Megan Mader joined the NWRPC team on June 6th, 2022 as a Community Development Specialist. We are excited to have her as the newest member of our staff! Get to know a little about Megan below...
What qualifications and/or work experience do you have that pertain to your position at NWRPC? I went to Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin where I worked for the Mary Griggs Burke Center for Freshwater Innovation as a research technician studying Lake Superior and inland lakes in the area. That work inspired me to major in Water Science and Ecological Restoration and minor in Writing. From Northland, I went to Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan where I worked for the Annis Water Resources Institute; studied the effects of shoreline and watershed development on fisheries and water quality; and received my master’s degree in Aquatic Biology. Following my education, I worked at Lake Education and Planning Services (LEAPS), where I worked with lake groups across the area to better their lakes through planning, management, implementation, and education. I wanted to study and work in natural resources because I love this area and am passionate about improving and maintaining our water quality, fisheries, habitat and so much more for the good of our amazing little communities and the generations that follow us.
What attracted you to want to work with our organization? I grew up in Fifield, Wisconsin – a small town in a rural area – and I fell in love with our woods and waters as a small child from catching bluegills off the dock to picking blackberries with Grandpa Bob and everything in between. I then went to college in Ashland and eventually moved to Hayward and where I began working on lakes across northwest Wisconsin. I am strongly entwined in this region because I have lived, worked, and played in each of the ten northwest counties. The NWRPC allows me to combine my interests in natural resources, engaging in our local area, participating in recreational activities, and ensuring that our lakes and rivers stay clean and flowing for a long time down the road.
What are you most proud of accomplishing in the past few years? The accomplishment I am most proud of is obtaining my master’s degree. For those who choose that path, I don’t think there are many who can truly say they were prepared for the amount of work and mental gymnastics involved in a natural resources research thesis – I certainly wasn’t. I will always place a high value on my education and will remember fondly the late nights of studying and statistical analysis!
What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? I love to be outdoors whether it is in the boat, tree stand, hiking trail, or garden. However, not much can top walking through the grouse woods on a nice fall day behind a bird dog.