Citizen Involvement in Decision-Making for Water

Bio: Deborah Dorsey is the volunteer project coordinator for the West Grand Boulevard Collaborative (WGBC) in Detroit, Michigan. She is currently coordinating the final phase of the Mary and Albert H. Mallory Reading Garden project at the Detroit Public Library - Duffield Branch. This demonstration project involves the installation of stormwater reduction techniques – rain gardens, permeable pavers and dry riverbeds. On a larger scale, she is responsible for coordinating the master plan for the WGBC Community Coalition. This project includes,among other focuses, blue/green infrastructure. Deborah has been instrumental in developing clean-up and beautification projects for the WGBC since 2004.

Education: Wayne State University, Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies, Minor: Nonprofit Studies

Past Assignments: Sierra Club and the Detroit Garden Center Detroit THINK GREEN Workshop Series Plan & Plant a Rain Garden; Green Task Force – City of Detroit Office of Councilman Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr. West Grand Blvd Collaborative Rain Garden Project Presentation

Bio: Marcy assists watershed organizations and municipalities in grant wiritng, planning and implementing projects and building capacity. She also conducts public outreach and education efforts relating to water quality and wetlands. Previously, Marcy was a watershed coordinator with a County Conservation District where she wrote a watershed management plan, implemented watershed improvement activities and conducted educational campaigns for municipal officals and the general public.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from Ohio Northern University and a Master of Environmental Science Degree from Miami University, Ohio

Bio: I currently work at the Citizen Involvement Coordinator for the Bad River Watershed Association in Ashland, Wisconsin. I work to engage local officials and citizens in our programs, such as water quality monitoring and watershed protection and restoration. I formerly worked for Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in Petoskey, Michigan as the Watershed Coordinator.

Education: BS- Fisheries and Wildlife Management, Lake Superior State University Masters course work in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Past Assignments: "Engagement Strategies- Multiplying your Volunteers and Donors" with Baird Straughan of LeadGreen.org, at the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Forum, September 2012 and River Rally, June 2012

Bio: Melanie Napoleon Welch is Associate Director at Freshwater Future, a Great Lakes regional organization, and is based in Chicago. At Freshwater Future, she works as a Movement-Builder – the organization works on both policy and capacity-building for the needs of grassroots and citizens groups, providing personalized services that tailor-fit the needs of each group; provides unique, and much needed, grant funding opportunities to these groups for grassroots environmental advocacy work; and connects these groups and efforts to policy issues the organization is addessing. Melanie has spent her career in non-profits and museums, and has expertise in conservation programs, community engagement, informal education and Great Lakes ecology and regional issues. She is also a member of the 2010 class of Catto Fellows, an environmental leadership program at The Aspen Institute in Washington, DC. Melanie received a B.S. degree in environmental biology from Bradley University and a M.S. degree in biology from Northern Illinois University, and was previously Senior Director of Great Lakes Conservation at John G. Shedd Aquarium.

Education: B.S. degree in environmental biology from Bradley University M.S. degree in biology from Northern Illinois University