Staff

Samantha is a current graduate assistant with the Lake Champlain Research Institute & Lake Champlain Sea Grant’s Watershed Alliance program. In this position, she will be assisting with leading education programs and outreach events for K-12 audiences. She is especially interested in environmental communications and enhancing existing DEI efforts within these programs. While in this role, Samantha is pursuing a master’s degree in Ecology & Natural Resources at SUNY Plattsburgh. 

Before this assistantship, Samantha served an AmeriCorps term at Audubon Vermont as the Community Science & Engagement Specialist. At Audubon, she worked on community building and outreach, as well as outdoor education programs. Samantha has also spent several Summers working on organic vegetable farms in Pennsylvania and Upstate New York. In her free time, she loves cycling, foraging, and swimming in the Ausable River.

John, a former oyster farmer in Massachusetts and current shrimp producer in Vermont, has a PhD in marine systems ecology from the University of Maryland and past collaborations with other Sea Grant programs. For Lake Champlain Sea Grant, he provides outreach to Vermont and Lake Champlain basin aquaculture producers, educates the public about sustainable products, and leads an aquaculture association in the basin. He is especially interested in helping producers strategically use grant money to improve their productions. 

John owns Sweet Sound Aquaculture, located in Charlotte, Vermont at the former Nordic Farm. He grows Pacific white shrimp and sells 100 pounds to market for Vermont consumers each week.

Tori joined the Lake Champlain Sea Grant as watershed education coordinator based out of SUNY Plattsburgh in August of 2023. She coordinates and develops watershed and lake education programs for K-12 students, leads watershed science professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers, and oversees the New York Watershed Education internship program. Tori has spent the past five years in educational leadership roles, designing and teaching innovative, curriculum-based programming for K-college level students across upstate New York. She is now looking forward to creating similar opportunities for students and interns around the Lake Champlain region where she grew up. Tori's favorite free-time activities are gardening, playing yard games on the beach, or hiking in the Adirondack mountains. 

Ashley joined Lake Champlain Sea Grant and UVM Extension team in November 2015. As the Watershed and Lake Education Coordinator she oversees the Watershed Alliance program K-12 education program which has a UVM and a SUNY Plattsburgh location, coordinates watershed science professional development opportunities for K-12 teachers, and oversees an undergraduate Watershed Education internship program. She has a BS in Education and Environmental Science and a MS in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont and a doctorate in Sustainability from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. 

Ashley’s educational and professional pursuits have been dedicated to helping create a sustainable future for Vermont, the greater Lake Champlain basin and beyond. Ashley works at the state and federal level to support watershed science and environmental literacy. She is the co-chair of the Vermont Education and Environment Network which is the state level North American Association of Environmental Education affiliate, which aims to foster a network of individuals and organizations working together to promote high quality outdoor, environmental, and educational experiences. Ashley is also the secretary of the Sea Grant Educators Network and an active member of the Champlain Basin Education Initiative. She is immensely grateful for all the time she has spent connecting and learning from natural systems; today she is most likely found  mountain biking, skiing, or SUPing with her floppy eared pup Callie.

Dr. Jefferson is the Robert and Genevieve Patrick Professor in Watershed Science and Planning in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, where she teaches undergraduate courses in the Environmental Sciences curriculum and graduate courses in the Aquatic Ecology and Watershed Sciences curriculum. She is also the Director of the Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center. Through her research, she works to improve the resilience and sustainability of water resources and aquatic ecosystems. She conducts research in hydrology and geomorphology to understand river ecosystems in human-altered landscapes, with emphases on urban watersheds, stormwater management, and plastic pollution.

Sabrina is a current graduate student at UVM pursuing a master’s degree in Natural Resources. She joined the Lake Champlain Sea Grant Watershed Alliance in June 2024 as a graduate assistant. Sabrina is interested in water quality, watershed education, and human dimensions of natural resource management. Her current research focuses on the outcomes of participatory water monitoring programs. Outside of work and school, she loves to attend community events, go on hikes, try cooking new recipes, and spend time with her 2 cats.

Aude Lochet is the water resources extension specialist based at SUNY Plattsburgh. She conducts outreach, educational activities, and applied research in relation to water resources and human use of Lake Champlain and its shoreline.

Aude started her career in France as a fish ecologist. She studied the otoliths (“ear stones” in Greek) of fish to understand the migration of many species, including sea lamprey in Lake Champlain. She also participated in fish restoration programs. She discovered herself as an educator when she started working with undergraduate students, as an instructor and research mentor. For several years, she managed undergraduate research programs for the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and taught biology and environmental science courses at Vassar College and at some SUNY institutions. In her spare time, you might find her swimming in a pool, reading a thriller, or cooking with her family.

Michelle coordinates Burlington’s Blue BTV program, which provides city residents with free stormwater assessments. With specialties in planting and green infrastructure design, Michelle is excited to work with homeowners to implement stormwater management practices such as rain gardens, vegetative swales, and permeable pavers that capture stormwater run-off and benefit the overall health and water quality of Lake Champlain.

Michelle first came to Burlington in 2017 for an internship at Wagner Hodgson Landscape Architecture where she was involved with local projects such as the City Hall Park redesign and spent many evenings swimming in Lake Champlain. She went on to work for a variety of conservation agencies including Montana’s Department of Natural Resources, the Fish & Wildlife Service, and Foster Creek Conservation District in Washington. While not working in conservation, Michelle farmed seasonally at small flower, vegetable, and sheep operations. She has a Permaculture Design Certificate from Oregon State and strongly believes in the ability of the public (producers, homeowners, and local communities) to sustain greater landscapes and resources through sustainable agriculture, conservation, development, and design.

Anna joined Lake Champlain Sea Grant in April of 2022. Her work supports the Lake Champlain Sea Grant, ecoNEWS Vermont, the Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center, and the Northeastern States Research Cooperative. She leads the communications for these programs including website maintenance, outreach materials, social media, newsletters, and press inquiries. She also coordinates local and national fellowships for the Lake Champlain Sea Grant.

Anna is currently enrolled in UVM's Food Systems masters program and graduated from UVM’s Rubenstein School in 2021 where she studied Natural Resources with a concentration in Resource Ecology. She previously worked for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group in multiple capacities but most notably as an Assistant Canvass Director where she led their first ever virtual canvass. She also helped launch a new arm of the nonprofit, VPIRG Votes, that is involved in legislative elections.

Caroline joined Lake Champlain Sea Grant in June 2019 after completing her Master of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. As the Watershed and Lake Education Program Specialist, she helps to facilitate the Watershed Alliance K-12 education program, as well as the undergraduate Watershed Education internship program. Additionally, she coordinates the Teens Reaching Youth 4-H20 program to help future youth leaders teach the next generation about watershed science. Lastly, a small portion of Caroline’s time is spent working with municipal officials to help them address Vermont’s changing climate and be more resilient to hazards. When not at work, you can find her mountain biking, skiing, or hiking with her 2 dogs and husband.

Timothy (Tim) Mihuc oversees LCSG's SUNY Plattsburgh operations and serves as the coordinator of the Lake Champlain Research Institute at SUNY Plattsburgh. Tim began his career with an undergraduate independent research project on nutrient limitation of algae in a small eutrophic lake in Oklahoma. He continued his education as an aquatic ecologist through studies on invertebrate life-history ecology in a Colorado alpine wetland (M.S.) and post-fire food web dynamics in Yellowstone National Park streams (Ph.D.). He spent several years at Louisiana State University as a post-doctoral researcher (1994-1996) conducting invasive species research in the Atchafalaya River Basin, the largest contiguous hardwood swamp ecosystem in the U.S.  From 1996-1999 Tim served as director of the Great Rivers Field Station (Illinois Natural History Survey) where he led a multidisciplinary research team working on the Upper Mississippi River.

He has published over 35 research articles including in journals such as Ecology, Freshwater Biology, Aquatic Sciences, Hydrobiologia, Journal of Great Lakes Research and American Midland Naturalist and has co-edited the book volume titled “Lake Champlain: Partnership and research in the new millennium,” published by Kluwer Academic publishers. Tim’s professional areas of interest include aquatic food webs, fish population dynamics, ecological integrity and aquatic biodiversity. He enjoys outdoor activities, particularly fly-fishing, skiing, hiking and mountain climbing (preferably combined).

Mark was born and raised in Pennsylvania, earned a bachelor's degree in forestry from Virginia Tech in 2002 (including 2001 at the Victorian School of Forestry in Australia) and a master's degree in Limnology at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland in 2008. He began working with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Lakes Program as a seasonal environmental technician from 2009 to 2012, then worked as a seasonal fisheries technician with the US Forest Service in California in 2013 and 2014, and spent a winter as a State of Alaska certified crab observer on fishing vessels in the Bering Sea. He returned to Vermont from 2015 to 2020 to work with the DEC Lakes Program again as an environmental scientist involved in volunteer monitoring, assessment, and permitting. After a year working as a water quality scientist with Horizons Regional Council on the North Island of New Zealand, Mark has returned to Vermont once more.

Gretchen joined the Lake Champlain Sea Grant in February 2024 after two years managing grants within UVM’s College of Medicine. As the Financial and Research Coordinator, Gretchen will oversee financial administration and monitoring for the Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the Vermont Water Resources and Lake Studies Center, and the Northeastern States Research Cooperative. Additionally, she will develop and manage research competitions for work within the Lake Champlain basin, supporting our mission to use science to benefit the associated environment and economies.

In addition to her previous grant management work, Gretchen has 20 years’ experience as a wildlife ecologist, working primarily with birds. She received her PhD from West Virginia University where she studied Cerulean Warblers, a species that has expanded its small breeding range in the Appalachian region to include forests along the length of Lake Champlain. Prior to that, Gretchen received her B.S. in 2002 from UVM’s School of Natural Resources—now Rubenstein—and is excited to be back in a new capacity, using her combination of professional experiences to support the three programs. When she isn’t working, you can find Gretchen birding, gardening with her husband, and hanging out with their mastiff and four cats.

As the Green Infrastructure Collaborative (GIC) Coordinator, Jill works with the Clean Water Initiative Program (CWIP) at the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. She coordinates the statewide GI Roundtable and supports development of clean water project verification and operation and maintenance programs for projects funded under the Clean Water Service Delivery Act of 2019. Through this role, she provides outreach and coordinates educational programming to encourage the use of low impact development, green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), and nature-based solutions for managing stormwater runoff. 

For her master’s research, Jill evaluated the nutrient removal performance of bioretention cells and a denitrifying woodchip bioreactor treating agricultural runoff from dairy farm production areas and silage storage bunkers. After completing her MS degree, Jill was a lecturer in the UVM Plant and Soil Science Department, where she instructed environmental science and plant and soil science labs. She has also conducted stormwater management property site assessments to make suggestions to landowners. In her free time, Jill enjoys getting outside and exploring the mountains throughout all of Vermont's seasons, especially while skiing, biking, climbing, and hiking.

As the Flood Resilience Educator, Alison helps promote enhanced municipal flood resilience by providing outreach and education on the topics of science-based watershed management and public policy supporting flood resilience. In this role, she assists in the development and delivery of educational programs and tools that help community leaders and the public understand and effectively prepare for and respond to the impacts of flooding within the Lake Champlain basin and Vermont. Alison is currently working toward her master’s degree in Natural Resources from UVM, where she is researching the outcomes of the Lake Champlain Sea Grant’s k-12 watershed education programs. In her free time, Alison likes to backcountry ski, run, and bike throughout Vermont. 

Kris develops, implements, and oversees Lake Champlain Sea Grant Extension and outreach activities. Her current outreach efforts include using social marketing techniques to promote healthy soils through lawn care, community resilience to flooding, and clean boating and best winter maintenance practices. Her research endeavors include understanding outcomes and building credibility of volunteer water monitoring and participatory science programs, assessing impacts of land use on water quality, and understanding behavior changes that result from watershed outreach programming.

She helps to support a national network of volunteer water monitoring programs, maintaining volunteermonitoring.org, that includes a national jobs board for water outreach and volunteer water monitoring positions, and an associated listserv for Extension water professionals (ExtVolMonNetwork). She serves as a member of the Lake Champlain Basin Program Education and Outreach Committee.

Chief Don Stevens of the Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe is well-known throughout the Lake Champlain basin and receives frequent invitations to participate at events where he shares his inspiring Abenaki stories and knowledge with school children and other groups. For many years, he has demonstrated Abenaki traditions and told campfire stories at festivals and family programs at Shelburne Farms. 

Through a partnership with Lake Champlain Sea Grant and Shelburne Farms, Chief Stevens and other educators will convey their Indigenous knowledge and cultural history of the basin with learning activities and events at Shelburne Farms and at area K-12 schools, colleges, nonprofit organizations, and other public venues. Chief Stevens will collaborate with other Indigenous educators to provide learning opportunities including the development of videos, books, and teaching materials and lessons to share Abenaki cultural history.

Shawn works to protect water quality, improve habitat, and increase flood resilience in the Lake Champlain Basin via her role as Coordinator of the Watershed Forestry Partnership, a collaborative of practitioners, tree nurseries, and researchers who share information and eliminate barriers to successful forest restoration.  She oversees and provides leadership to this partnership of non-profit organizations, state and municipal government agencies, academic institutions, and others engaged in forest restoration and management by facilitating research, communication, and collaboration.

Shawn earned her PhD studying plant molecular evolution and the genetic basis of plant domestication.  Her life-long interest in ecological restoration, however, led her to become increasingly active in ecological restoration.  Most recently she worked as the project manager and restoration biologist for the Friends of the Winooski River, where she developed and managed a variety of stream restoration and protection projects including riparian plantings, stormwater management, and identification of pollutant discharge from stormwater drainage systems.  She has also been an active educator, teaching biology, natural history, and environmental and river science to diverse audiences from kindergartners to graduate students and community organizations.  In her spare time, Shawn enjoys exploring the woods, paddling her new kayak, turning her backyard into a mini nature preserve, playing the violin, and spending time with her family.