People Directory

Staff Members

John A. Downing

John Downing headshot
Director
Chester Park 141
[email protected]
(218) 726-8715

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

John Bilotta

John Bilotta headshot
Water Resource Management and Policy Extension Educator
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 131
[email protected]
(612) 624-7708

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

Cait Dettmann

Cait Dettmann
Graphic and Visual Design Associate
Chester Park 140/149
[email protected]

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

Heidi Ferris

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
[email protected]

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

Alexander Frie

Alex Frie headshot
Research and Fellowship Coordinator
Chester Park 145
[email protected]
(218) 726-8714

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

Julianne (Julia) Grenn

Julianne Grenn smiles in front of a brick background.
Fisheries & Aquaculture Extension Educator
January 2025 - present
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 144
[email protected]
(218) 726-7375

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

Katherine Hardie

A black and white portrait of Katherine Hardie smiling at the camera.
Fiscal Officer
Chester Park 147
[email protected]
218-726-6191

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

John (Jack) R. Jones Ph.D.

John R. (Jack) Jones
Adjunct Extension Professor
Chester Park 140
[email protected]

Maggie Karschnia

Maggie Karschnia
Minnesota Sea Grant & Water Resources Center Stormwater Extension Educator
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 131
[email protected]
(612) 624-9181

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

Kelsey Prihoda

Kelsey Prihoda headshot
Sea Grant Great Lakes Transportation Extension Educator
Chester Park 135
[email protected]
(218) 726-6195

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

Madison Rodman

Madison Rodman headshot
Resilience Extension Educator
Chester Park 139
[email protected]
(218) 726-8536

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

Amy Schrank

Amy Schrank headshot
Extension Program Leader (2023); Fisheries and Aquaculture Extension Educator
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 137
[email protected]
(612) 301-1526

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

Don Schreiner

Don Schreiner headshot
Fisheries Specialist
2014-present
Chester Park 144
[email protected]
(218) 726-7375

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

Amanda Shie

Amanda Shie headshot
Communications Associate
Chester Park 137/149
[email protected]
(218) 726-7672

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

Kieran Smith

Minnesota Sea Grant Aquaculture Extension Associate Kieran Smith
Aquaculture Extension Associate
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 144
[email protected]

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

Hilarie Sorensen

Hilarie Sorensen headshot
Water Resources Extension Educator
Chester Park 133
[email protected]

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

Fred Sproat

Fred Sproat Headshot
Executive Office Administrative Specialist
Chester Park 143
[email protected]
218-726-8107

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

Marie Thoms

Marie Thoms headshot
Communications Director
Chester Park 149
[email protected]
(218) 726-8710

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

Impermanent employees

Madison Bell

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
[email protected]
(218) 370-8475

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

Daniel McCann

Fisheries Research Technician
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 144
[email protected]
(218) 726-8106

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

Noah Thelen

Yellow Perch Lab Technician
McNeal Hall 173
[email protected]
(218) 726-8106

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

Student interns

Thomas (Tommy) Belschner

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

Kaleb Dahn next to a Gypsy Vanner foal.
Fisheries and Aquaculture Intern
May 19 - August 29, 2025
McNeal Hall 173/Chester Park 129
[email protected]
(218) 370-8475

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

Charlie Fischer

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
[email protected]
(218) 370-8475

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

Abby Haugen

Front Office Specialist
Chester Park 132
[email protected]
(218) 726-8106

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

Sidney Mattson

Front Office Specialist
Chester Park 132
[email protected]
(218) 726-8106

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

Jackson Peterson

Minnesota Sea Grant Enhancing Fish Habitat and Species Diversity in Invasive Cattail-Dominated Shorelines Intern
May 19 - October 1, 2025
[email protected]
(218) 370-8475

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

Alexander (Alex) Swartz

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
[email protected]
(218) 370-8475

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

Fellows

Tamera Breidenbach

2025 Sea Grant Knauss Fellow

Evelyn Strombom

2025 Sea Grant Knauss Fellow

Reid Brown

Reid Brown, a man wearing brown overalls with long red hair, smiles in front of a canal.
MNSG Science & Policy Fellow
[email protected]

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

Reane Loiselle-Kasun

MNSG Science & Policy Fellow
[email protected]

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

Claire Rude

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

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

Larissa Scott

MNSG Science & Policy Fellow
[email protected]

4787 Midway Rd.
Duluth, MN 55811
United States

Joe Rabaey

Joeseph Rabaey
Postdoctoral Fellow
5/24/2023 - 7/1/2025
Chester Park 129
[email protected]

Graduate Research Assistants

Quinn Whiting

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

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