Staff
Janet Brown - Office Manager
Janet Brown has been the Office Manager for the Will Steger Foundation since Oct. 2007. After leaving the corporate world, Janet spent the last eighteen years working on environmental issues through both non-profit and volunteer work including Clean Water Action, The Works and St. Joan of Arc Church. Janet’s work at WSF includes: implementing and maintaining a new donor database, managing the monthly finances, developing on-going donor support through timely appeals, event and program support as well as recruiting and training the foundation’s invaluable volunteer base.
Janet Brown has been the Office Manager for the Will Steger Foundation since Oct. 2007. After leaving the corporate world, Janet spent the last eighteen years working on environmental issues through both non-profit and volunteer work including Clean Water Action, The Works and St. Joan of Arc Church. Janet’s work at WSF includes: implementing and maintaining a new donor database, managing the monthly finances, developing on-going donor support through timely appeals, event and program support as well as recruiting and training the foundation’s invaluable volunteer base. Abby Fenton - Youth Programs Director/RE-AMP Youth Climate Coordinator 
Abby began her work with the Will Steger Foundation as a member of the Baffin Island expedition and education coordinator. A graduate of Earlham College, with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development Social Relations, Abby has spent over 10 years working in the field of outdoor and experiential education. Combining her love of people and wilderness, Abby has worked as a high-ropes instructor, educator, and program director for various outdoor education centers including the Farm and Wilderness Foundation, the Hulbert Outdoor Center, and Youth Farm and Market Project. Abby spent seven years working for Outward Bound leading backpacking, climbing and dogsledding expeditions for all ages in northern Minnesota and the Rocky Mountains of Montana.
Abby began her work with the Will Steger Foundation as a member of the Baffin Island expedition and education coordinator. A graduate of Earlham College, with a bachelor’s degree in Human Development Social Relations, Abby has spent over 10 years working in the field of outdoor and experiential education. Combining her love of people and wilderness, Abby has worked as a high-ropes instructor, educator, and program director for various outdoor education centers including the Farm and Wilderness Foundation, the Hulbert Outdoor Center, and Youth Farm and Market Project. Abby spent seven years working for Outward Bound leading backpacking, climbing and dogsledding expeditions for all ages in northern Minnesota and the Rocky Mountains of Montana.
Loyal to her urban roots, Abby is committed to meeting the needs of urban youth and helped launch the Will Steger Foundation’s Emerging Leaders program which aims to increase involvement with the next generation to confront global warming, specifically targeting young people, or ‘Emerging Leaders,’ ages 17-28. Since 2007, Abby has worked to foster the level of youth involvement in climate change solutions and empower and support youth climate leadership across Minnesota and the Midwest.
Kristen Iverson Poppleton - K-12 Education Program Manager
Kristen began her work with the Will Steger Foundation as a participant in their first educator Summer Institute in 2006, and most recently authored the Grades 3-6 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans. Kristen’s past work experience includes teaching Pre-K through graduate students and training formal and informal educators in environmental education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math); grant writing; youth development; curriculum development; and long-term strategic planning. Kristen has led STEM focused youth groups and professional development to informal educators at the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center and Learning Technologies Center, and taught environmental and climate education focused courses at Hamline University and the University of Minnesota. Kristen spent many years as a naturalist including at the International Wolf Center, and at a residential environmental education program in Cordoba, Argentina. Kristen’s formal education includes a MEd in environmental education, and a MS in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota. She currently serves as Secretary of the non-profit, Urban Boatbuilders. Kristen loves spending time outside, especially “up North” with her husband, two children and their chocolate lab.
Kristen began her work with the Will Steger Foundation as a participant in their first educator Summer Institute in 2006, and most recently authored the Grades 3-6 Interdisciplinary Lesson Plans. Kristen’s past work experience includes teaching Pre-K through graduate students and training formal and informal educators in environmental education and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math); grant writing; youth development; curriculum development; and long-term strategic planning. Kristen has led STEM focused youth groups and professional development to informal educators at the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center and Learning Technologies Center, and taught environmental and climate education focused courses at Hamline University and the University of Minnesota. Kristen spent many years as a naturalist including at the International Wolf Center, and at a residential environmental education program in Cordoba, Argentina. Kristen’s formal education includes a MEd in environmental education, and a MS in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota. She currently serves as Secretary of the non-profit, Urban Boatbuilders. Kristen loves spending time outside, especially “up North” with her husband, two children and their chocolate lab.
Nicole Rom - Executive Director
For over four years Nicole has been leading the Will Steger Foundation. As the Executive Director, Nicole has built and sustained the organization by providing visioning and development activities for the organization and its educational and policy programs. Prior to working for WSF, Nicole managed the education programs for the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor, MI, where she developed and directed educational programming in the Midwest. Nicole also has experience teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in environmental psychology, environmental education, and communicating climate change in the classroom at the University of Michigan and Hamline University. Nicole served as an Environmental Educator with the US Peace Corps in the Republic of Kazakhstan. She received her M.S. in Environmental Policy and Education from the School of Natural Resources & Environment at the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Education from Bates College in Maine. Nicole is passionate about the outdoors, loves the lakes in Minnesota, cycling and skiing. She is currently Secretary of the Board of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
For over four years Nicole has been leading the Will Steger Foundation. As the Executive Director, Nicole has built and sustained the organization by providing visioning and development activities for the organization and its educational and policy programs. Prior to working for WSF, Nicole managed the education programs for the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes office in Ann Arbor, MI, where she developed and directed educational programming in the Midwest. Nicole also has experience teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in environmental psychology, environmental education, and communicating climate change in the classroom at the University of Michigan and Hamline University. Nicole served as an Environmental Educator with the US Peace Corps in the Republic of Kazakhstan. She received her M.S. in Environmental Policy and Education from the School of Natural Resources & Environment at the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Education from Bates College in Maine. Nicole is passionate about the outdoors, loves the lakes in Minnesota, cycling and skiing. She is currently Secretary of the Board of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. Consultants
Richmond Appleton - YEA! MN Coordinator 
Richmond Appleton is passionate about the environment and giving back to his communities—the Twin Cities and his birthplace of Liberia. He became the first to declare an Environmental Studies major and Augsburg College’s first environmental studies graduate. While at Augsburg, he chaired the Augsburg Student Activities Council diversity committee and served as a residence life community adviser. In January, he traveled to Cuernavaca, Mexico, with students from the Scholastic Connections program to learn about sustainable agriculture practices in Mexico. Appleton also spent five weeks in New Zealand studying ecology, biodiversity, and climate change in the summer of 2009 exploring the unique flora and fauna of the island as well as the distinctive political culture that has made it a leader in environmental policy. A desire to make a difference influenced Appleton’s decision to support Youth Environmental Activists (YEA!) Minnesota this year as program coordinator, where he could combine his interests in social justice, climate change, leadership, and public service.
Richmond Appleton is passionate about the environment and giving back to his communities—the Twin Cities and his birthplace of Liberia. He became the first to declare an Environmental Studies major and Augsburg College’s first environmental studies graduate. While at Augsburg, he chaired the Augsburg Student Activities Council diversity committee and served as a residence life community adviser. In January, he traveled to Cuernavaca, Mexico, with students from the Scholastic Connections program to learn about sustainable agriculture practices in Mexico. Appleton also spent five weeks in New Zealand studying ecology, biodiversity, and climate change in the summer of 2009 exploring the unique flora and fauna of the island as well as the distinctive political culture that has made it a leader in environmental policy. A desire to make a difference influenced Appleton’s decision to support Youth Environmental Activists (YEA!) Minnesota this year as program coordinator, where he could combine his interests in social justice, climate change, leadership, and public service.Jim Paulson - Webmaster
Jim started working with Will in 2004 after Will's return from the Arctic Transect Expedition and continued working with Will during the creation of the Will Steger Foundation. Jim spent the months of February through May of 2007 traveling on Baffin Island with the base camp/support staff for the Global Warming 101 Expedition where he provided technical logistics to the team and worked with base camp staff in the communities. In 2008 Jim returned to the Arctic with the Global Warming 101 Ellesmere Island Expedition providing support and technical logistics during their training on Baffin Island.
Jim started working with Will in 2004 after Will's return from the Arctic Transect Expedition and continued working with Will during the creation of the Will Steger Foundation. Jim spent the months of February through May of 2007 traveling on Baffin Island with the base camp/support staff for the Global Warming 101 Expedition where he provided technical logistics to the team and worked with base camp staff in the communities. In 2008 Jim returned to the Arctic with the Global Warming 101 Ellesmere Island Expedition providing support and technical logistics during their training on Baffin Island.
Jim is an amateur polar exploration history enthusiast and enjoys the challenge of making technology work in remote places. In 2009, Jim started developing his own adventures to the Arctic and will be traveling back to the Arctic in July of 2010 - www.arcticscape.com. Jim's favorite quote comes from explorer Fridtjof Nansen, "Never stop because you are afraid - you are never so likely to be wrong."
Jerry Stenger - Media Development Director 
First joining Will in 1989 when he was preparing for his International Trans-Antarctica Expedition, Jerry continues to produce, shoot and edit video programming for Steger’s projects. His involvement with each of Will’s successive expeditions has taken him to places such as Siberia, the North Pole, Antarctica and northern Canada.
First joining Will in 1989 when he was preparing for his International Trans-Antarctica Expedition, Jerry continues to produce, shoot and edit video programming for Steger’s projects. His involvement with each of Will’s successive expeditions has taken him to places such as Siberia, the North Pole, Antarctica and northern Canada.
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