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Great Lakes Region

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Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Irene Miles
Communications Coordinator
Irene has been with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant since 2001, when she came on board as the program's public information specialist. In 2006, she took on the role of communication coordinator. Irene brings to Sea Grant years of experience in commercial photography as well as in science writing for the University of Illinois. She earned a Master's Degree from the University of Illinois' Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences. During her time with Sea Grant, Irene has developed a radio advertising campaign, crafted the program's impact statements, and has helped create numerous educational exhibits. She writes the program's news releases and writes and edits its newsletter, the HELM. Irene has won awards from the Association for Communication Excellence and from APEX Awards for Communication Excellence.

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Michigan Sea Grant
Elizabeth LaPorte
Communications Director and Education Co-leader
Elizabeth joined Michigan Sea Grant (MSG) in 2001. She manages development of communications and educational projects and materials, many of which have received national awards. As communications director for the MSG Communications Program, Elizabeth manages a team in Ann Arbor, addressing program goals and objectives. As education program co-leader, she works to increase access to Great Lakes science education through the development of online content, and identifies new opportunities for partnerships with Michigan universities, state agencies, and non-government organizations. Program development, strategic planning, and project management are the keystone of Elizabeth’s experience. Her professional interest includes curriculum development using new technologies. She has extensive experience in scientific communications, including public outreach and web site development. Elizabeth completed both her bachelor’s (University of Michigan) and master’s degrees (Eastern Michigan University) in communication and design. She also completed a graduate program in Educational Media and Technology at Eastern Michigan University. Her personal interests include photography, gardening, and kayaking.

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Minnesota Sea Grant
Marie Zhuikov
Communications Coordinator
Marie began work as an editor for Minnesota Sea Grant (MSG) in 1994, and became communications leader in 1995. She holds an M.A. in health journalism and a B.A. in science journalism, both from the University of Minnesota. Before joining MSG, she worked for five years with the U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest, as a firefighter/fire information officer. In college, Marie was the environmental reporter for "the world's best college newspaper," the Minnesota Daily. She also dabbled in medical writing, freelance photojournalism, and worked for The Nature Conservancy. Marie has chaired the National Sea Grant Communications Steering Committee and the Great Lakes Sea Grant Communicators, and has served as the state president of National Association of Government Communicators. Marie is a member of the National Association of Science Writers and several state organizations. She has earned awards for her work on Web sites, newsletter and news release writing, and videos. She also has received grants for exotic species and Lake Superior-related projects. Marie edits Minnesota Sea Grant's newsletter, Seiche. In her free time, she is a freelance environmental writer, medical editor, and poet

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New York Sea Grant
Barbara Branca
Communications Coordinator
Barbara Branca joined New York Sea Grant as communicator in late 1997. She received a B.S. in biology and an M.S. in biology education from the University at Albany (SUNY), with graduate field work in the Adirondacks and Lake George under the tutelage of Don McNaught who later became Minnesota Sea Grant director. After college, she spent five years teaching biology and earth science in upstate New York and at Johnson State College in Vermont. Before joining Sea Grant, she was the science editor for numerous educational publishers in Manhattan and author of several texts. Since 1998, she and colleague Paul Focazio have published Coastlines, New York Sea Grant's newsmagazine. Barbara served as Great Lakes Communications chair in 2000 and chair of the national network in 2002 when she helped develop a strategy to evaluate the national communications projects. Along with her NY and Connecticut colleagues, she was part of the award-winning outreach team that educated the public about the cause of lobster mortalities in Long Island Sound. In addition to her Sea Grant communications duties, she is part of the NYSG education and estuary working groups and a member of both the Stony Brook University PR team and the Fair Media Council. Outside of work, her passion is music, whether scatting with the Stony Brook Jazz Band, jamming with bluesman Sam Taylor, singing in the chorus of the Stony Brook Opera Company or composing original sambas performed with the Sound Symphony orchestra.

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Ohio Sea Grant
Jill Jentes Banicki
Assistant Director and Communications Manager
Jill joined Ohio Sea Grant (OSG) and Stone Laboratory programs in 1998. She completed a B.S. and graduate work in environmental policy and law from The Ohio State University in 1992. Prior to working for Sea Grant, Jill was a writer for Hanna News Service and an environmental legislation writer for the Ohio Legislature. Since 2003, Jill and her communications team have developed award-winning promotional campaigns for the Stone Lab summer and workshop programs, created an online discussion board for Extension, and produced the first license plate design to monetarily benefit a Sea Grant program. In addition to her OSG duties, Jill is involved in regional efforts such as the COSEE Great Lakes and GLOS programs, along with the newly-created Great Lakes Regional Research Information Network. Jill's personal interests include running, historical preservation efforts, and antique refinishing and collecting.

Pennsylvania Sea Grant
Position Vacant at this time.

Lake Champlain (VT) Sea Grant
Position Vacant at this time.

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Wisconsin Sea Grant
Steve Wittman
Communications Manager
Mr. Wittman joined Wisconsin Sea Grant in 1979 and has directed its communications program since 1990. He holds a B.A. in print journalism and a B.A. in creative writing, both from Purdue University. His major areas of professional expertise encompass publications editing, science writing and strategic planning. Due to his long association with Wisconsin Sea Grant, he has extensive knowledge of past and present Great Lakes issues, such as toxic contaminants, fisheries and invasive species, and of Great Lakes-related organizations and management agencies, their purpose, history and personnel. His award-winning work has earned Wisconsin Sea Grant recognition at the state, regional, national and international levels.