The value of the network is derived from member engagement. Six committees are being formed in 2021 to move the Network forward. Everyone is invited to join one or more committees. For more information about a specific committee, contact the Chair for 2021, listed below. To join a committee please fill out the linked form.
Annual Meeting Committee
Purpose: Work with the Organizing Committee to plan an engaging and impactful annual meeting each April. This includes developing the program, planning logistics, and local coordination.
Chair: Jeppe Kjaersgaard, jeppe.kjaersgaard@state.mn.us
Members: Kelly Nelson, University of Missouri
Andrew Pursifull, USDA NRCS- Fort Wayne
Mark Williams, USDA NRCS- West Lafayette
Education/Extension Committee
Purpose: Coordinate and advance education about conservation drainage for contractors, agency staff, farmers, and others. This may include identifying regional materials/publications, videos or other communication that need to be written or developed (i.e., new tools and updates) and increasing awareness of existing opportunities such as drainage schools.
Chair: Adrienne Marino, adrienne.marino@TNC.ORG)
Members: Ryan Bartelheimer, Snohomish Conservation District
Bethany Brittenham, ISG, Inc.
Rachel Cochran, Ohio State University
Boden Fisher, Ohio State University
Chris Hay, Iowa Soybean
Matt Helmers, Iowa State
Xinhua Jia, ND State University
Kris Kohl, Iowa State
Jill Kostel, The Wetlands Initiative
Bryan Maxwell, Illinois State
John McMaine, SD State University
Kelly Nelson, Missouri State
Timothy Rosen, Shore Rivers
Gary Sands, University of MN
Vinayak Shedekar, Ohio State
Stephanie Singer, The Nature Conservancy
Ranvir Singh,
Abigail Tomasek, Oregon State
Scott Wagner, USDA
Growth Committee
Purpose: Identify new audiences that would benefit from engaging with the network and develop strategies for engaging them.
Chair: Tom Christensen, tom@ecoexch.com
Members: Ryan Arch, IL LICA
Ryan Bartelheimer, Snohomish Conservation District
Andy Craig, Ecosystem Services Exchange & IA State U
Randy Dell, The Nature Conservancy
Isaac Ferrie, Crop-Tech Consulting, Inc.
Tom Gile, MN BWSR
Darla Huff, ADS, Inc.
Keegan Kult, ADMC
Paige Peterson, Water Quality Ext. Associate
Timothy Rosen, Director of Ag and Restoration
Charlie Schafer, Agri Drain Corporation
Jeff Strock, University of MN -SROC
Communication and Website Committee
Purpose: Review website (http://conservationdrainage.net), and recommend, create, and approve content. Solicit newsletter content. Provide outreach for annual meeting.
Chair: Keegan Kult, kkult@admcoalition.com
Impact Committee
Purpose: Identify and increase the impacts of the Conservation Drainage Network by keeping track of significant activities, publications, events, policy, and other opportunities related to conservation drainage and CDN members. Provide information to the Communication and Website Committee for dissemination.
Chair: Jane Frankenberger, frankenb@purdue.edu
Research Committee
Purpose: Identify research needs, encourage collaboration on research, and share findings with the drainage community. This committee will work closely with NCERA-217.
Chair: Lindsay Pease, lpease@umn.edu
Members: Laura Christianson, Illinois State
Tim Dritz,
Hamid Farahani, USDA
Boden Fischer, Ohio State University
Norm Fausey, Retired ARS
Matt Helmers, Iowa State
Xinhua Jia, NDSU
Ramesh Kanwar, Iowa State
Merrin Macrae, University of Waterloo
Kelly Nelson, Missouri State
Will Osterholz, USDA
Timothy Rosen, Shore Rivers
Vinayak Shedekar, Ohio State University
Abigail Tomasek, Oregon State
Arturs Veinbergs,
Mark Williams, USDA
T. Q. Zhang, Canada-AAFC