NAISMA’s Staff members provide a dynamic range of skills, experience and expertise toward invasive species management programs across North America.

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Belle Bergner

Belle Bergner

Executive Director
Belle oversees the management and financial stability of the organization, identifies new and creative ways to fulfill NAISMA’s mission, ensures that activities align with the Board of Directors’ goals and organization strategic plan, and supports the organization culture.
Elizabeth

Elizabeth Brown

Director of Government Relations and Professional Development
Elizabeth leads NAISMA’s science policy and advocacy efforts, as well as overseeing certification and professional development programs. She serves as the key liaison between NAISMA and many allied groups and is the lead coordinator for National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW).

Krista Lutzke

PlayCleanGo Program Manager

As the PlayCleanGo manager Krista aims to include recreationists in the conversation of invasive species prevention and share the easy ways each of them can become land stewards in their own right.

Before becoming the PlayCleanGo Program Manager she served as Conservationist with the Door County Soil & Water Conservation Department where she fostered multijurisdictional partnerships, the introduction of local invasive species policies and cost-share programs, and providing invasive species education and outreach. Krista’s natural resources career began with the Wisconsin DNR in the Natural Heritage Conservation Bureau protecting and monitoring rare and endangered species through invasive species management and later as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s Phragmites australis Project Coordinator.

Krista holds degrees in Landscape/Horticulture and Environmental Policy and is a Wisconsin certified Plant Health Specialist.

Tina Casagrand

Communications Manager
Tina combines her lifelong love of ecology and writing to edit NAISMA’s blog, website, and other program literature. She also helps coordinate the committee on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. She has worked with NAISMA since 2019.

John Stabinger

Website, LMS, and Marketing Admin

John supports and develops NAISMA’s web properties, online learning systems and digital marketing.
Vanesa Padilla

Vanesa Padilla

Accounting Assistant and Program Support Specialist

Vanesa works on a little bit of everything at NAISMA! From record keeping, program communications, product shipping, and bookkeeping, Vanesa keeps us all together on one ship.

Vanesa was born in Palm Springs, California and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Vanesa is a student at Alverno College, studying Business Management. She is interested in pursuing a MBA and enjoys reading in her free time.

NAISMA is an Equal Opportunity Employer

NAISMA does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.