Nature has been the throughline of Alysa’s life since her first memory. Alysa earned a B.S. and an M.A. from Indiana State University, which led to her current work as a project manager at Trust for Public Land where she helps protect public land nationwide. She also works as a writing consultant and serves on the board of Indiana Land Protection Alliance. Alysa began volunteering with Ouabache Land Conservancy in March 2022, and received the 2023 Volunteer of the Year award. She loves the Great Lakes, but Lake Ontario will always be her favorite. In her spare time, Alysa can be found in the middle of several books at a time and tending to every whim of her pets.

Alysa Morley

Thomas Baer

Immediate Past President

Thomas is a lifelong resident of Vigo County, Indiana. Growing up along the banks of the Wabash River has given him a deep respect for the natural world. Thomas's family owned property in Brown County Indiana where they spent summers camping on 40 acres surrounded by Yellowwood State Forest. There, Thomas and his 8 siblings were allowed to explore the 34,000 acres of forest at will. Thomas has lived on the banks of the Wabash River for 30+ years and has been a member of Ouabache Land Conservancy for 5+ years.

Marty Jones

VP of Acquisition

Marty has been a member of the Ouabache Land Conservancy since 2011. Marty has assisted the OLC on several projects, including a new website, brochure, and policy development. Marty is an avid photographer, particularly wildlife photography. Since 2005, he has photographed 350 different bird species within Indiana. Many of his nature and portrait photographs are used in OLC's publicity. Marty works as a Safety and Compliance Consultant for the Indiana Electric Cooperatives. Marty also enjoys restoring his 14-acre property located within the Otter Creek watershed. He lives with his wife Stephanie, daughter Addison, three dogs, and one indoor housecat.

Phil Cox

VP of Programs

Phil Cox lives near Coxville in Parke County with his wife Annette and son, Carson. They also have three fledged from the nest, Cameron, Terah, and Kemp. Phil is a graduate of both Purdue University (Forest Engineering) and Indiana State University (MBA). He is currently employed by Purdue University as the Agriculture & Natural Resources Extension Educator for Vermillion County. As such, he has kept local citizens informed about agriculture, horticulture, and natural resources issues/education via any means, including Purdue Master Gardener and Indiana Master Naturalist programs since 2012. Before that, he was the Natural Resources Administrator for "many years" at the US Army's 7,000+ acre Newport Chemical Depot, also in Vermillion County. Traveling and keeping up with Carson's many Scouting and sporting activities are some of his most fun hobbies.

Denise Marie Sobieski

VP of Development

Denise’s passion for land preservation has gotten her back on the OLC board. She grew up on a small Wisconsin farm, spending lots of time outdoors with her parents and five siblings. She remembers the many Bobolinks and swallows on the property, where her love of nature was nurtured by her father and the many Golden Field Guides he bought for her. Denise eventually made her way to Madison, Wisconsin where she met a West Coast Swing dancer and biologist, Bill Mitchell, who is now her husband. Denise has had a great life with him and their 4 indoor cats on 20 wild acres with good enough bird habitat to have attracted a Limpkin. She loves birding, hiking, West Coast Swing dance, and cooking healthy meals for people. Her travels have led her to amazing natural areas in places like Belize, Thailand, Maine, Utah, and the Galapagos Islands. Denise’s master’s degree in environmental education helped to shape her perspective on engaging the community with land protection. After teaching high school freshman biology for 30 years, Denise wants to continue her positive impact by being an engaged member of OLC.

Brendan Kearns

VP of Stewardship

As the Director of the Vigo County Soil and Water Conservation District, Brendan brings more than two decades of public service and environmental leadership to west-central Indiana. His previous roles as Vigo County Commissioner (2019–2022), Vigo County Council Member (2016–2018), and Indiana DNR Healthy Rivers INitiative Conservation Program Specialist (2015–2019) have only deepened his commitment to conservation, outreach, and environmental education.

Bill Mitchell

Treasurer

Bill is an ecologist, recently retired from the Department of Biology at Indiana State University, where he worked for 23 years. His love of the outdoors and nature began as a child in Texas, where he grew up chasing lizards and snakes, collecting fossils, watching birds, and riding his horse. These interests led Bill to graduate work and a Ph.D., in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona studying hummingbird behavior in the spectacular Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona. After graduation, his work took him to Israel, Arizona, Wisconsin, and eventually Indiana. While in Wisconsin, Bill also taught weekly lessons in West Coast Swing Dance, which is how he met his wife, Denise Marie Sobieski (also a Board member). Denise and Bill take great delight in their 20 enchanting acres in beautiful Vigo County, filled with birds and other wildlife. Bill joined the Board of Directors of OLC in January 2025 and is excited about working for the protection of land, habitat and wildlife in west-central Indiana.

Dr. Michelle Marincel Payne

Secretary

Dr. Michelle Marincel Payne is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (RHIT). She has been active on the Otter Creek Project Steering Committee and instrumental in completing grant applications for future implementation of the Otter Creek Watershed Management Plan. At RHIT, she specializes in environmental engineering, including biomimetic membranes for desalination, drinking water, wastewater treatment, and environmental remediation. She also has experience in characterizing risk assessment of radioactive material transport. Dr. Marincel Payne also co-taught Rose-Hulman’s first Appropriate Technologies for Developing Communities course, in which students designed novel ways to pump and treat water to reach an off-the-grid village. She is currently leading a student research project investigating the ability of constructed treatment wetlands to remove stormwater pollutants.

Dan Bradley

Director

Daniel Joseph Bradley is a Canadian-American chemist and petroleum engineer, researcher, professor, and administrator. He retired as President of Indiana State University after a 40+ year career in higher education. Bradley was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba and became a US Citizen. After serving in the United States Army, Bradley entered Michigan State University. He completed his bachelors’ degree in Biochemistry and a doctorate in Physical Chemistry. He also holds Petroleum Engineering degrees from Montana Tech (BS) and University of Tulsa (MS). He has lived in Terre Haute, IN since 2008. After retiring from Indiana State University Bradley remains active in the Terre Haute/Vigo County community through active participation in many organizations with particular emphasis on the health and welfare of the community, its people and the environment in which they live and work. Bradley is married to Cheri Bradley. Together they have three sons and four grandchildren. In his leisure time he enjoys running, bicycling, reading and travel.

Jami Delgado

Director

Jami Delgado, a lifelong Hoosier and recent resident of Terre Haute, shares her home with her husband, Miles, and their two spoiled cats. Jami holds a degree in Mechatronics Engineering Technology from Purdue University and works as an Automation Engineer at Elanco Animal Health. Jami's passion for nature was awakened during a solo hike on the Pacific Coast Trail. The serene beauty of the natural world moved her to seek ways to protect the very landscapes that bring her such immense joy. Her journey led her to the Ouabache Land Conservancy, where, after attending various events, she chose to become an active contributor to its vital mission. Beyond exploring the depths of any woods she can find, Jami enjoys keeping her mind and body active through cross-stitching and roller skating.

Mike Fisher

Director

Mike joined Ouabache Land Conservancy back in 2013. He joined the Advisory Board in 2021 and Board of Directors in 2023. Mike and his wife Amy are both retired and love being active outdoors. They enjoy biking, hiking, kayaking, camping and just being out in nature. Mike is also actively involved with the Parke Trails Alliance. This organization is building a biking/walking trail from Rosedale to Rockville in Parke County along the old, abandoned Pennsylvania railway. Mike plans on passing on his love of nature with his grandchildren by sharing his time experiencing the outdoors as much as possible.

David Kluger

Director

David joined the Ouabache Land Conservancy in 2020, shortly after moving to the west-central Indiana area. Joining the OLC was an easy decision for him, since he has had a passion for nature and conservation since childhood. David works as a Financial Advisor with Viribus Wealth Management &Partners, located in Terre Haute. He spends his free time with his wife, Alisia, and their four children, Carson, Maria, Asher and Josephina. They stay active on a regular basis by hiking, kayaking, camping, and engaging in other various sports activities. The family is also active in their local church and enjoys meeting regularly with friends and relatives.

Jim Nardi

Director

Jim Nardi spent his childhood on a farm that has now become part of Atherton Island Natural Area. Its forests, streams, and pastures nurtured his lifelong love for nature. Although his family sold the farm in 1970, he was able to purchase the land after years of neglect and abuse. He set about restoring the land in 1993 after the property had passed through five different owners in 23 years. In 2017, he was delighted to find a forever home for this rugged parcel of Parke County with OLC. Jim continues to learn from nature each day as a research biologist at the University of Illinois and as the author of several natural history books. He and his wife Joy share their home and garden with three dogs, one cat, and the countless creatures who are their partners in gardening.

Curt Stanfield

Director

Since 2018, Curt Stanfield has been dedicated to his professional painting career, fueled by his enthusiasm for landscapes and environmental conservation. His involvement with various environmental organizations and projects has been diverse, ranging from a residency with the National Park Service on Lake Michigan to collaborations with artists to bring awareness to protecting our Indiana waterways. He regularly exhibits at environmentally themed fine art shows around the state and is a signature member of the American Impressionist Society of artists. He is a member of the Brown County Art Guild and is a nationally recognized impressionist painter.

Mark Southwick

Director

Mark completed his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at Indiana State University and went on to Graduate School and was fortunate enough to study under the direction of both Dr. Whitaker and Dr. Jackson, both of which had significant impact on his life. Since attending Indiana State, he has spent the last 38 years working as a microbiologist for Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Company and most recently, Elanco Animal Health. Mark has always had a strong passion for the natural environment and its preservation and served on the Advisory Board while finishing up a short-term work assignment in Maine, which then allowed him to join the BOD. Prior to involvement with OLC, he served on the BOD of the Parke-Vermillion County Humane Society for twenty years, most recently as Board President. Mark lives with his wife Sherri and his rescue dog and two rescue cats.

Tom Zeller

Director

Tom Zeller has worked on environmental issues in Indiana for fifty years and was a cofounder of Valley Watch in Evansville, the Sycamore Land Trust in Bloomington, and the statewide Hoosier Environmental Council. He was named volunteer of the year by Ouabache Land Conservancy in 2022.

Advisory Board

George Bakken, Heather Chenette, Claudia Cozadd, Mary Beth Eberwein, Jeff Fisher, Dan Griggs, Adam Grossman, Ted Harris, Robert Jean, Sam Lane, Carissa Lovett, Britton Luther, Nicki Manion, James O. McDonald, Gerald McGlone, John McGlone. Jeremy Montgomery, Raoul Moore, Jennifer Mueller, Fred Nation, Joe Newport, Marshall Parks, Patrick Ralston, Keith Ruble, Jane Santucci, Peter Scott, Namita Shrestha, Jim Speer, Jean Testa, Barbara Weber, John Whitaker