experience most rewarding. Having had many varied teaching experiences in the military, I decided to bring my love of the environment into the classroom where I taught elementary school for 20 years in Racine. Retiring, but not ready to quit working, I became the maintenance worker for Eco-Justice Center in 2019. Working here allows me to continue to nurture my love for the environment and allows me to apply the skills I developed in my lifetime." - Jeff
Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Hannah Pardee
hannah@ecojusticecenter.org
"Before working at Eco-J, I never knew that alpacas made climates like Wisconsin home! It has been such a joy to learn about the workings of the farm and its animals and people, and I'm excited to continue learning as the seasons change." - Hannah
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Board of Directors:
Stacie Havron
Board President
Executive Committee Chair
Fund Development Committee
Discovery Days Committee
Stacie Havron has been volunteering with the Eco-Justice Center since 2012. Stacie did her undergrad at Carroll University and earned her master’s degree from Alaska Pacific University, both in Environmental Science. She has about 15 years of experience working in varied environmental capacities, including environmental laboratory testing, project management of watershed monitoring, environmental health compliance and education, and environmental coordination for transportation projects within Wisconsin.
Stacie loves to garden and be outside. She enjoys hiking, camping, kayaking, and yoga. She and her husband enjoy playing outdoor volleyball. Stacie enjoys meeting new people and collaborating with others to achieve common goals, as well as building partnerships. She is a proponent of environmental education and loves that kids have passion and an inquisitive nature. She enjoys exploring the natural world with her daughter
Chris Jamieson
Board Vice President
Executive Committee
Governance Committee Chair
Buildings Grounds & Animal Husbandry Committee Chair
Chris is past president of the Eco-Justice Board of directors. In 2016 he retired from the Racine Unified School after nearly 40 years as a special educator. He is also a board member of the Racine Area Retired Educators Association. He graduated from Ripon College and received a master’s degree in School Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Chris and his wife Sandy enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities. They have 2 adult children.
Laura Feider
Board Secretary
Executive Committee
Governance Committee
Program Committees
Laura earned her degree in birth-6th grade education at Winona State, and later earned her master’s in cross-categorical special education (ages 6-21) at Concordia. Over the years she has taught preschool and elementary school. In the fall of 2021, she decided to put her master's to use and has since been teaching middle school special education in East Troy. She enjoys the outdoors, especially hiking and camping. She enjoys spending time with family and friends.
Steve Oppeneer
Board Treasurer
Executive Committee
Finance Committee Chair
If our children are our future, we must ensure that there will be a future for them. If our children are our future, we must ensure that they are well-equipped to move successfully into this future. If our children are our future, we must do all we can to help them feel invested in, and responsible for, this future. This is why I serve on the Board of the Eco-Justice Center.
My experience in related areas of service includes:
- Serving on the Board of the All Saints Foundation, reviewing grants and disbursing funds for community health projects.
- Vice President of Greening Greater Racine, an ecumenical effort to raise awareness and initiate projects that encourage better environmental stewardship.
- Representative (of GGR) to the Clean Power Coalition, which advocates for legislative changes that will end our reliance upon coal-fired power and create a future built upon renewable energy resources.
- Member of Southeastern Wisconsin Solar Group Buy, an organization dedicated to increasing solar power sales in our area.
- Director of the North Side Food Pantry. In this role, I also encourage better nutrition by providing fresh produce from the Eco-Justice Center, community gardens, and UW-Parkside gardens.
- Treasurer, North Pointe United Methodist Church, a role I assumed after a career in finance.
- As a personal endeavor, I installed solar panels on my home and led a project to install 57 solar panels on my church.
- I am an avid cyclist - an environmentally-friendly activity that keeps me healthy and enables me to enjoy the beauty of the natural world.
- I am an average golfer.
Nicole Reid
Fund Development Committee Chair
Discovery Days Committee Chair
Nicole Reid has over twenty years of experience in communications, marketing, fundraising, graphic design, and special events. In addition to having worked for several major non-profits including public radio, art museums, and homeless shelters, she managed a highly successful contemporary art gallery for ten years. She currently enjoys spending time as a Life Enrichment Coordinator for residents living in a nearby Senior Living Memory Care facility. She cares deeply about the environment and the importance of getting children to experience the wonders of nature.
S. Gayle Bogdanowitz
Program Committee Chair
S. Gayle Bogdanowitz is a member of the Racine Dominicans, which founded the Eco-Justice Center. She received a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State in Baton Rouge and a master’s degree from the Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners. Her ministry work has always centered around teaching and the arts. As a Racine Dominican, she believes strongly in the Sisters’ mission of education and care of creation, and she is passionate about causes that help take care of our common home. In her free time, S. Gayle works in her pottery studio, focusing on liturgical ware, sculpting, and mixed media pieces.
Jocelyn Arnold
Student Board Member
Fund Development Committee
Jocelyn Arnold is a sophomore at Carthage College, double majoring in Business Management and Marketing. On campus, Jocelyn is involved in many things, including being the President of the CURE Club (Carthage United to Rescue Earth), and a member of Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, PPGen, and Horticulture. Jocelyn also has an on-campus job as a Student Ambassador (tour guide). She is also a Girl Scout Alumni, having been a scout for 12 years and completed her Silver and Gold Awards (equal to an Eagle Scout Award). Jocelyn's Gold Award involved installing dog waste stations in her hometown to protect the environment from pollution. She is very passionate about our earth and is so excited to be working with the Eco-Justice Center.
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Many more people donate their time and talent to Eco-J by serving on one of our active committees, which include the Program Committee, Development & Marketing Committee, Finance Committee, and Buildings, Grounds & Animal Husbandry Committee. Learn more about committees here.
Are you looking for a way to serve our community? Contact MaryLynn to learn more about joining a committee or becoming a board member.