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
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
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
Maddy Baroli
Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: Michigan Technological University
Focus Area: Forest Ecology and Management, Urban & Community Forestry, Tree Planting and Assisted Migration
Mattison Brady
Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: University of Vermont
Focus Area: Forest Ecology and Management, Forest Health Monitoring, Climate Adaptation
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
Pete Clark
Title: Postdoctoral Associate
Affiliation: University of Vermont
Focus Area: Forest ecology, forest regeneration, plant physiological responses to global change
Adrienne Keller
Title: Research Assistant Professor
Affiliation: Michigan Tech University
Focus Area: Carbon Science and Management, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation, Ecosystem Ecology
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
Katie Frerker
Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: USDA Forest Service Eastern Region
Focus Area: Climate Adaptation, Carbon Stewardship, Assisted Migration, Forest Ecology
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
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
Samantha Myers
Title: Forest Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: University of Vermont
Focus Area: Forest Ecosystems, Climate Change Adaptation, Forest Carbon Dynamics, Adaptation Monitoring and Evaluation
Luke Nave
Title: Research Associate Professor
Affiliation: Michigan Technological University
Focus Area: Forest Ecology and Management, Soil Biogeochemistry, Carbon Cycling
Manashree Padiyath
Title: Climate Resource Assistant
Affiliation: Forest Service Resource Assistant Program
Focus Area: Science Communication, Web Content
Courtney Peterson
Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: Colorado State University
Focus Area: Climate-adaptive Silviculture, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Climate Adaptation
Rebecca Rooney
Title: ORISE Fellow
Affiliation: USDA -ARS Midwest Climate Hub
Focus Area: Plant Physiology, Forest Ecology, Climate Change Adaptation
Martha Sample
Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: University of Minnesota
Focus Area: Climate adaptation, Land management planning, Science communication
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
Maria Vicini
Title: Climate Adaptation Specialist
Affiliation: Colorado State University
Focus Area: Climate Adaptation, Silviculture, Forest Ecology