We are so fortunate to have the passion and expertise of our two newest Trustees:
Jennine Kristianson of Millbrook (Kendall County) brings more than 25 years of experience in finance and marketing to the Trustee role, as well as a host of volunteerism and a genuine heart for nature and community. Volunteering and fundraising for organizations that align with her beliefs, including the Fox Valley Wildlife Center, American Cancer Society, Forest Foundation of Kendall County, her neighborhood’s HOA and The Conservation Foundation, has always been what keeps Jennine’s blood flowing and makes her feel fulfilled. It’s the same feeling I have when I am standing in the middle of a native prairie, atop a mountain range, in a vast woodland area, or among 20,000 fellow music fans,” shares Jennine. “That sense of connection to everything and everyone, and that overwhelming need to make the world a better place. Being a volunteer for The Conservation Foundation continues that feeling for me.”
Jennine and her husband Neil, when they’re not running their marketing and electronic communications company, love supporting local musicians and artists, traveling and exploring local nature. Hiking, gardening, prairie and woodland restoration and kayaking are some of Jennine’s favorite hobbies, and as for quirks, she can’t walk past a majestic tree, screaming Blue Jay, or busy pollinator without saying hello. We are so excited to have Jennine’s creativity and energy being applied to our mission!
John Rogner has had a career in government spanning over 3 decades and including both federal and state natural resource agencies. He started his career with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Chicago, eventually serving as Chief of the Regulatory Branch which regulates activities in wetlands and other waters. From there he moved to the Chicago Field Office of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, serving as Field Office Supervisor, Coordinator of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and finally as Project Manager for the establishment of the Hackmatack and Kankakee National Wildlife Refuges. He also chaired the Chicago Wilderness Steering Committee and Executive Council for 10 years. After his retirement from federal service in 2018, he was appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to serve as Assistant Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, a position he held until his retirement from IDNR in December 2023.
“In the foreword to A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold observed ‘there are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.’ Like Leopold, I am one who cannot,” said John. He was bit by the nature bug bit as a child, catching crayfish and frogs in his beloved Kishwaukee River. This expanded to wilderness adventures with his wife Sue in the Alaskan Arctic and Brazilian Pantanal in adulthood. John’s entire career has been spent conserving and restoring nature in the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond. “I’ve been a supporter of The Conservation Foundation for decades because The Conservation Foundation’s mission is perfectly aligned with my own values. I look forward to helping to conserve lands and waters close to home, which for me is Kane County.” John is also a passionate Beatles fan. I guess we know what we’ll be humming as we are working alongside John to save nearby nature!
Welcome, Jennine and John!