Meet the folks dedicated to protecting Marquette County!

Maddie O'Donnell, District Manager
Maddie is responsible for supporting Marquette District staff and overseeing all fiscal management and reporting on district projects, contracts, and grants. Maddie also enjoys District event planning, social media management, and community outreach. Her other duties also include grant writing, overseeing budgets, providing the accounting for the business, preparing monthly board reports, and organizing the spring tree and flower sales. Maddie is enamored by the beauty of Marquette County, and is thrilled to be in a position to protect it!
(906) 251-3072 | madeline.odonnell@macd.org
Maddie is responsible for supporting Marquette District staff and overseeing all fiscal management and reporting on district projects, contracts, and grants. Maddie also enjoys District event planning, social media management, and community outreach. Her other duties also include grant writing, overseeing budgets, providing the accounting for the business, preparing monthly board reports, and organizing the spring tree and flower sales. Maddie is enamored by the beauty of Marquette County, and is thrilled to be in a position to protect it!
(906) 251-3072 | madeline.odonnell@macd.org

Elise Desjarlais, Lake to Lake CISMA Coordinator
Elise is a staff member at the Marquette County Conservation District, and serves as coordinator of the Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (L2L CISMA), a multi-agency and multi-community group working to provide protection of native habitats by reducing the threat of non-native and invasive plant species. Her main duties include writing grant applications, grant reporting, maintaining L2L CISMA internal documents, coordinating the steering committee, and organizing the field work.
(906) 251-3068 | l2lcisma@gmail.com
Elise is a staff member at the Marquette County Conservation District, and serves as coordinator of the Lake to Lake Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (L2L CISMA), a multi-agency and multi-community group working to provide protection of native habitats by reducing the threat of non-native and invasive plant species. Her main duties include writing grant applications, grant reporting, maintaining L2L CISMA internal documents, coordinating the steering committee, and organizing the field work.
(906) 251-3068 | l2lcisma@gmail.com

Sara Kelso, District Forester
Sara is available to help Marquette and Alger County landowners with wildlife habitat, tree health and planting questions, state and federal forest management plan assistance, QFP and CFA programs, and any other forestry assistance issues. Call to set up a free site visit!
(906) 251-3071
sara.kelso@macd.org
Sara is available to help Marquette and Alger County landowners with wildlife habitat, tree health and planting questions, state and federal forest management plan assistance, QFP and CFA programs, and any other forestry assistance issues. Call to set up a free site visit!
(906) 251-3071
sara.kelso@macd.org
Landen Tetil, Produce Safety Technician
Landen is available for all UP produce growers for increasing on-farm produce safety. Education and technical assistance is delivered through the Michigan Safe Food Risk Assessment, On-Farm Readiness Reviews, Produce Safety Alliance Grower Trainings, and produce safety plan writing assistance. Landen works with produce growers to implement safe produce practices and coordinate local, state and federal agency resources to help reduce identified produce safety risks, and make progress toward compliance with state and federal regulations. Office: (906) 251-3061 Cell: (906) 236-9865 landen.mqtcondist@gmail.com |

Erica Viau, Program Coordinator
Erica assists in day-to-day office operations, social media management, and community outreach. Her other duties also include grant writing/reporting, and supervising seasonal field crews in invasive species management, wetland mitigation, and other restoration projects. Erica began with the District in 2019 as a field technician before beginning full time as Program Coordinator in 2022. If you'd like to plan an event or educational program with the District call or email her today!
(906)-251-3059
erica.viau@macd.org
Erica assists in day-to-day office operations, social media management, and community outreach. Her other duties also include grant writing/reporting, and supervising seasonal field crews in invasive species management, wetland mitigation, and other restoration projects. Erica began with the District in 2019 as a field technician before beginning full time as Program Coordinator in 2022. If you'd like to plan an event or educational program with the District call or email her today!
(906)-251-3059
erica.viau@macd.org

Misa Cady, NRCS District Conservationist
Misa helps Marquette and Alger County landowners develop conservation plans, and she provides advice on the all phases of the Farm Bill’s recommended voluntary conservation practices. As the District Conservationist she works with landowners through conservation planning and technical assistance designed to benefit soil, water, air, plants, and animals that result in productive lands and healthy ecosystems.
(906) 251-3070
misa.cady@mi.usda.gov
Amy Frye, NRCS Soil Conservationist
Amy joined the Marquette NRCS team as a Soil Conservationist in June of 2020. She has been involved with NRCS since 2018, having previously spent two consecutive summers as an intern in her home state of Wisconsin. (906) 251-3069 amy.frye@usda.gov |

Kelly Sippl, NRCS Soil Conservationist
Kelly is a Soil Conservationist servicing landowners in Alger and Marquette Counties. She spent roughly 10 years in the conservation field across the state of Wisconsin. Her experience includes surveying and designing conservation practices such as streambank restoration, wetland wildlife habitat, tree and shrub plantings for wildlife, hoop houses, cover cropping to improve soil and plant health, and planning, writing, and assisting in the implementation of grazing management systems.
(906) 251-3064
kelly.sippl@usda.gov
Kelly is a Soil Conservationist servicing landowners in Alger and Marquette Counties. She spent roughly 10 years in the conservation field across the state of Wisconsin. Her experience includes surveying and designing conservation practices such as streambank restoration, wetland wildlife habitat, tree and shrub plantings for wildlife, hoop houses, cover cropping to improve soil and plant health, and planning, writing, and assisting in the implementation of grazing management systems.
(906) 251-3064
kelly.sippl@usda.gov

Michael Paling, Michigan Forester - American Bird Conservancy
Michael graduated from Michigan Technological University in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in Forestry. He comes to ABC after spending over two years working with private landowners as a forester for Michigan’s Forestry Assistance Program with conservation districts in Western Lower Michigan.
(906) 251-3065
mpaling@abcbirds.org
Michael graduated from Michigan Technological University in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in Forestry. He comes to ABC after spending over two years working with private landowners as a forester for Michigan’s Forestry Assistance Program with conservation districts in Western Lower Michigan.
(906) 251-3065
mpaling@abcbirds.org
Marquette County Conservation District Board of Directors:
Jeff Chiodi, Chairman (12/2025)
Randy Gentz, Vice Chair (12/2026)
Bernie Huetter, Secretary (12/2025)
Leah Kainulainen, Treasurer (12/2026)
Kevin Downs, Board member (12/2024)