Stephanie is ACRES’ part-time Administrative Specialist, handling bookkeeping, accounts payable and accounts receivable. She has been part of the ACRES family since 2014, when she began volunteering in the native garden beds at the ACRES office. Originally from central Kansas, Stephanie has called Fort Wayne home since 1998, where she and her husband raised their five sons. For her, conservation grows out of her faith and a commitment to caring for natural spaces. Away from work, she paints, draws, gardens, hikes and tent camps.

Working in the field, Jenna cares for the land ACRES protects through non-native invasive species control, ecological restoration and trail maintenance. Her love of the outdoors began on family camping, hiking, paddling and rafting trips. In high school FFA, she discovered a knack for identifying trees. That led her to a bachelor’s degree in environmental science, with a minor in biology, from the University of Saint Francis. Before ACRES, she worked with the IDNR Division of Nature Preserves. For Jenna, the most rewarding part of the job is watching native plants return after invasive species are cleared.

Anne’s path to ACRES began with daily walks. After moving from Miami to Huntertown in 2023, she made Bicentennial Woods and the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve her go-to hiking spots, and she began volunteering with ACRES that fall. After nearly a decade in biotechnology, she shifted her career toward conservation. As Archivist, she preserves the stories of ACRES’ preserves, its founders and the landowners who chose protection over development. At home, she grows native plants and vegetables and shares her love of nature with her children.

Heather wants to know why you protect land. From donor cultivation to grant writing, she listens to your goals and connects you with ways to realize them through ACRES. As a child, she could often be found high in a tree with a book in hand, even in winter. Her early work in customer service led her into philanthropy. Her role at ACRES brings together her experience as a professional fundraiser and her commitment to preserving natural areas. One of her fondest memories is walking trails with her young daughter, listening to the leaves.

Carman grew up on a lake in Shipshewana, catching insects and wrangling toads. She studied environmental science and history at Manchester University and earned a master’s in integrative biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her passions include land conservation, fair land use and closed-loop manufacturing. As a steward, she believes in fixing the land first. Connected, high-quality habitat eases pressure on endangered species, soils and migrating wildlife. She sees Indiana as a vital resting stop for migratory animals.

Susan’s love of nature began in the family woods in Grabill and southern Indiana, where she navigated creeks and flipped logs. After earning a master’s in public administration, she found her passion in nonprofit work. A friend introduced her to ACRES, and she was drawn to how many small efforts add up to lasting land protection. Her favorite preserve is Edna W. Spurgeon Woodland Reserve, especially during spring wildflower season. At ACRES, she helps build the relationships that make land protection possible.

Evan leads ACRES’ stewardship team, directing resources across our 27-county service area. He carries out the plans for habitat restoration and non-native invasive species management that help our natural areas thrive. He grew up chasing frogs and snakes in his grandparents’ pond and building forts in the neighbor’s woods. He earned a wildlife degree from Purdue University, interned with ACRES twice and gained experience with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. His favorite preserve is Spurgeon, for its wetlands, old-growth trees and species diversity.

Gavin takes pride in protecting land for future generations. On the stewardship team, he controls non-native invasive species, restores habitat and maintains trails. He grew up cutting firewood with his family and spent vacations visiting parks in Indiana and beyond. Before ACRES, he worked with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources at Ouabache State Park and Upper Wabash Interpretive Services. He is an avid free diver, scuba diver, hunter and fisherman, and he wants future generations to have the same chances to enjoy the outdoors.

Natasha keeps ACRES running day to day. She makes sure supporters’ gifts are processed and vendors are paid, welcomes new volunteers, greets visitors and keeps staff supplied. Her love of nature began indoors, with her mother’s house plants, and she, her sister and their mother all became avid gardeners. In her early twenties, she moved to Washington State, where she fell for its giant ferns and mossy forests. Back in Indiana, she found ACRES preserves. She enjoys amateur plant identification there and especially loves the spring wildflowers at Bicentennial Woods. Her professional background is in accounting and human resources, in the construction and higher education industries.

Taylere works from ACRES’ Asherwood satellite office. Growing up in southwest Ohio, she hiked, biked and kayaked along the Little Miami River. Visits to the wildlife rehabilitation program at Hueston Woods Nature Center deepened her connection to nature. She started out studying zoology at Ohio State University before finding her calling in forestry and wildlife management. She specializes in species identification and ecosystem relationships, and she has turned her own backyard into a certified wildlife habitat. She enjoys encouraging neighbors to plant natives.

Reena connects people with ACRES’ mission through firsthand experiences, from wetland floats to wildflower hikes. She also oversees the volunteer program. Family trips to national parks inspired her to study environmental science. Three summers as an ACRES land management intern and classes at Goshen College changed how she saw northeast Indiana. Discovering the beauty of the Hoosier landscape convinced her to stay and give back. Now she hopes to give others that same “wow” moment.

Joanna’s connection to nature began near the Fort Wayne Zoo, exploring creeks and woodland edges. Those early adventures sparked her appreciation for overlooked natural spaces. She brings expertise in wetland ecosystems and ecological surveys to ACRES. She loves sharing discoveries about Indiana’s natural heritage, including our native carnivorous plants. Away from work, you might find her running outdoors or reading about mosses and lichens. She believes nature should be accessible to everyone.

Elijah wants everyone to know about ACRES’ mission. He manages the website and social media and tells the stories of ACRES members, volunteers and protected lands. His love of nature took root during a week in the mountains of California’s High Sierras. Before joining ACRES, he spent 10 years as communication director for a nonprofit in his hometown of Columbia City, where he honed his storytelling and graphic design skills.