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

Belle Bergner

Belle Bergner

Executive Director

Belle Bergner has been NAISMA’s Executive Director since 2016. With over 15 years experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, Belle is a creative problem solver and connector of ideas and people. Belle has a MS in Ecology and Evolution from the University of Pennsylvania and was an Outward Bound Instructor after finishing her BA at Mount Holyoke College.

In her free time, Belle enjoys walks with her dog and doing just about anything outside with her family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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.

Elizabeth Brown

Legislative Affairs, Professional Development, and Certified Weed Free Products Program Manager

Elizabeth Brown has over twenty years of invasive species management experience, the majority with the State of Colorado managing aquatic nuisance species, forest pests, and noxious weeds. Elizabeth enjoys co-creating multi-jurisdictional management strategies built on trust and mutually beneficial goals that empower public-private partnerships and creative problem solving among governments.

Elizabeth had the honor of being the Chair of the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species for the last eight years and was the Chair of the Western Invasive Species Coordinating Effort for five years, which helped to develop her as a true leader in the field of invasive species.

Elizabeth is a mother to four young children, a large black lab, and two feisty cats. The family enjoys gardening, biking, hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and just about anything outside!

Molly Bodde

Event and Outreach Manager

Molly joined us in January of 2020 and brings with her experience in both aquatic invasive species and an administrative background in the public sector.  She started her journey in invasive species work in the summer of 2018 as watercraft inspector on Lake Michigan. Molly has an MS in Sustainable Management from UW-Oshkosh, and a BS in Environmental Sciences from UW-Madison.

Molly is settled in the Driftless region of Wisconsin where she is helping with the operation of her partner’s sustainable produce farm. 

Kim Kelly

Director of Marketing, Membership & Communications

Kim Kelly manages NAISMA’s memberships and organization partnerships. Kim is a writer, publisher and designer. She has more than a decade of experience in nonprofit communications and earned ASAE’s Certified Association Executive credential (CAE).

When she’s not working on NAISMA projects, Kim can be found tending to her native Midwest garden, teaching her sons about seed collection, and hanging out with family in the suburbs of Chicago.

 

Tina Casagrand

Communications Manager

Tina Casagrand brings her experience in environmental journalism and conservation leadership to the important work of invasive species management. When not editing the communications of NAISMA and PlayCleanGo, she publishes The New Territory magazine and works as contract coordinator of the Missouri Invasive Plant Task Force. 

An eighth generation Missourian living in Jefferson City, Tina loves roadtripping with her family and spending time around mossy woods, big rivers and cafes that serve single origin coffees.

Elaine Meier

Administrative Support Specialist
Elaine is the newest member to join NAISMA staff she does everything from survey design, membership relations, and administrative support for the Weed Free Products program.  She worked for Wisconsin state government for many years and now transitioned to pursue her passion to protect the environment.  Elaine has an MS in Sustainable Management from UW-Green Bay and a BA in Sociology from UW-Madison.
 
Elaine enjoys biking, running, walking and skiing – basically anything in the outdoors.  She lives on Lake Monona with her family and volunteers as a lake monitor to help protect the Yahara Chain of Lakes.

Vanesa Padilla

Vanesa Padilla

Program Assistant

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.