People Directory

Staff Members

John Downing headshot
Director
Chester Park 141

Minnesota Sea Grant
141 Chester Park
31 West College Street
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

John Bilotta headshot
Water Resource Management and Policy Extension Educator
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 131

173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Cait Dettmann
Graphic and Visual Design Associate
Chester Park 140/149

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Heidi Ferris smiles at the camera wearing warm layers with bare trees in the background.
Environmental Literacy & Workforce Development Extension Educator
October 28, 2024 to present
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 140

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Alex Frie headshot
Research and Fellowship Coordinator
Chester Park 145

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Julianne Grenn smiles in front of a brick background.
Fisheries & Aquaculture Extension Educator
January 2025 - present
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 144

Minnesota Sea Grant
179B McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

A black and white portrait of Katherine Hardie smiling at the camera.
Fiscal Officer
Chester Park 147

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

John R. (Jack) Jones
Adjunct Extension Professor
Chester Park 140
Maggie Karschnia
Minnesota Sea Grant & Water Resources Center Stormwater Extension Educator
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 131

173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Kelsey Prihoda headshot
Sea Grant Great Lakes Transportation Extension Educator
Chester Park 135

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Madison Rodman headshot
Resilience Extension Educator
Chester Park 139

Minnesota Sea Grant
131 Chester Park
31 West College Street
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Amy Schrank headshot
Extension Program Leader (2023); Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 137

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Don Schreiner headshot
Fisheries Specialist
2014-present
Chester Park 144

Minnesota Sea Grant
138 Chester Park
31 West College Street
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Amanda Shie headshot
Communications Associate
Chester Park 137/149

Minnesota Sea Grant
149 Chester Park
31 West College Street
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Minnesota Sea Grant Aquaculture Extension Associate Kieran Smith
Aquaculture Extension Associate
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 144

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Hilarie Sorensen headshot
Water Resources Extension Educator
Chester Park 133

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Fred Sproat Headshot
Executive Office Administrative Specialist
Chester Park 143

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Marie Thoms headshot
Communications Director
Chester Park 149

Minnesota Sea Grant
149 Chester Park
31 West College Street
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Impermanent employees

A portrait of Madison Bell smiling at the camera in a black T-shirt and tan coveralls with a stream and forest in the background.
Aquaculture Research and Outreach Assistant
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 129

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Fisheries Research Technician
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 144

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Yellow Perch Lab Technician
McNeal Hall 173

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Student interns

Thomas (Tommy) Belschner smiles at the camera against a background of forest.
Water Safety Community-Engaged Intern
June 2 - August 8, 2025
Chester Park 129

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Bldg
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Kaleb Dahn next to a Gypsy Vanner foal.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Intern
May 19 - August 29, 2025
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 129

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Charlie Fischer smiles standing on a shoreline while holding a bass fish.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Intern
June 2 - August 29, 2025
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 129

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Front Office Specialist
Chester Park 132

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Front Office Specialist
Chester Park 132

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Minnesota Sea Grant Enhancing Fish Habitat and Species Diversity in Invasive Cattail-Dominated Shorelines Intern
May 19 - October 1, 2025

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Alexander Swartz smiles while crouching in a shaded forest.
Minnesota Sea Grant Enhancing Fish Habitat and Species Diversity in Invasive Cattail-Dominated Shorelines Intern
May 19 - October 1, 2025
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 129

Minnesota Sea Grant
173 McNeal Hall
1985 Buford Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

Fellows

2025 Sea Grant Knauss Fellow
2025 Sea Grant Knauss Fellow
Reid Brown, a man wearing brown overalls with long red hair, smiles in front of a canal.
MNSG Science & Policy Fellow

1200 Warner Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55106
United States

MNSG Science & Policy Fellow

31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States

Claire Rude smiling against a brick wall background.
Research Fellow
135 Skok Hall/Chester Park 129

135 Skok Hall
2003 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States

MNSG Science & Policy Fellow

4787 Midway Rd.
Duluth, MN 55811
United States

Joeseph Rabaey
Postdoctoral Fellow
5/24/2023 - 7/1/2025
Chester Park 129

Graduate Research Assistants

Quinn Whiting, a bald man in a cream shirt, smiles against a background of green hill and forest.
Graduate Research Assistant
Hybrid work schedule.

Minnesota Sea Grant
31 W. College St.
Chester Park Building
Duluth, MN 55812
United States