County representatives, area non-profits, and community members work together on the Winnebago Waterways Steering Team to set the strategic direction for project initiatives and to ensure progress towards meeting targets for the Winnebago Waterways Recovery Area. Members-at-large participate in this leadership structure as volunteer members who represent stakeholder interests. These are annual positions with an application process that typically begins in fall of each year.
We would like to extend a warm welcome two new members-at-large for 2021:
Thomas Mace and Brian Valleskey!
Brian Valleskey is a Senior Scientist at his firm. He brings over 20 years of practical and applied experience in lake management and watershed planning. Brian received his BS degree in Watershed Management through the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. He has extensive experience working on large watersheds highly influenced by both agriculture and urbanization in the Midwest. As part of the Winnebago Waterways Steering Team he looks forward to being part of a team working on large projects that help with lake recovery.
When asked why the lakes are important to him, Brian replied, “I grew up in Calumet County and most exclusively fished/ice-fished Lake Winnebago. Those experiences growing up were instrumental in forming my career choice”. For fun, Brian enjoys camping and spending time with family. He is excited to contribute to the recovery efforts for the Winnebago Lakes and is happy to be part of the Team. Welcome to the Team, Brian!!
Dr. Thomas Mace currently lives along the shoreline of Lake Winnebago in Menasha, Wisconsin. He is retired from his position as a Environmental Scientist and Senior Manager for Lockheed, USEPA, and NASA. He is also a former US Air Force pilot and bring a wealth of knowledge from his educational background, research, and professional experience. Tom earned is BA from Ripon College and his MS and PhD in Environmental Monitoring from UW-Madison, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies (first degree from that program). Tom has extensive experience working on environmental problems in a team environment. He is also a technical expert on remote sensing and GIS for environmental monitoring. As a member-at-large on the Steering Team, Tom hopes to bring Climate Adaptation into the planning process, and to incorporate a “whole watershed” approach to the solution set.
When asked why the Winnebago Lakes are important to him, Tom replied, “My reasons are both professional, and personal. I grew up here and have returned in retirement to live in my grandparents home on the shore of Lake Winnebago. I have sailed, hunted, and fished throughout the pools, but especially Lake Winnebago. Where I lived, and the western end of Lake Poygan, where my family belonged to the Poygan Land Company at the cutoff. I attended camp on the Wolf at Gardner Dam, and later canoed the rapids. I remember the wetlands, which have vanished in my lifetime.
In graduate school, and in EPA, I worked with colleagues to develop the early remote sensing techniques for assessing water quality, and was responsible for the introduction of spatial analysis using GIS to asses environmental effects of pollution. In EPA, and later in NASA, I was responsible for the development of earth science observing systems for over 30 years. I wish to apply that experience to my home watershed, especially in light of the challenges posed by climate change”.
For fun, Tom enjoys pheasant and duck hunting, fishing, kayaking, biking, cross country skiing and snowshoeing, scuba diving and underwater photography. He is married with four children and four grandchildren. Welcome to the team, Tom!
In addition to the two new members, we have one returning member-at-large, Dr. Alan Weir. Alan, an instructor in the Chemistry Department at Fox Valley Technical College, has been a member of the Steering Team since 2018. He and his wife, Gail, live on the southwest shore of Lake Winnebago. He enjoys teaching chemistry and biochemistry at Fox Valley Technical College as a second career after my retirement from the Army. I spent 25 years on active duty as a chemist managing hospital, research and environmental laboratories. He is also a member of the Lake Winnebago Quality Improvement Association in Fond du Lac County. Alan and his wife have five grown sons, two dogs and a few cats. He enjoys cycling, reading, paddle boating and kayaking on the Lake.
Thank you for your continued involvement, Alan!!
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Winnebago Waterways Steering Team
Questions? Comments? Contact Korin Doering, the Winnebago Waterways Program Director, at (920) 851-0948 or korin@fwwa.org!
Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.
Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.
