Staff

The Washtenaw County Conservation District staff has expertise to assist landowners with the conservation and management of their natural resources. The Conservation District is assisted by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Want to join our team? Check for posted Career Opportunities, or sign-up for our newsletter for updates.

Megan DeLeeuw, Executive Director
Megan is responsible for administering, implementing and overseeing District programs and activities identified by the Board of Directors. Megan has a B.S. in Philosophy and Political Science and an MBA with a specialization in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. She has been involved in local food systems work for over 14 years, 8 years of which were running Hand Sown Farm in Sharon Township. Megan has been involved in various aspects of local food systems work including earning a certificate in Organic Agriculture from Michigan State University. Megan currently serves on the Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Committee (ALPAC) for Washtenaw County.

Contact Megan at (734) 302-8710 or megan@washtenawcd.org

Deborah Shad, Executive Assistant
Deborah works closely with the Executive Director and bookkeeper to manage the operations of the district.

Having served as Director of Administrative Services for the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner for 20 years, Deborah has a passion for public of service. She has a B.S. in Business with a dual concentration in finance and management. Born and raised in Michigan, Deborah developed a love of our amazing lakes and streams. During the summer months you are guaranteed to find her on our waterways every chance she gets.

Contact Deborah at (734)302-8715or deborah@washtenawcd.org

Doug Reith, Resource Coordinator
Doug coordinates Resource distributions including the Tree & Shrub sales and Native Plant sales, the Native Plant Expo & Marketplace, rain barrel sales, and other programs including the School & Community Habitat Grant and equipment rental. Doug is originally from suburban Macomb County and holds a degree in Computer Science degree from University of Michigan. Doug spent several years in Detroit involved in urban community gardening/farming and subsequently to rural Tuscola county where he worked as an organic vegetable farmer. Doug also served as a Stewardship Technician and Volunteer Coordinator Assistant with Washtenaw County NAPP and is a 2019 graduate of the Conservation Stewards Program. Doug is a dad, nature enthusiast, and lives with his family, dogs, goats, and chickens in Chelsea, MI.

Contact Doug at (734) 302-8713 or Doug@washtenawcd.org

Nicholas Machinski, Conservation Technician
Nick provides assistance to producers interested in Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) verification. Before coming to Washtenaw, Nick was a MAEAP Technician for Lenawee County, worked as a Forestry Technician and studied Sustainable Systems with a focus on agricultural systems at the University of Michigan. He is a Certified to write Nutrient Management Plans through the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Contact Nick at (734) 302-8711 or nick@washtenawcd.org

Summer Roberts, Community Forester Summer develops and facilitates educational opportunities, such as Tree Planting 101, provides technical assistance for forestry related inquiries, and is working to develop a countywide forestry initiative. While earning her master’s degree in Conservation Ecology and Environmental Informatics at the University of Michigan, she interned at the U-M Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum where she performed natural area management and restoration techniques and furthered her plant identification skills. Most recently, Summer worked as an environmental consultant. Using aerial photographs, soil maps, and available GIS data as well as conducting field verification surveys to collect GPS coordinates, photographs, species lists, and landform notes, she would advise clients on best land management practices to reach their desired goals.

Contact Summer at (734) 302-8716 or Summer@washtenawcd.org

Dru Mark-Wilson, Outreach Coordinator
As our Outreach Coordinator. She connects the community of Washtenaw County to the programs and services Washtenaw CD offers. Born and raised in Buckley, Michigan, Dru went on to study at Northern Michigan University receiving her degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability in Marquette, Michigan. Previous to Washtenaw CD, Dru was the Education & Outreach Coordinator for a district in Ohio for 2 years. Plus, she served as an AmeriCorps member at Missaukee CD before that. You can catch Dru on her off time fishing, kayaking, backpacking, skiing, snowshoeing, and checking out the local eateries.

Contact Dru at (734) 302-8715 or dru@washtenawcd.org

Paul Buzzard, MAEAP Technician
Paul grew up on a family farm in Southern Illinois that raised hogs and cattle and grew corn and soybeans. He then attended the University of Illinois majoring in Ecology, Animal Behavior, and Evolution and went on to get a PhD in the behavioral ecology of 3 species of monkeys in west Africa. Paul then worked for several years in China and neighboring countries focusing on the conservation of wild yak, Tibetan antelope and other species on the Tibetan plateau as well as musk deer and snow leopards in alpine areas. After that, he worked as Director of Conservation at the Detroit Zoo and with The Nature Conservancy shifting my focus more to wildlife and habitat conservation in Michigan. With his wife, Kim Williams-Guillen, Paul also developed a regenerative farm several miles south of the Detroit airport (Detroit Flight Path Farm), which incorporates agro-forestry with free-ranging and pastured heritage breeds of livestock.

Through this work, he have become very passionate about the unique oak savannahs and other endangered habitats in Michigan, and Paul is eager to work with local farmers to see how changing farming practices can lead to improved habitat for wildlife and healthier soils.

Contact Paul at (734) 302-8714 or paul@washtenawcd.org

Sam Stokes, MiFarmLink Coordinator
Sam is working with a group of passionate agricultural advocates from across Michigan to grow the MiFarmLink program, an effort started in Ottawa County that helps preserve farmland and farming lifestyles by connecting agricultural landowners looking to sell/rent land with beginning farmers looking for land to farm.
Sam grew up on a hobby farm in Washtenaw County raising and showing dairy goats in 4-H, club and national shows. Sam left agriculture and moved North to get a BSc in Wildlife Ecology and Management from Michigan Tech University before returning to get an MS in Environmental Justice from the University of Michigan. After returning to Washtenaw County, a slew of serendipitous events brought Sam back to her passion for agriculture and inspired her to leave academia and join the WCCD in supporting farmers in their stewardship of Michigan lands and communities. When not in the WCCD office, Sam can be found in the barn with the goats, volunteering with her local 4H club or helping local small-ruminant producers keep their herds healthy and productive.

Contact Sam at (734) 302-8715 or sam@washtenawcd.org

Bridget Mitchell, Native Plant Expo Coordinator
Originally from the southwest side of Michigan, Bridget earned her BS from Oakland University in Rochester. She stays busy with her hobby farm consisting of multiple gardens, fruit trees, a polytunnel, and up to 60 chickens and turkeys. Bridget loves everything outdoors and manages the behind-the-scenes of their local family-owned company. She is a mother of 2 and a foodie who is passionate about organic gardening and food preservation.

Contact Bridget if you are interested in sponsoring or becoming a vendor for the Native Plant Expo & Marketplace, by emailing her at nativeplantexpo@washtenawcd.org