Our Team

The NIACS team consists of staff affiliated with the USDA Forest Service, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub, and universities. 

We would love to hear from you! Please contact one of our team members with any questions. Our team members have expertise in adaptation, communication, carbon, natural resource sciences, and many other disciplines.

Maria Janowiak

Title: Director (acting)

Affiliation: USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station

Focus Area: Forests, Carbon, Adaptation Planning and Implementation

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Stephen Handler

Title: Deputy Director (acting)

Affiliation: USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station

Focus Area: Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Adaptation Planning, Forest Management and Silviculture, Tribal perspectives, Wildlife Management

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Hannah Abbotts

Title: Senior Product Designer and Content Delivery Specialist

Affiliation: Michigan Technological University

Focus Area: Web Content Management, Digital Science and Communication, Climate Adaptation

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Maddy Baroli

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: Michigan Technological University

Focus Area: Forest Ecology and Management, Urban & Community Forestry, Tree Planting and Assisted Migration

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Mattison Brady

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: University of Vermont

Focus Area: Forest Ecology and Management, Forest Health Monitoring, Climate Adaptation

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Tracy Campbell

Title: USDA Climate Hub Fellow

Affiliation: USDA ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment, USDA Midwest Climate Hub, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub

Focus Area: Agroforestry, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation

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Pete Clark

Title: Postdoctoral Associate

Affiliation: University of Vermont

Focus Area: Forest ecology, forest regeneration, plant physiological responses to global change

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Adrienne Keller

Title: Research Assistant Professor

Affiliation: Michigan Tech University

Focus Area: Carbon Science and Management, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Ecosystem Ecology

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Grace Kirchner

Title: USDA Climate Hub Fellow

Affiliation: Ohio State University, USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub

Focus Area: Applied Weather and Climate, Natural Resources, GIS

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Katie Frerker

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: USDA Forest Service Eastern Region

Focus Area: Climate Adaptation, Carbon Stewardship, Assisted Migration, Forest Ecology

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Patricia Leopold

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: USDA Forest Service Eastern Region State, Private, and Tribal Forestry

Focus Area: Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment, Climate Adaptation, Carbon Management

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Kailey Marcinkowski

Title: Science Visual Information Specialist

Affiliation: Michigan Technological University

Focus Area: Science Communication and outreach, Graphic Design and Visual information resources, Publication Layout and Design, Digital Accessibility

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Samantha Myers

Title: Forest Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: University of Vermont

Focus Area: Forest Ecosystems, Climate Change Adaptation, Forest Carbon Dynamics, Adaptation Monitoring and Evaluation

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Luke Nave

Title: Research Associate Professor

Affiliation: Michigan Technological University

Focus Area: Forest Ecology and Management, Soil Biogeochemistry, Carbon Cycling

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Manashree Padiyath

Title: Climate Resource Assistant

Affiliation: Forest Service Resource Assistant Program

Focus Area: Science Communication, Web Content

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Courtney Peterson

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: Colorado State University

Focus Area: Climate-adaptive Silviculture, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Climate Adaptation

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Rebecca Rooney

Title: ORISE Fellow

Affiliation: USDA -ARS Midwest Climate Hub

Focus Area: Plant Physiology, Forest Ecology, Climate Change Adaptation

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Martha Sample

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: University of Minnesota

Focus Area: Climate adaptation, Land management planning, Science communication

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Danielle Shannon

Title: Coordinator of the USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub

Affiliation: Michigan Technological University

Focus Area: Forest and Water Resources Management, Climate Adaptation, Communications

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Maria Vicini

Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist

Affiliation: Colorado State University

Focus Area: Climate Adaptation, Silviculture, Forest Ecology

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