Meet the Prospective Board Members!

As you all know, ECD will be electing two new directors to our board at our annual meeting on January 30th. As a resident of Eaton County, you have the ability to vote to elect our newest leaders in conservation. Read below to get to know who you're voting for:

Debra Montgomery:

Hello, I am Debra Montgomery, a 30-year resident of Carmel Township in Eaton County. I'm a retired School Social Worker and a graduate of Michigan State University Master of Social Work program. I work part time for Vern Stephens owner of Designs by Nature and operate a native plant nursery out of my home.
I have a strong interest in learning about natural communities, ecology and wildlife preservation. I have received a certificate of completion in permaculture from Cornell Extended learning Program and the Finger Lake Permaculture Institute. I have completed the Master Gardener and the Master Naturalist program through the MSU extension. To increase my knowledge of lakes, streams and watershed functions I have completed the Michigan Lakes and Streams Leadership Institute and am a Michigan Certified Natural Shoreline professional. I completed the Conservation Steward program which emphasizes knowledge of Michigan Natural Features Inventory: including prairies, woodlands, and water ways. These varied classes provided me exceptional exposure to the varied conservatories, parks, and native areas of this state and an understanding of the work needed to restore and protect these unique communities.
I regularly attend conservation/wildlife conferences, workshops, and trainings. The topics include invasive species identification and removal, creating gardens with native plants to promote pollinator and wildlife value, and community organization.
I am a member of the Red Cedar Wild Ones, Wildflower Association of Michigan, Michigan Nut Growers Association, and Michigan Nature Association. I readily volunteer my time to promote conservation projects. Recent volunteer activities include the planting of native gardens: at the Eaton Conservation District office, Calvin College Eco-preserve, Eaton Rapids, and a shoreline restoration in the Village of Sparta. I have partnered with Trout Unlimited, the Plaster Creek Stewarts and Michigan Audubon. I have participated in several native plant sales, partnering with various conservation districts and other native plant organizations. I am a trustee for Carmel Township and a board member/secretary for the Charlotte Area Recreation Coop.
I would like to use my passion and knowledge of the natural communities to promote the restoration and protection of Eaton Counties natural resources. If elected, I will be an active, well-informed, and enthused member of the Eaton Conservation District board, assisting their efforts to support area residents in creating, caring and connecting to their native space.

Timothy Sabourin:

Tim Sabourin is a recently retired supply chain manager from two fortune fifty companies. Mr. Sabourin has duel bachelor degrees in Geography and Environmental Science from Grand Rapids Aquinas College. Tim currently serves as a member of the Windsor Township Planning Commission. He shares his passion for reading by delivering books to the homebound. Tim's other interests include hunting, fishing, golf, geology, antiquing, and creating wildlife habitat on his Windsor Township homestead. Tim's current objectives are looking for opportunities to preserve our natural environment while learning from and educating others.

Holly Schaeffer:

Holly Schaeffer was born and raised on the shoreline of CT, where her dad taught her appreciation for the outdoors and raising food, and mom taught the value of food preservation. Her interest in plants followed her journey to college.  She attended the University of Maine-Orono, where she earned her B. S. in Biochemistry and did research on potato anaerobic stress.  She then continued researching plant environmental stress physiology at Michigan State University, where she earned her Ph. D. in Plant Molecular Genetics. 

After brief postdoctoral experiences in AZ and OK, she returned to MI doing pesticide residue analysis on apples, and earned her secondary science teacher certification. Holly has taught at the secondary and post-secondary level for the last 20 years in the mid-Michigan area and has worked with several state and university groups developing science curriculum based on the science standards including the Next Generation Science Standards that serve as the new MI science curriculum. She currently teaches Environmental Biology at Lansing Community College.

While Holly's professional efforts have focused on science education, she also has a strong drive for serving her community, including time as a firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), American Red Cross local and national disaster volunteer and instructor, American Red Cross and American Heart Association first aid and CPR instructor, Science Olympiad and Science Adventure Camp volunteer, and participates in a number of organizations, giving presentations at annual conferences.  She has also served as the chair of Promotion and Education with the Eaton County Farm Bureau for the past ten years with projects ranging from elementary poster contests to the petting barn at the Eaton county 4H fair.

Holly lives with her husband, Ken Poff northwest of Charlotte, on 115-acre MAEAP-verified Frog Heaven Farms, where they raise honeybees and greenhouse crops in addition to a corn-bean rotation of field crops. Last year, the produce and honey were sold at the Vermontville farmer's market, which Holly coordinated.
Holly Schaeffer was born and raised on the shoreline of CT, where her dad taught her appreciation for the outdoors and raising food, and mom taught the value of food preservation. Her interest in plants followed her journey to college.  She attended the University of Maine-Orono, where she earned her B. S. in Biochemistry and did research on potato anaerobic stress.  She then continued researching plant environmental stress physiology at Michigan State University, where she earned her Ph. D. in Plant Molecular Genetics. 

After brief postdoctoral experiences in AZ and OK, she returned to MI doing pesticide residue analysis on apples, and earned her secondary science teacher certification. Holly has taught at the secondary and post-secondary level for the last 20 years in the mid-Michigan area and has worked with several state and university groups developing science curriculum based on the science standards including the Next Generation Science Standards that serve as the new MI science curriculum. She currently teaches Environmental Biology at Lansing Community College.

While Holly's professional efforts have focused on science education, she also has a strong drive for serving her community, including time as a firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), American Red Cross local and national disaster volunteer and instructor, American Red Cross and American Heart Association first aid and CPR instructor, Science Olympiad and Science Adventure Camp volunteer, and participates in a number of organizations, giving presentations at annual conferences.  She has also served as the chair of Promotion and Education with the Eaton County Farm Bureau for the past ten years with projects ranging from elementary poster contests to the petting barn at the Eaton county 4H fair.

Holly lives with her husband, Ken Poff northwest of Charlotte, on 115-acre MAEAP-verified Frog Heaven Farms, where they raise honeybees and greenhouse crops in addition to a corn-bean rotation of field crops. Last year, the produce and honey were sold at the Vermontville farmer's market, which Holly coordinated.