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Our Staff

Gail Gruenwald

Executive Director/Staff Attorney/acting as Watershed Protection Director
E-mail: gail@watershedcouncil.org

May 14, 2009 celebrated Gail's 25th anniversary at the Watershed Council. She has served on a variety of state and local policy making boards and commissions along with several boards of directors of related non-profit organizations. Her organizational management advice is sought after from non-profits across the region. Gail received her Bachelor of Science from Central Michigan University and a Law Degree from University of Oregon. She is a member of Michigan and Washington State Bar Associations. Gail lives in Harbor Springs with her husband Wil Cwikiel and their two daughters Kate and Sadie. She loves and enjoys the region's waters and beaches whenever her busy summer schedule allows. The winter season finds her in the woods on skis or snowshoes.

Lynn D. Buffington

Business Manager
E-mail: lindy@watershedcouncil.org

Lindy owned and operated her own public accounting service, LDB & Associates, from 1981 to 2002 and provided services to many non-profit and for-profit businesses in northern Michigan. Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council became one of her clients in 1984 when Gail Gruenwald hired her to take on the accounting work of the organization. In 2003, she joined on as a full time employee at the Watershed Council as Business Manager. She has taught Personal Finance and Computer Accounting classes at North Central Michigan College. She often gives assistance on Peachtree software to other non-profit organizations.

Sandra Schreck

Office Manager
E-mail: sandy@watershedcouncil.org

Originally from Ohio, Sandy Schreck has lived in Petoskey since November 1984 and feels like she can now call herself a native of this area. She has one son, Daniel, who lives in Boston, MA. Sandy has worked for the Watershed Council since 2000.

Growing up around Lake Erie, the pristine lakes of Northern Michigan were a welcome surprise to her. Working for the Watershed Council helps Sandy feel that she is in some small way not only helping to make people aware of their beautiful natural surroundings, but also helping to preserve them.

In the summer, you will find Sandy and Carson, enjoying the outdoors. Whether it's camping in one of our many state forest campgrounds, enjoying the beach, fishing, cruising on one of our beautiful lakes or watching Carson do his "magic" with photography, one thing is sure - you won't find them home very much. When not outside enjoying the wonders of Northern Michigan, Sandy is an avid hockey fan and tries to take in a Red Wing game every year, hopefully during playoff season in their "quest for the cup".

Friends mean a lot to Sandy and hold a special place in her life. She values the time she spends with them. She also has a passion for animals, especially her two dogs and one very frisky cat. If you have a dog and you come into the Watershed Council office, they know Sandy and head to see her first thing to get their "treat". A box is always handy for the four-legged visitors.

Grenetta Thomassey, PhD

Program Director
E-mail: grenetta@watershedcouncil.org

Dr. Grenetta Thomassey joined Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in June 2005. As Program Director, she works on matters related to implementing the Great Lakes Compact and statewide water use policy; Great Lakes Restoration; and a variety of local issues in our four-county service area. Prior to this, she taught Political Science and Environmental Policy at the University of Minnesota Duluth. She also taught at Northern Arizona University, where she earned her doctorate in 2003. Dr. Thomassey’s research is focused on state and local government policy; specifically interest groups and fresh water concerns. She has worked on issues related to the expansion of locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers, as well as the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program. Her dissertation was a unique examination of groundwater management policies across the entire US, called “A Comparative Analysis of US Groundwater Management Regimes: Testing an Ideal Type.” She has published several articles and book chapters, and is the primary author and researcher for a book called Fresh Water Issues, published in 2003. The book has companion articles that are regularly updated and included in an on-line database of Contemporary World Issues. She is also developing a new book on Chesapeake Bay, Everglades, and Great Lakes Restoration policy processes.

Jennifer McKay

Policy Specialist
E-mail: jenniferm@watershedcouncil.org

Jennifer McKay was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio but "grew up" spending nearly every summer on Walloon Lake. She graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Studies and Political Science. Working for both the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives and PIRGIM (Public Interest Research Group in Michigan), she is able to blend her experience to fit perfectly into the position of Policy Specialist at Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council.

Kevin Cronk

Monitoring and Research Coordinator
E-mail: kevin@watershedcouncil.org

Kevin coordinates the Watershed Council's water quality monitoring programs, performs a variety of technical services (shore surveys, aquatic plant surveys, etc.), creates maps and performs spatial analyses in a GIS, and assists with development and implementation of watershed management plans. Prior to coming on board at the Watershed Council, Kevin had got his feet wet throughout the region and world, working for the American Samoa Coastal Management Program, the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Institute for Fisheries Research, the University of Michigan, and as a volunteer for the United States Peace Corps in Honduras. Kevin received a B.A. in International Studies from Michigan State University in 1989 and completed an M.S. in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Michigan in 2002.

Jennifer Gelb

Restoration Ecologist
E-mail: jen@watershedcouncil.org

Jen joined the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in 2003 shortly after moving to Northern Michigan. As the restoration ecologist with the Watershed Protection Team, she works on shoreline, streambank and wetland restoration projects among other "Restoration Remedies" services. Her education and professional experience have been valuable to her role with the Watershed Council. After earning her Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan, she assisted with research projects in forest ecology with the University of Michigan and later as an aquatic ecologist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor. In 1999, she earned her Masters of Landscape Architecture from the Ohio State University. Following graduate school, Jen spent three years in Columbus working for both a landscape architecture firm and a restoration ecologist. Jen is happy to share her love of nature with her junior naturalist son, Simon.

Dan Myers

Water Resource Specialist
E-mail: dan@watershedcouncil.org

Dan grew up near Charlevoix, MI on a small inland lake and absolutely loves Northern Michigan's waters and outdoors. Because of this, he was very excited join the Watershed Council staff in January 2012, where he has the opportunity to help keep our water resources safe. Dan was an intern at the Watershed Council for two summers while pursuing his B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University, which he received in May 2011. Other experiences have been a volunteer at the Jordan River National Fish Hatchery, a backcountry field intern for the Isle Royale Wolf/Moose Study, a member of the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club, an usher at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, a volunteer turtle cleaner after the Kalamazoo River oil spill, and the Stream Monitoring Coordinator at the Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council in East Lansing. Dan likes having fun, being with friends, and being active outdoors. He lives with his parents, two dogs, and a chubby black whipped-cream loving cat named Kitty.

Kristy Beyer

Communication Specialist
E-mail: kristy@watershedcouncil.org

Beyer has over 20 years of graphic design/marketing experience with eight years concentrated in the resort and gaming industries. Beyer also holds an Associates Degree in Marketing and Advertising from North Central Michigan College and a certificate in Promotional Strategies for the Gaming Industry from University of Nevada, Reno.

Beyer currently serves as the Club Secretary for the Rotary Club of Petoskey and is a member of the West Michigan Advertising Club, and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Beyer is an active member of Harbor Light Community Chapel serving as a Womens' Bible Study Group Leader and sings on the worship team. Beyer participated in the Chicago Marathon in 2009, 2010, and 2011 and is the local Team Captain for Team World Vision - Harbor Light. In her spare time she enjoys serving her community, travel, photography, and painting.