We would like to thank all of our previous directors, graduate students, and staff for their hard work and dedication to the research conducted at the Lake Michigan Biological Station over the years.
If you have more information about individuals who have previously worked at LMBS, or you have pictures you wish to share, please contact Amber Schmidt.
Previous Directors and Heads of LMBS
John Dettmers, Ph.D.
Years at LMBS: 1997–2005
Current Job: Fishery Management Coordination Program Director
Agency: Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Email: jdettmers@glfc.org
Ellen Marsden, Ph.D.
First Official Director at LMBS
Years at LMBS: 1990–1996
Current Job: Professor, Wildlife and Fisheries Biology,
emeritus
Agency: University of Vermont
Email: ellen.marsden@uvm.edu
“In 1990–1996, I continued the yellow perch and creel surveys, and began long-term research focused on lake trout restoration, impacts of the newly invading zebra mussel and, later, quagga mussel and round goby. The number of undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and postdocs working at the lab expanded, and Sea Grant joined the lab with the addition of Patricia Charlebois. Collaborations were formed, or continued, with Loyola University, Purdue, Cornell, WiDNR, MDNR, IDNR, and others. I learned how to pilot the Sculpin — I miss that boat! — and spent days on the lake with great crews, diving on the reefs, and yellow perch fish frys! It was a happy and productive 6 years.”
William Horns, Ph.D.
Years at LMBS: 1985–1991
Current Employment: Retired
Previous Agency: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
William Horns was the head of the Lake Michigan Biological Station in 1985 and worked in tandem with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Illinois Natural History Survey, and the University of Illinois. At the time, the Lake Michigan Biological Station was responsible for conducting creel surveys (fisherman interviews) along the Illinois coast of Lake Michigan. After establishing the station, Horns began doing research on Lake Trout egg deposition and spawning on Julian’s Reef in Lake Michigan. After establishing the Lake Michigan Biological Station, Horns went to work for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a Fisheries Specialist.
Previous Permanent Staff
Wayne Brofka
Position at LMBS: Assistant Research Scientist
Years at LMBS: 1987–2013
Current Job: Retired
Nan Trudeau
Position at LMBS: Assistant Research Scientist
Years at LMBS: 1987–1993
Current Job: Retired
Steve Robillard
Position at LMBS: Assistant Research Scientist
Years at LMBS: 1994–1999
Current Job: Region 5 Fisheries Administrator
Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Email: Steve.Robillard@Illinois.gov
Matt Raffenberg
Position at LMBS: Assistant Research Scientist
Years at LMBS: 1998–2001
Current Job: Vice President
Agency: Environmental Services, NextEra Energy Resources
Email: Matthew.Raffenberg@nexteraenergy.com
Sarah Thomas
Position at LMBS: Research Biologist and Aquatic Ecologist
Years at LMBS: 2002–2016
Current Job: Lake Erie Unit Manager
Agency: Michigan DNR Fisheries Division
Email: ThomasS35@michigan.gov
Priscilla Andrade
Position at LMBS: Outreach Assistant
Years at LMBS: 2003–2004
Current Position: Curriculum Specialist & Teacher
Agency: Irvine Nature Center
Email: andradep@explorenature.org
Karen Stainbrook
Position at LMBS: Assistant Research Scientist 3
Years at LMBS: 2004–2008
Current Position: Director of the Bureau of Water Resource Management, Division of Water
Agency: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Email: karen.stainbrook@dec.ny.gov
Rebecca Redman
Positions at LMBS: Aquatic Ecologist, Research Project Manager
Years at LMBS: 2005–2014 & 2017–2018
Current Job: Project Specialist
Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Email: Rebecca.Redman@illinois.gov
Joshua Dub
Position at LMBS: Assistant Research Scientist
Years at LMBS: 2014–2016
Current Job: Fisheries Biologist
Agency: FERC’s Division of Hydropower, Administration and Compliance
Email: Joshua.Dub@ferc.gov
William Stacy-Duffy
Position at LMBS: Senior Scientific Specialist
Years at LMBS: 2018–2024
Current Job: Project Specialist
Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Email: William.Stacy-Duffy@Illinois.gov
Todd Kassler
Position at LMBS: Visiting Scientist
Years at INHS: 1991–2002
Current Job: Business Manager/Fish Health Rule and Compliance Coordinator
Agency: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Email: Todd.Kassler@dfw.wa.gov
Piotr Hliwa, Ph.D.
Position at LMBS: Visiting Scientist
Year at LMBS: 2022
Current Job: Associate Professor in the Department of Ichthyology and Aquaculture
Agency: University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn
Email: phliwa@uwm.edu.pl
Jenny Rimkus
Position at LMBS: Office Administrator
Years at LMBS: 2016–2021
Current Position: Procurement Officer for the Purchasing Department
Agency: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Email: jrimkus@illinois.edu
Dan Makauskas, Tammy Keniry, Mike Keniry, Bernie Pientka, Justin Bezold, Kristin TePas, Michael Chotkowski, Holly Hurt, Pat Charlebois, Ron Abrant, Amy Weis, Diane Wudi, Martha Kneuer, and Frances Leskovec
Previous Graduate Students
Jeff Stein, Ph.D.
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 1995–1998
Current Job: Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Agency: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Email: jastein@uillinois.edu
Brian Graeb, Ph.D.
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 1999–2002
Current Job: Owner of Blue Wing Outdoors
Email: brian@bluewingoutdoors.com
Dave Glover, Ph.D.
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2002–2003
Current Job: Rivers and Streams Program Manager
Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Email: dave.glover@illinois.gov
Scott Miehls
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2003–2005
Current Job: Fisheries Biologist
Agency: USGS, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station
Email: smiehls@usgs.gov
Mark Carter
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2004–2007
Current Job: Deputy Director
Agency: FERC’s Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance
Email: Mark.Carter@ferc.gov
Mike Weber, Ph.D.
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2005–2007
Current Job: Director of Graduate Education
Agency: Iowa State University
Email: mjw@iastate.edu
Benjamin Martin, Ph.D.
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2007–2010
Current Job: Assistant Professor in Theoretical and Computational Ecology
Agency: University of Amsterdam
Email: b.t.martin@uva.nl
Austin Happel, Ph.D.
Degrees Obtained: Master of Science & Doctor of Philosophy
Years at LMBS: 2010–2017
Current Job: Research Biologist
Agency: John G. Shedd Aquarium
Email: ahappel@sheddaquarium.org
Joshua Dub
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2010–2013
Current Job: Fisheries Biologist
Agency: FERC’s Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance
Email: Joshua.Dub@ferc.gov
William Stacy-Duffy
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2012–2016
Current Job: Project Specialist
Agency: Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Email: William.Stacy-Duffy@Illinois.gov
Elizabeth Golebie
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2015–2017
Current Job: Senior Research Associate
Agency: The Ohio State University
Email: elizabethgolebie@outlook.com
Emily Reed
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2015–2017
Current Job: Sustainability Coordinator
Agency: University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Email: reede@uwp.edu
Amber Schmidt
Degree Obtained: Master of Science
Years at LMBS: 2022 – 2024
Current Job: Senior Scientific Specialist, Aquatic Ecology
Agency: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Email: amber8@illinois.edu
Unlisted: Meghan Kline Brusse
Previous Technicians & Interns
Ben Dwyer, Adera Craig, Katie Lowenstein (Emmans), Amy Schneider, Julia Wojcik, Kat (Brittany) Scerini, Kayla Durden, Sarah Shamash, Evan Sluja, Sharika Elahi, Rachael Lehman, Hanna Lavin, Grace Koch, Brandon Enger, Conor O’Kane, Carson Yanaga, Kierra Determan, Teighan Shore, Ashley Oliver, Grace Noll, Soren Johnson, Alicia Legowski, Aaron Robillard, Grace Coogan, Karah Roof, Justin Bopp, Melanie Roberts, Nate Jermain, Sarah Gagnon, Aaron Gloss, Alyssa Thornton, Heather Sundstrom (Posluzny), Rebecca Rogers, Jamie Horton, Joel Lauritsen, Jon Tiso, Chris Hoffman, Kacie Jonasen, Rachel Moss, Tom Moran, Rebecca Lake, Catherine Johnston, Neeshia Macanowicz, Phil Nicodemus, Colton Zondervan, Andrea Jaeger, Alfred Thomson, P.J. Hilbert, Royce Zehr, Larry Bushing, Robert Goralczyk, Laura Page, Beth Boisvert, Randi Grigoletti, Jill Weishiet, Glenn Selby, Bryan Spindler, Ron Maichele, Kurt Davies, Sarah Laske, Destin Pewitt, Katie Johnson, Katie Bryan, Kerri Johnson, Debbi Lichti, Jeramy Pinkerton, Leah Pyror, Dustan Thomas, Bryan Stoff, Kari Bogner, Andy Jasonwicz, Kyle Weatherman, Andrew Schaefer, Jeanine Tolemy, Lier Yo, Kevin Schancke, Keith Madden, Bill Oeming, Caitlin Smoot, Jeffrey Garrett Drach, Tyler Brenneman, Blake Bushman, Steven Harlow, Blake Ruebush, Erin Thayer, Michael Rucinski, Nan Trudeau, Justin Bezold, Jeff Caisman, Dreu Opperman, Kathryn Alber, Alex Doneshefsky, Hannah Smith, Ashley Witt, Mark Kriete, Ed Hammer, Zachary Blevens, Dan Grigas, Craig Schaffer, Robert Jagla, Gerard Urbanozo, John Taylor, Ryan Leveque, Chad Dolan, Doug Pacholka, Michelle Pushee, Susan Serowicki, Kirby Wolfe, Chris Meeks, Kirk Shillinlaw, Timothy Macek, Rob Pope, Don Rohe, Cathy Blackwell, Erin Sheehan, Artur Michalowicz, Jeffery Hojnacki, David Wisner, Jill Ludowise, Veronica Velez, Jennifer Aderman, Andrew Carlson, Amelie Robillard, Michelle Bowerman, James Schnieder, Shirley Witalis, Tony Brooks, Casey Godwin, Daniel H. Zapf, Ryan Duty, Gwen Freysinger, Paul McKenna, and Stephen Hensler
