Elizabeth (Betsy) Schmiesing is a Shareholder in the Energy and Environmental Group at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis, MN. She regularly advises clients on transactions involving Brownfields and works collaboratively to get appropriate agency assurances in place.  She has successfully handled matters ranging from the collaborative to the contentious at the federal and state level, including matters before an array of regulatory agencies including the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and United States Army Corps of Engineers. Betsy has served as an adjunct professor of Environmental Law at both the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota.


Kristin Prososki is Secretary of MN Brownfields, and is the Community Development Specialist at SEH. Previously, she was in Community Development for the City of Mankato, previously she was serving in the role of Housing and Economic Development Coordinator.  Prior to her work with the City of Mankato, Kristin was a Project Manager at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development in the Office of Brownfields and Redevelopment and was the Associate Planner at the City of Mounds View.  Kristin holds a bachelor degree in Urban and Regional Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato.


Kristin Lukes
is the Director of the Brownfields and Redevelopment Unit of the Department of Employment and Economic Development.  This unit is responsible for administering all of DEED’s Brownfields programs and a variety of other programs and special appropriations on behalf of the state legislature.  Kristin’s previous experience includes working for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in the area of contaminated land, and as Minnesota’s State Brownfields Coordinator.  In addition to serving on the MN Brownfields Board, Ms. Lukes is also a standing member of the Advisory Board.  She has also served on the Board of the Economic Development Association and the Woodbury Figure Skating Board. She has also served on various Commissions and Committees for the city of Woodbury. Ms. Lukes holds a B.A. degree in Environmental Policy from the University of St. Thomas.



Kaitlin Thell Ouverson applies her background in civil engineering to a wide range of projects which include due diligence, environmental remedial design, vapor intrusion, and brownfields redevelopment services.  She has worked on both small- and large-scale projects throughout the United States including industrial/manufacturing, commercial office/warehouse, and multi-family. Kaitlin is a University of Minnesota – Twin Cities graduate and holds professional engineering licenses in Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin.   She is known for her strong work ethic, communication skills, client relations, contractor coordination, and leadership skills.  A role model to others, Kaitlin volunteers as a mentor to young professionals in the engineering and construction industries. 
 


Charlie Vander Aarde is Board Chair and a Senior Account Supervisor at Tunheim where he works in public affairs, helping clients meet their public policy and communications goals. He has 16 years of Minnesota legislative experience where he worked as a lobbyist representing metropolitan region cities. Charlie’s policy and budget experience include housing and land use, economic development, redevelopment, and metropolitan government. He previously served as legislative staff in both the Minnesota House and Senate. His prior work also includes directing citizen diplomacy efforts with the U.S. State Department in Seattle. Charlie grew up in Minnesota and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He serves as chair on the board of Minnesota Brownfields, chairs the Neighborhood STAR board for the City of Saint Paul, and is on the board of his local youth hockey association. He coaches baseball and hockey and resides in Saint Paul with his family.
 




Mike Wardwell is Chair of the ReScape Committee, and a Development Associate and Property Manager with Hyde Development, a developer that specializes in brownfields. At Hyde, Mike is responsible for the redevelopment and management of industrial properties, which includes the management of entitlement, financing, construction, and post-construction management. Mike also serves as an Urban Land Institute Young Leaders Grow Committee Member, and has served as a member of the Fridley Energy Action Planning Team and NAIOP Developing Leader Social Committee. During the course of his career thus far, Mike has gained experience with the various stages of the redevelopment process in addition to real estate, legal and environmental knowledge.


Richard Manser  leverages his 40 years of experience as a hydrogeologist and environmental consultant to facilitate the assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of contaminated and underutilized properties. In addition to serving on the Minnesota Brownfields Board of Directors, he chairs the Membership Committee and actively participates on the ReScape/Programming Committee. Richard is owner and Senior Consultant at milepost12 LLC. He has held leadership positions at The Opus Group in addition to local and national environmental consulting firms such as Barr Engineering, Arcadis, MACTEC, and Geomatrix.

Adam Zobel is a Principal within the Real Estate and Remediation Group at Stantec. Adam is also a Remediation Practice Leader at Stantec for the Great Lakes Region. He has experience in environmental consulting assisting clients with transaction-based environmental due diligence, brownfield redevelopment, brownfield cleanup, assessment, and redevelopment grants, site investigation, and remediation projects since 2002. Adam has served on the Minnesota Brownfields Membership committee since 2019. 

Past Executive Directors

Natalie Brown
Severin Oman
Martha Faust

Past Board Members

Sherry Van Duyn - Landmark Environmental, LLC
Eric Hesse - American Engineering Testing
Jon Carlson- Braun Intertec
Deb DeLuca – Duluth Seaway Port Authority
Ken Haberman – Landmark Environmental
Steve Heurung – Stoel Rives
Paul Hyde – Hyde Development
Margaret Knowlton – Retired
Marcus Martin – Met Council
Wayne Nelson – retired
Mary Sands – Barr
Kristina Smitten – Hillcrest Development
Heidi Timm-Bijold – Project Navigation, LLC
Meredith Udoibok – DEED
Sara Peterson – Parkway Law, LLC
Ava Langston-Kenney - St. Paul Port Authority