Meet the Team

Meet The Team

Heather McCoy
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Heather moved to the Pacific Northwest from northern California, where she was the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Prior to her work in Santa Cruz, she led the education and exhibits departments of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and its marine science-focused sister institution, the Sea Center.

Heather has a Bachelor’s in Geology from Smith College and two Masters of Science focused in paleontology and geology from the University of Southern California and the University of Rochester. For more than 20 years, her career has focused on connecting people with the natural world and inspiring stewardship of it. She is thrilled to lead the District in its mission to provide natural resource expertise and support to all of Whidbey.

Michelle Maynard
FINANCE & OPERATIONS MANAGER

EMAIL MICHELLE

Michelle brings over 15 years of experience in the Finance and Operations world. Michelle moved to the Pacific Northwest from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012 where she worked as a Finance Director and Consultant to Professional Services Firms and Non-Profits.

Most recently she worked with Sound Salmon Solutions, a Washington State Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group and is currently their Board Treasurer. Michelle has thoroughly enjoyed the Pacific Northwest’s nature and has taken advantage of the beautiful hiking areas on Whidbey Island, where she now lives. Michelle is also an avid gardener and is learning to enjoy the Pacific Northwest weather by cooking, knitting, gardening (sometimes in the rain), and putting on rain gear to enjoy the outdoors with her dog Issie.

Kelsi Mottet
SENIOR NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNER

Email Kelsi

Kelsi is a sixth-generation Whidbey Islander from Coupeville with a family history in agriculture, forestry, and the trades. Kelsi has over fifteen years of experience in the fields of natural resources and education. She has served the District since 2016 as the Marketing, Education & Outreach Coordinator, Natural Resource Planner, and now Senior Natural Resource Planner. Kelsi is certified as a Level III Conservation Planner with the United States Department of Agriculture, and is a leadership team member of the WA State Conservation Commission Center for Technical Development.

Kelsi is proud to assist Whidbey residents with planning in agriculture, forestry, backyard habitat stewardship, and wildfire preparedness; and lead our financial assistance programs. She is a graduate of Western Washington University's College of the Environment and holds a Masters of Education with a Certificate in Non-Profit Leadership & Administration from North Cascades Institute. She loves her island home and community.

Michael Tu
NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNER

Email Michael

Michael brings a wide range of experience in biology, wetland science, education, local food systems, and farming. He has a bachelor’s in Zoology from the University of California at Berkeley, a doctorate in Biology from the University of Chicago, a certificate in Wetland Science from UW Extension, and an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from the Seattle Culinary Academy.
Michael spent the past decade immersed in the local food economy of Whidbey as the owner of Welborn Farm, selling eggs and USDA inspected pork. Michael engaged in other food endeavors during this time working as a baker, chef, and restaurant owner.

Michael is grateful for the opportunity to apply his diverse experience and expertise in assisting landowners on Whidbey Island. Michael is also an enthusiastic gardener, old-time fiddle player, home cook, husband, and father of two amazing girls.

Madeline Buehrer
NATURAL RESOURCE PLANNER

Email Maddie

Madeline lived in New York before moving to the Pacific Northwest to pursue her passion for environmental stewardship and sustainable land management. She recently graduated from the University of Washington with dual degrees in Environmental Science and Terrestrial Resource Management, and Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health.

Madeline has worked on farms, land conservancies, and community food initiatives across Washington, Indiana, and New York. Her experiences range from researching crop nutrient profiles and regenerative agriculture practices here on Whidbey Island, to coordinating educational outreach and conservation planning projects. She has also led student-driven initiatives focused on food systems transformation, sustainability, and environmental education. She is thrilled to join the District as a Natural Resource Planner and looks forward to supporting Whidbey Island residents in achieving their conservation goals. Outside of work, Madeline enjoys hiking, backpacking, gardening, white water rafting, and sharing good food with friends!

Hannah Andersen
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Email HANNAH

Hannah grew up in the Snohomish river valley and learned to play in the central cascades. She holds a BA in English Literature from Northwest University where she focused her study on the human impact on environment in the postmodern era. Hannah is a writer and multi-media artist with 8 years’ experience in creating opportunities for the public to interact with the arts and humanities through poetry workshops, school garden lessons, and academic conferences.

Hannah spent two years serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer with Coupeville Farm to School and is delighted to serve on long term stewardship projects on Whidbey Island. They have over ten years’ experience in early childhood development and public school education and is thrilled whenever the classroom merges with the forest. Hannah loves to hike, bike, run and garden with her community of friends along the Salish Sea.

Chuck Gerdes
CLUSTER ENGINEER

Chuck is the Cluster Engineer for Skagit, Whidbey, San Jaun, and Whatcom Conservation Districts. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. He moved to Florida in 2005 where he finished his education (B.S. At Florida Tech). He moved to Washington on Halloween of 2010 and loves it here. He started working professionally in 2011 with a soil testing firm (InSitu Engineering). There he traveled the world and worked on a lot of really big projects. He left InSitu Engineering in 2014 and started working in private land development for a firm called MAC Engineering. His work was focused in King, Snohomish, Skagit, and Island counties. He did some work in Whatcom and San Juan Island, but mostly Snohomish and Skagit. He made the move to the conservation world in later 2020, joining the Snohomish Conservation District. We are so happy to have Chuck’s expertise and collaborative spirit on our team!

Board of Supervisors

A board of five Supervisors, three elected and two appointed, directs the programs and policies of the Whidbey Island Conservation District. The board meets once a month to discuss district business, oversee district finances and provide guidance on district activities. The meetings are open to the public. Check the footer at the bottom the page for current board meeting information or view agendas and minutes.

Appointed and elected positions are for 3-year terms and are served without compensation. District elections and appointments are held each spring. For more information about the Conservation District election process, view our election fact sheet.

David Edwards CHAIR
APPOINTED, TERM THROUGH 2027

David Edwards holds a bachelor's degree in forest management from Oregon State University and has field experience in coastal forest lands similar to those found on Whidbey Island. He led the fixed-wing aerial firefighting division of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, where he performed state-level budgeting and built interagency partnerships. In the mid-2000s, he qualified as an airtanker pilot and flew wildfire suppression missions in Washington State and Alaska. He is a retired Air Force officer and pilot, and is currently a commercial pilot. David and his wife, Jill, live near Langley.

Dr. Mark Sytsma VICE CHAIR
APPOINTED, TERM THROUGH 2026

Mark grew up on corn, soybean and hog farm in Iowa where he learned to basics of agriculture, soil conservation and natural resource management. He earned a B.S. in Biology from Iowa State University then headed to the great Pacific Northwest where he received a M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering at UW. After a brief sojourn to the University of California in Davis he received a PhD in Ecology then came back north and spent 24 years as a professor of Environmental Science and Management and research administrator at Portland State University. He retired in 2018 and is currently an Emeritus Professor at PSU. His work at PSU was in water resource management, focused on lakes and invasive species. While in Oregon he served as an Associate Director on the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation where he learned about the valuable work done by conservation districts. In 2016 he moved to 15 acres of pasture and forest land on South Whidbey that he intends to manage for wildlife habitat and grazing.

Gary Ketcheson AUDITOR
ELECTED, TERM THROUGH 2026

Gary grew up a “city” boy in Wyoming. Cheyenne was just barely a city then and was surrounded by miles of open spaces: farms, forest and rangeland. Summers were spent camping and fishing while winters were spent shoveling snow, ice skating and tobogganing. An interest in forestry landed Gary at the University of Montana School of Forestry where he earned a degree in Resource Conservation with an emphasis in Watershed Management. An MS in Forest Hydrology, with a minor in soil science, followed at Oregon State University. Gary’s 32 year professional career spanned summer jobs with the Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming and Forest Service assignments in Arizona, Idaho and Washington State. All assignments involved the conservation of soil and water resources. Since retiring in 2009 and moving to Whidbey Island in 2011, Gary has joined the Master Gardeners and volunteered with the Organic Farm School, Meerkerk Gardens, Habitat for Humanity and the WICD. He looks forward to working with the talented and dedicated staff at WICD. Whidbey Island is a magical place.

Jennifer Abermanis MEMBER
ELECTED, TERM THROUGH 2027

Jennifer has been a landowner in Freeland since June 2003 and has been ordering native bare root plants from the district for many years. She is currently building a small organic pumpkin seed business with her husband and meets the public at their booth at the Bayview Farmers Market. Jennifer is originally from Lake Charles, a small town in Louisiana, where she was raised on a riverbank with a well and septic tank. In Louisiana, she saw the devastation weather can present. Her background is in healthcare, where she has served as an executive, a director, an external consultant, an internal consultant, a board member, and a clinical laboratory inspector. Her work was been focused on both business & science. She had a deep interest in environmental issues and is committed to learning from colleagues and neighbors, listen deeply, and partner with the community to assure continued service and improvement of our Conservation District.

Penny Livingston MEMBER
ELECTED, TERM THROUGH 2028

Penny Livingston is internationally recognized as a prominent permaculture teacher, designer, practitioner and speaker. She holds a MS in Eco-Social Regeneration and a Diploma in Permaculture Design. Penny is a graduate of the Arven School of Herbal Medicine in Germany with Susanne Fischer Rizzi. Penny has been teaching permaculture and community resiliency internationally as well as working professionally in the land management, regenerative design, and permaculture development field for over 30 years. She has extensive experience in all phases of ecologically sound design and construction as well as the use of natural non-toxic building materials. She has organized trainings in permaculture, natural building, forest stewardship, water harvesting and herbalism with the Regenerative Design Institute as well as hands on trainings throughout the US, Indonesia, South and Central America, Canada and Europe.

Melanie Derrick ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR

A Kentucky native, Melanie relocated to the Pacific Northwest in 2018, and has been a Whidbey Island homeowner since 2020, residing in Coupeville with her husband and furry friends. Considering herself a student of life, she loves to explore, nature, travel, and a good cup of coffee. Melanie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania. She spent nine years immersed in Cincinnati Ohio’s art scene, working at the Contemporary Arts Center, ArtWorks, and Country Club gallery before transitioning to the corporate sector for over a decade, where she focused on customer service, process optimization and strategic planning. An active community member, she volunteers on her community's Firewise USA® committee and as a Beach Naturalist for Deception Pass State Park’s Rosario Tide Pools. Committed to connecting with her community and understanding local history and preservation efforts, Melanie is a strong supporter of WICD’s mission.

Scott Reid ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR

Scott intends to observe and learn from the many experts connected with the Conservation District including land owners. He views supporting Whidbey’s agriculture, forestry, shoreline, and habitats as essential and meaningful. He enjoys stewardship work in his neighborhood’s community forest and serves as the Firewise coordinator. His favorite pastimes are watching ship traffic in Admiralty Inlet and being active outdoors.

Micah Stanovsky ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR

Micah is a Puget Sound mutt, having lived across the region his entire life. He moved to Whidbey in 2021, to live near old friends from Everett High School. Micah’s career has focused on the intersection of the built and natural environments, with a particular focus on ecological forestry and wood products. He founded a construction training nonprofit before pursuing an MS in Environmental Forest Sciences and MPA in Environmental Policy from UW. Since graduate school, Micah has worked 4 years in conservation, where he focused on connecting the built environment with wood products from forests managed for ecological value, partnering with Tribes and small landowners to adopt climate resilient forestry across the PNW. He recently joined King County to develop markets for salvaged lumber, ensuring sustainable use and a longer lifespan for the region's wood products. Micah is happy to call Whidbey home, and looks forward to contributing to our island's natural beauty through the WICD!

Terri Jo Summer-Rieger ASSOCIATE SUPERVISOR

Teri Jo has a diverse background with family roots going back to earlier times throughout the Puget Sound region and east to Okanagan. Her father was a metallurgist and her mother an artist/interior designer, so her interests came to embrace both science and the arts. She attended UC Berkeley in the early iteration of Ecosystemology after she was recruited by a Forestry professor who noticed her interests in interdisciplinary courses. She gravitated toward fresh water biology within this theme. The following summer, she was hired by a rural public utilities district to run lab tests for the purpose of monitoring water in an innovative installation of stabilization ponds which provided an alternative sewage system. Then, heading north, Teri Jo moved to an off grid home on 300 acres and established a garden, which led to her being asked to serve as an inspector for California Certified Organic Farmers. Cal Fire requested that she make some hose bags for the Crews, but it was a tapestry satchel she made that catalyzed a shift tp a studio in town and then abruptly to NYC wearable art venues. Teri Jo explored this further by designing a collection of high end handbags, then coats and other clothing which were featured in galleries across the country and abroad in Europe and Japan. She owned her own gallery north of Boston and at one point, set up a studio in Kathmandu. Although the pace and creative buzz were exciting, she had an epiphany about what success really meant to her and made plans to return to life back on the West Coast. She moved to Whidbey Island in 2004 and has enjoyed family, community and ever expanding interests, particularly focusing on care for the land & future generations.