Meet Our Wildlife Staff

Victoria Arterberry is the Office Specialist in the wildlife programs section of the Division of Wildlife Resources. As the computer technical coordinator, she is responsible for website editing, updating the annual Hunting and Trapping Digest, designing/digitizing various publications and documents, harvest corrections and timekeeping. She also assists with CWD management related duties, bird banding operations, Conservation World and other various duties. She previously worked as the Office Coordinator in the Division of Wildlife and Office Associate in the licensing section of the Office of Strategic Services. She studied web design at Benedictine University and later obtained a degree in Microcomputer Applications & Systems. Victoria is from Edinburg, IL and outside of work enjoys traveling, fishing, camping, hunting, crafting and spending time with friends and family.

Chad Bartman is a Geographic Information Specialist II where he develops data collecting applications and maintains geographic datasets, including aerial deer surveys, CWD bait sites, hunter fact sheet maps, and on the rare occasion he manages to venture out into the field. He holds a Master of Arts in Geography from the University of Georgia, a bachelor’s in science in Biology from Illinois State University, among other distinctions in the field. Currently, he is responsible for managing, updating, and analyzing the Division's geographic information systems. Chad is a Senior Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy and currently works as the Operations Chief for Naval Mobile Construction Battalion TWO FIVE, as a result he has little to no time for any hobbies. He resides in Danvers, Illinois, with his wife Kristie and son Clayton.

Phil Borsdorf is the Hunter Heritage Program Manager whose focus is to increase public interest and participation in hunting/trapping and wildlife conservation throughout Illinois. He obtained his B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from UW-Stevens Point and M.S. in Wildlife Science from Texas Tech University. Phil previously worked for IDNR on the Habitat Team in Gibson City, and as a District Natural Heritage Biologist in south/southwestern Illinois. Outside of IDNR, he worked for the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) on the Conservation Reserve Program, and as a technician on exotic snail and lesser prairie-chicken research projects. Phil grew up in Jo Daviess County and is passionate about wildlife and habitat restoration, natural-areas, hunting turkeys, deer, small game, and waterfowl, and spending time with his wife and son.

Kaleigh Gabriel is a Wildlife Outreach Specialist from National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC) on contract with IDNR's Springfield office. Kaleigh is involved with many of the online presences regarding Illinois wildlife such as Hunt Illinois, Wildlife Illinois and CICAIDA, assists with publishing the annual Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping, and writes for the Outdoor Illinois Journal. Kaleigh also manages the Illinois Windshield Card system. She graduated from Manchester University (North Manchester, IN) with a B.S. in Professional Writing/Editing in 2021 and has worked for a variety of publications. Raised on a small farm just outside of Rochester, IL, Kaleigh's childhood was filled with many experiences hunting, fishing, trapping, and camping. Outside of work, Kaleigh enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends.

Luke Garver is the Wild Turkey Project Manager at IDNR, where he compiles and analyzes information regarding wild turkey harvest, reproduction, and habitat management. Luke is also the campaign lead for the Forest and Woodland Campaign of the Illinois Wildlife Action Plan. In this role he helps coordinate with land managers and researchers on the maintenance and enhancement of Illinois’ forested habitats and the species that rely on them.Luke has a BS from the University of Illinois and an MS from Texas A&M University – Kingsville. He strives to use his prior experience in private land stewardship and natural resource conservation to contribute to the management of wildlife resources in Illinois. Luke is from Jacksonville, IL and tries to find time for all outdoor pursuits with his family. He enjoys hunting a variety of game, particularly deer, turkey, waterfowl, doves and grouse.

Nate Grider serves as the senior manager for the Wildlife Programs Section in the Springfield office. The Programs Section includes our subject matter experts for forest, wetland, and upland wildlife, hunter heritage, disease/invasive species and wildlife diversity. The Programs Section works to manage populations and guide hunting regulations and policy. Nate’s work with IDNR started after graduating high school by volunteering on lake, pond, and stream surveys in Region 4. He went on to earn his B.S. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Science from the University of Illinois, Springfield (UIS). He also earned his M.S. in Biology at UIS and studied diets, growth rates, and body conditions of a reintroduced population of Alligator Gar for his thesis in coordination with IDNR. During his studies he served as an intern at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, and served as a Graduate Public Service Intern at IDNR. Nate’s employment at IDNR started in 2011 where he has since gained diverse experience in land reclamation at mine sites, aquatic and terrestrial species management and research, and habitat management. He previously served as the manager of the Impact Assessment Section overseeing the Department’s internal and external environmental impact reviews of construction and development projects on state and federally listed species, state protected lands, wetlands, non-game and game species, and public outdoor recreation in coordination with local, state, and federal agencies. Nate’s passion for the outdoors and conservation started with romping around the woods and waterbodies of Montgomery County where he was raised. He enjoys hunting, fishing, camping with family, and conducting wildlife habitat improvement projects on the family farm in Montgomery County in his free time. He lives in Springfield with his wife Natalie, and two daughters, Hadley and Caroline.

Don Kahl is the Ag/Grassland Program Manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources. Don has a bachelor's degree in Environmental Biology from Blackburn College and a master's degree in Range and Wildlife Management from Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Prior to joining IDNR in February 2021, Don worked as a Farm Bill Biologist in Southeast Colorado for Pheasants Forever. He also worked as a District Wildlife Biologist and a Regional Migratory Game Bird Specialist in West Texas for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). While working for TPWD, Don led the development and administration of the Texas Playa Conservation Initiative, a regional-scale, multi-agency conservation program focused on the restoration of playa wetlands on private lands. After 15 years away, he's excited to have returned to his home state of Illinois, applying his experience and contributing to the mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources. Don, his wife Samantha, and his sons Rowan and Wesley, live in Carlinville, IL. Don enjoys spending his time hunting and fishing, while also camping with his family. His goal is to purchase a piece of property where he and his family can enjoy their weekends in the field, while also working to manage wildlife habitat and populations.

Jocelyn Killday is a Wildlife Programs Graduate Public Service Intern where she assists with various projects within the Wildlife Division. Jocelyn has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science with a geology focus from Westminster College, located in Fulton, MO. She is currently working towards her master’s degree in environmental planning and management at the University of Illinois, Springfield. Jocelyn is responsible for assisting in DNR website updates and management, administering nuisance control projects, and various other tasks as assigned. In her free time, Jocelyn enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with her friends.

Doug is the Wetland Wildlife Program Manager for the Division of Wildlife. He is originally from eastern Ohio, where he grew up being involved in the outdoors. Doug completed a B.S. in biology at Muskingum University and an M.S. in zoology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. After graduate school, he worked for the Forbes Biological Station in Havana, IL, and then for the Ohio DNR as the state waterfowl biologist. Most recently, he was restoring wetlands and prairie within the Prairie Pothole Region of Minnesota while working for Ducks Unlimited. Outside of work, Doug enjoys fishing, hunting, camping, and hiking with his family.

Patrick McDonald is a wildlife biometrician in the Forest Wildlife Program. Patrick manages the statewide database for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), leads the current osprey recovery project, and is the project leader of the W-99-R Statewide Wildlife Surveys, Planning, Investigations and Program Development grant. CWD management is one of the Division’s top priorities. Patrick is responsible for managing, updating and analyzing the Division’s CWD database so our managers and biologists can take appropriate actions to best manage the disease. In addition, Patrick established the first translocation effort for ospreys in Illinois to help recover this state-listed endangered species. Patrick, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, is an avid bicyclist, and enjoys playing recreational hockey, camping, hiking and fishing.

Dan McGuire is an Office Coordinator for the IDNR Division of Wildlife who focuses on BidBuy purchasing for the field staff, serves as a timekeeper, an administrator of a petty cash fund and performs various other duties as the need arises. Dan started in the work force doing long distance telecom for a company that provided long distance service for local exchange carriers to resell to their subscribers. Prior to joining the Wildlife Department, he worked at IDNR in the Land Reclamation Division who is responsible for permitting all coal mining operations in the state of Illinois and ensuring that lands affected by mining are returned to productive uses. Dan has a bachelor’s degree in International Studies with an emphasis in German and Business Administration. Dan is a sports fan and music enthusiast who enjoys watching movies from the golden age of Hollywood and comedies. He is from New Berlin, Illinois.

Stan McTaggart is the new Program Manager for the Wildlife Diversity Program at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This program includes oversight of furbearer hunting and trapping regulations, furbearer research and population monitoring, nuisance wildlife regulations and threatened and endangered species recovery for the Wildlife Division. Stan received a B.S. in Zoology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a M.S. in Biological Sciences from Eastern Illinois University. His thesis focused on colony composition and demographics of beaver colonies in Illinois. Over his career he has worked with threatened and endangered species, managed state and federal public lands, provided technical guidance to private landowners for habitat management and natural community restoration, monitored wildlife populations and participated in disease surveillance and management for chronic wasting disease and managed the Agriculture and Grassland Wildlife Program. Stan grew up on a small farm in central Illinois and enjoys introducing others to the outdoors. Most of his free time is spent bow hunting, fishing, chasing waterfowl, upland game, wild turkey and trying to get his 2 children involved in these activities. His trapping experience has primarily focused on beaver and removing nuisance animals, but he has plans to give coyote trapping a try.

Hyler Pence is a Wildlife Graduate Public Service Intern (GPSI) where he assists with many different Wildlife Division projects and activities. Hyler has a Biology undergraduate degree from University of Illinois Springfield and leads project implementation and planning with the UIS Green Fee Committee, among other distinctions in the field. He is currently working towards his M.S. in Environmental Studies at University of Illinois Springfield with an interest in sustainable policy and development. Hyler is responsible for helping update and managing the various DNR Wildlife websites and other projects as assigned. In his free time Hyler enjoys working at the Otter Lake Bait Shop, kayaking and spending time with his fiancé and their 5 pets.

Nicole Sandidge is the Executive Secretary II for the Division of Wildlife and assistant to the Chief of Wildlife in the Springfield office. One of her main duties is creating and tracking the budget for the Division of Wildlife. She is responsible for preparing and editing purchase requests, contracts, and other procurement documents, entering procurement documents into Bidbuy for bidding and purchasing, processing all wildlife invoices, ordering supplies for the division, and serves as timekeeper for several wildlife division employees. Nicole has been with the State of Illinois for 18 years and with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources since 2014. While with IDNR, she has worked for the Licensing Section in the Office of Strategic Services and Consultation Services in the Office of Realty and Capital Planning. Nicole resides in Athens, IL with her husband Richard and 3 daughters. In her free time, she enjoys boating, camping, spending time with friends & family, and watching her daughters who are active in several sports.

Peter Schlichting is the Deer Project Manager at IDNR, where he compiles, analyzes, and presents information regarding white-tailed deer management in Illinois. Peter was born and raised in Springfield, IL and attended the University of Illinois. He subsequently received his masters at Stony Brook University in Anthropology and a PhD at Texas Tech University in Wildlife Biology. He started his field work as a technician with the Illinois Natural History Survey and has worked across the US and internationally in Costa Rica, Madagascar, and Belarus. He has published numerous scientific papers on a range of wildlife, including wild pigs, large carnivores, and amphibians. He enjoys the great outdoors (fishing, hunting, hiking), playing tennis and volleyball, and traveling.

Dan Skinner is the Forest Wildlife Program Manager in Springfield, where he plans, develops and evaluates activities within the Forest Wildlife Program, including overseeing management and hunting of white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and squirrels. He is also responsible for coordinating research on forest wildlife species. Dan has a B.S. in fish and wildlife conservation from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before joining IDNR in 2019, Dan worked as a Colorado Wildlife Officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife and later as a Wildlife Disease Biologist for the United States Department of Agriculture. Dan seeks to protect and enhance the wildlife resources of the state of Illinois, drawing from his prior experience managing diverse wildlife populations on public and private land. Dan grew up on a corn and soybean farm in rural Sangamon County and currently lives in Chatham with his son, daughter, and hound mix, Huckleberry. Outside of work, Dan enjoys traveling with his family, hunting deer, doves, and squirrels, cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals, and working in his vegetable garden.

Mike Wefer is the Chief of the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources where he oversees all management responsibilities of the Division, including the Division budget, legislation, Pittman-Robertson projects, and implementation of hunting and trapping seasons. Mike joined the Wildlife Division in 1998. He has served as Wildlife Field Operations Section Head, Ag and Grassland Wildlife Program Manager, District Wildlife Biologist, and Associate Wildlife Biologist. Prior to joining the IDNR, Mike worked as a Biological Scientist Supervisor for the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission, as a contract biologist for the Tennessee Valley Authority, and as a Ranger Assistant for the DuPage County Forest Preserve District. Mike received his bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University in Zoology and his master’s in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has been active in the Wildlife Society since graduate school. Mike has been married to his college sweetheart, Maria since 1989. They live in Morton Illinois and have 4 children, Bethany, Henry, Sarah, and Daniel. Bethany is currently serving in the US Navy. Mike enjoys riding his bike, bow hunting in his ghillie suit, stream fishing, watching his kids grow up, and serving in local missions. Mike grew up on a hog and grain farm near Shobonier, Illinois (Fayette County).

Megan Dassow is a District Wildlife Biologist based out of Gibson City. Megan assists with habitat development and improvement on state sites to provide hunters and outdoor enthusiasts with enhanced recreational opportunities. She also conducts wildlife surveys, wildlife disease investigations, participates in statewide migratory bird banding efforts, and assists the public with wildlife and hunting related inquires. Megan has over 15 years of field experience in wildlife management gained through a variety of work experiences across the United States and Canada. She obtained her B.S. in Zoology with a focus in Wildlife Management from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Megan enjoys spending her free-time, outdoors with her husband and their son. In the fall they can be found waterfowl or upland bird hunting on the family farm with their black labs.

Roy Domazlicky is a Regional Wildlife Biologist based in the Region 2 office in Bartlett where he supervises District Wildlife Biologists in the northern half of Illinois. While specializing in birds, especially waterfowl, Roy coordinates with and assists DWB’s in managing all wildlife populations and habitats. He performs administrative duties such as setting management goals, purchasing, budgeting, coordinating rule making, conducting evaluations, and other day-to-day management tasks. He also participates in wildlife field activities including aerial waterfowl surveys, upland bird surveys, furbearer surveys, disease monitoring, and banding programs. He also routinely responds to public concerns, questions, and nuisance animal complaints. Roy has a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Management and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science and has served IDNR for 18 years. Originally from Berwyn, Illinois, Roy is married with one child and is a hunter, fisherman, and triathlete.

Stefanie Fitzsimons is a District Wildlife Biologist where she coordinates the local State Park hunting programs, conducts wildlife surveys and habitat management, assists the public with wildlife issues and questions, leads the Chronic Wasting Disease Management laboratory and sharpshooting effort for the area, and is a Squad Boss for the IDNR Wildland Firefighter Crew. Stefanie has assisted in creating new hunting programs at Illinois Beach State Park and Moraine Hills State Park. Stefanie is continuously towards better youth hunting opportunities and new programs for the hunting population of the Chicagoland area. Stefanie is an avid outdoor sportswoman, runner, and bagpiper from McHenry, Illinois.

Mat Foster is an Natural Resource Technician II with the Habitat Team out of Gibson City. Mat is responsible for assisting in seeding and maintaining habitat areas in a 7+ county area in East Central Illinois. He is also responsible for helping to maintain all equipment for the team. His jobs include air flow seeding of native grasses and forbs in the winter, doing prescribed burns in the spring and summer, spraying and mowing plots in preparation for new seeding, spring and fall conservation seeding of plots with native grasses and forbs, as well as seeding firebreaks with cool season grasses and legumes. His experience with 30 years of farming as well as 15+ years with IDOT leave him more than capable of these accomplishments. His years on the line with PBL in football help give him the drive to accomplish. In his spare time, Mat likes to garden and spend time with his family.

Greg Fretueg is a District Wildlife Biologist based out of Havana, IL where his primary focus is wetland and waterfowl management along the Illinois River. Most of Greg’s time is spent managing wildlife habitat, conducting wildlife surveys, and banding Canada geese, mourning doves, and wood ducks. Greg coordinates various habitat management projects including prescribed burns, invasive species control, and timber stand improvement. Greg enjoys watching sports and is from Rushville, IL.

Mitch Hess is a Natural Resource Advanced Specialist where he manages the W-76-D grant which is a federal grant used to improve wildlife habitat on state properties. Mitch is an outdoor enthusiast and hunter/trapper. Mitch grew up on a farm in west central Indiana. He attended Purdue University and received his B.S. in Wildlife Science. While attending Purdue, he worked for Purdue’s Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resources. There he did a lot of forestry and silviculture practices as well as worked for a PhD student doing research on prairie and savanna restoration. After graduation, he took a job with Pheasants Forever as a Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist in Ohio. After working there, he obtained a job with Indiana’s DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife as the Assistant Property Manager of a state fish and wildlife area. From there he moved to New Hampshire to work for NRCS while his wife worked on her PhD at MIT. Once she graduated, they moved to Illinois and he continued to work for NRCS. He then took a job with the Illinois Natural History Survey as the Assistant Ag Habitat Program Manager. He conducted research on migratory shorebirds that come through Illinois, with a focus on the American Golden Plover. He also worked with private landowners and farms to create habitat in agriculture fields for shorebirds during their stopover in Illinois before assuming his current position.

Matt Hunsaker is a District Wildlife Biologist based out of the Des Plaines Game Propagation Center in Wilmington Illinois. Matt is responsible for coordinating wildlife management activities on numerous state parks, fish & wildlife areas, and pheasant habitat areas. Other job duties include banding geese, wood ducks and doves, wildlife surveys, including furbearer, upland songbird, upland point counts, and the Northeast Illinois Waterfowl Survey. Matt is a member of the Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) program as well. Matt has his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a master’s degree in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Prior to his graduate schooling he worked for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on a large CWD related research project involving GPS collaring White-tailed deer. He looks forwarding to returning to his home state and contributing to the mission of the Division of Wildlife Resources. Matt, his soon to be wife, Michelle, and bird dog Maylee currently reside in Wilmington and is a native of Hudson, IL. Matt enjoys spending his time outdoors, hunting, fishing, golfing, and skiing, all while spending time with close friends.   

Maureen Hurd is a District Wildlife Biologist based out of Victoria, IL where she is responsible for coordinating habitat management at state parks, habitat areas, and fish and wildlife areas. She also manages hunting programs, conducts wildlife surveys, handles nuisance wildlife issues, and assists with Chronic Wasting Disease management. Maureen received a B.S. in Biology from Grand Valley State University of Allendale, Michigan and her M.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before accepting this position, she worked as a Natural Heritage Resident with IDNR. She is originally from Hudsonville, Michigan and enjoys hiking, biking, kayaking, water-skiing and wakeboarding.

Chris Jacques is the Program Manager for Wildlife Disease, Large Carnivores and Invasive Species at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. This program includes coordinating wildlife diseases (particularly CWD management and monitoring EHD outbreaks) and all activities related to feral swine and large carnivores for the Wildlife Division. Chris earned Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in wildlife and fisheries sciences from South Dakota State University, and a B.S. in wildlife ecology from the University of Maine. Chris was previously an Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology at Western Illinois University (2012-2021), and Natural Resources Research Scientist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (2007-2012). He has published numerous scientific papers on a range of wildlife taxa, and extensively on infectious diseases of cervids. Chris is a Wildlife Biologist certified by The Wildlife Society, was the President of the Illinois Chapter of The Wildlife Society, is currently a member of the IDNR Endangered Species Technical Advisory Committee for mammals, and has held past or ongoing editorial appointments for the Prairie Naturalist, Journal of Wildlife Management, Wildlife Society Bulletin, and the Journal of Mammalogy. Chris grew up in Thomaston, Maine, and spent most of his time hunting, fishing, and trapping his family property and neighboring coastal wetlands. He is married to Tara Jacques and they have an 18-year old son, Matthew, and a 15-year old daughter, Kylie. Chris enjoys most any outdoor activity, but has a special love for archery hunting deer. When not pursuing deer, Chris enjoys running, playing pickle ball with Matthew, and supporting Kylie's dance obsession.

Sam Klimas is a District Wildlife Biologist based out of Lacon, IL where he is responsible for coordinating wetland and waterfowl management at the many state fish and wildlife areas along the Peoria Pool of the Illinois River. He also conducts wildlife surveys, bands migratory birds, and works with the public to mitigate nuisance wildlife issues within his district. He received a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his M.S. in Biology from Western Illinois University. Prior to coming to the DNR, Sam gained valuable experience researching waterfowl and wetlands of the Illinois River with the Illinois Natural History Survey at Forbes Biological Station in Havana. Sam is from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota and enjoys hunting, fishing, and watching hockey games with family and friends.

Wade Louis is the Habitat Team Program Manager. The Habitat Team is responsible for grassland management on state owned Pheasant Habitat Area’s in east-central Illinois. The Habitat Team prescribes management treatments designed to enhance and promote grassland dependent species and provide recreational opportunities for upland hunting. Wade enjoys spending time with his family, hunting, fishing and finding creative ways to incorporate both activities together. Wade spends most of his off time with his wife following their three children to sporting and school events.

Jacob Lux is a District Wildlife Biologist in West Central Illinois. Before joining the IDNR Wildlife Division Jake worked for the Illinois Natural History Survey appointed to the IDNR's Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Ducks Unlimited working with the Illinois Department of Agriculture on the Fall Cover for Spring Savings program. Jake earned his Bachelor's degree in Zoology from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Jake lives in Beardstown, IL with his wife and dog. In Jake's free time he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his wife and dog.

Tim Preuss is the Urban Deer Project Manager assisting private landowners, homeowner’s associations, municipalities, forest preserve districts, and other land management organizations experiencing issues with white-tailed deer in urban environments. IDNR’s role in urban deer management is that of an extension service to assist public and private landowners that are interested in alternatives for managing urban white-tailed deer and abating deer-related damage. Tim strives to facilitate the needs of landowners and work cooperatively with them in addressing their deer management needs by providing up-to-date information on deer biology, ecology, and deer management alternatives, and providing professional assistance in designing, implementing, and evaluating site-specific, long-term deer management programs. Tim is a Certified Wildlife Biologist by The Wildlife Society. He has a B.S. in wildlife management from Purdue University, an M.S. in conservation biology from Central Michigan University, and worked for various organizations (including Purdue University, Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lake County Forest Preserve District, and U.S. Department of Agriculture) before coming to IDNR in 2017. Tim has been working in the field of wildlife management since 1999 and has worked on urban deer management issues since 2007. Tim resides in northeast Illinois and enjoys spending time with his family, as well as hiking, canoeing, camping, fishing, shooting sports, and reading.

Joe Rogus is a District Wildlife Biologist based at the Des Plaines Game Propagation Center in Wilmington Illinois. Joe is responsible for Coordinating wildlife management on state parks, fish & wildlife areas and private land within his district. He conducts wildlife surveys, assists the public with wildlife issues, administers Ag leases, manages hunting/trapping programs and assists with the Chronic Wasting Disease program. Joe enjoys horseback riding, snowmobiling, boating, skiing, camping and travel. Joe is married to his wife Amy and lives in Minooka, IL.

Kelly Smith is an Office Coordinator at the Gibson City office. She’s responsible for the typical day to day operations and keeping the office organized and running smoothly. She also helps with voucher payments, petty cash, and assists with purchase requests for the W-76-D Program. Kelly has an associate's degree in Medical Assisting and has previously worked as a home care CNA. She decided to go back to doing office work in which she has over 18 years of experience working in the clerical field. She has previously worked as a temporary Office Associate for Department of Public Health (Champaign), the Guardianship & Advocacy Commission (Champaign), and the Department of Children & Family Services (Urbana). She recently transferred from the Moraine View State Recreation Area in Leroy where she worked as an Office Coordinator. Kelly has one daughter named Gabby and a shih-tzu named Zoey. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, going on road trips/mini-vacations, reading, watching tv/movies, cooking and making crafts.

Nicky Strahl is a Wildlife Biologist and a Hunter Heritage Biologist for Northern Illinois. Nicky assists the wildlife and other teams by conducting ground goose and waterfowl surveys, CWD surveillance and management, conducting grassland bird counts, harvest records for games species on managed lands, implements drawings for hunting opportunities on managed lands, conducts roadkill surveys, conducts spotlight route surveys, prescribed burns, endangered and threatened species surveys, waterfowl banding operations, upland bird banding operations, hunter fact sheet revisions/upload, refreshing of living with wildlife website, state fair wildlife/heritage tent logistics, deer check station, education of public in hunting heritage, R3, and general urban wildlife information dispersal, and assisting the public with nuisance wildlife issues. Also, Nicky helps the Learn to Hunt team when and where possible to assist other hunters, especially after their program completes, she helps get them into the lottery system and walks the public lands with them to help familiarize themselves with how public land hunts realistically function. She also is a certified hunter safety instructor. In her past, Nicky has been an ecologist and project manager for various private sector teams in the northwest suburbs of Chicago for the past 10 years. Her professional experience includes ecological consulting, ecosystem restoration (including planning, monitoring, and implementation), supervision of field crews, and performing fieldwork including prescribed burning, wetland delineations, and vegetation assessments. She also prepares and delivers public education and outreach materials and presentations to disseminate information to the general public. Nicky is a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, has received OSHA 30-hour General Industry training, and holds a Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s license in Illinois. Before entering into the private sector in 2007, she has worked or volunteered in some capacity since 1995, starting as a technician with Lake County Forest Preserve District's Youth Conservation Corps. Returning to Illinois in 2001, she acted as the steward for Wright Woods Forest Preserve within the Lake County Forest Preserve District, a Certified Interpretive at a local zoo, and as a wildlife coordinator and monitor for the Chicago Wilderness Habitat Project in Lake County. Nicky also volunteered in a variety of roles including monitoring populations of butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians, bats, songbirds, and banding waterfowl. Nicky is a member for the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, Society for Ecological Restoration, Wildlife Society, Ecological Society of America, and The Land Conservancy of McHenry County. She is a single mother of two young children (Gwen-8 and Jameson-6), who enjoys going out on "backyard adventures", as well as historical adventures across America. Their favorite vacation locations include the Northwoods near Marquette, Michigan (where her undergraduate degree was obtained from: Northern Michigan University), to extended family members localities, or Colonial Williamsburg. Her passions include learning nearly anything outside, survival and historical living techniques, and ancient civilizations. Nicky is a self-taught first-generation hunter and is looking forward to bringing her children into this great sport with ethics and kindness in mind! She, her kids, and their dog (Liberty) have too many hobbies to list, but in short, they all just enjoy life together and spending time together with other friends with whom they teach a great many things to!

Jared Trickey is a District Wildlife Biologist in North Central Illinois based out of Green River State Wildlife Area. He frequently works on public wildlife issues/questions, hunting and trapping programs on state owned property, habitat management planning, and Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance in Whitetail Deer. Throughout the year, Jared will conduct wildlife surveys, handle nuisance wildlife calls, band a variety of migratory birds, and complete habitat improvement projects within his coverage area. Jared received his bachelor's degree in Environmental & Renewable Resource Management from the State University of New York at Morrisville. Since graduating, Jared has worked for various natural resource management agencies and organizations across the country, from Wolf population surveying in Idaho to prescribe fire in Georgia. Most recently he was the Northern IL Prescribed Fire Coordinator with Pheasants Forever. Jared is still heavily involved with PF as a chapter volunteer, conducting habitat management on private lands in Northern IL. Jared hopes to improve habitat for wildlife and increase recreational opportunity on public lands for various users, especially hunters and trappers.

Beth Weber is a District Wildlife Biologist based out of Savanna, IL where she works with various public lands sites within her district working on wildlife habitat management and the various hunting programs. She conducts wildlife surveys, bands migratory birds, monitors wildlife diseases, and deals with other wildlife management concerns. She received a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Math from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, IA and her M.S. in Conservation Biology from Illinois State University. Beth grew up on a hog, cattle, and grain farm near Danbury, Iowa and enjoys hiking, kayaking, exploring new places, and small-town festivals.

Ben Williams is the Urban Waterfowl Project Manager in the Wetland Wildlife Program where he provides IDNR staff and the public with technical assistance on urban waterfowl issues, including nuisance issues. He coordinates Canada goose nest destruction permits as well as other migratory bird issues within the state. Ben assists the program manager by providing recommendations on research, hunting plans, and other various waterfowl issues. He also serves on the Mississippi Flyway Non-game Bird Technical Section. He is originally from Minnesota, where he earned his B.Sc. at the University of Minnesota Crookston but moved to Illinois to earn his M.Sc. at the University of Illinois studying waterfowl spring migration. Ben enjoys spending his free time in duck blinds and tree stands, or fishing, camping, hiking, exploring the outdoors, and watching sports.

Kaleb Wood is a Hunter Heritage District Wildlife Biologist based out of Champaign, where his focus is increasing recreational opportunities and access for hunters in Illinois while improving habitat conditions. He received his B.S. in Environmental Biology from Eastern Illinois University. Before achieving this title, he gained experience the with INHS, NGRREC, Macon County Conservation District, and as a Wildlife Intern and Natural Heritage Graduate Resident with the IDNR. Outside of work he enjoys hunting, fishing, dirt racing, hiking with his dogs, or working on the farm he grew up on.