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The Wild Things Conference Returns Saturday, March 1, 2025 - SOLD OUT

We’re thrilled to welcome you again to learn and share your expertise with our community. We’ve put together an exciting lineup of workshops and sessions from regional and national experts, plus meet & greets, video content, exhibitors, and sponsors. With over 140 presentations and discussion panels to choose from, the in-person program engages a diverse range of topics, research, and skills, and plenty of opportunities to meet with friends, old and new.

Thank you as well to our sponsors, scholarship supporters, and exhibitors who are all helping to make this another tremendously successful Wild Things.

Tickets for Wild Things 2025 are sold out. For additional information on the 2025 conference, visit wildthingscommunity.org.

**PLEASE NOTE: Some details are subject to change.**

NOTICE: Please be advised that photos and videos will be taken during Wild Things 2025. By attending, you consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your attendance on this event constitutes your agreement to the use of any resulting media by Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves for promotional, marketing, or any other purpose in perpetuity, without further approval or any compensation. 

DM

David McEllis

Environmental Law and Policy Center
Illinois Legislative Director
avatar for Bill McKnight

Bill McKnight

Self (The Mad Botanist) & Indiana Academy of Science
botanist, gardener, educator
avatar for Colleen McVeigh

Colleen McVeigh

Chicago Public Schools
Educator
avatar for Jessie Crow Mermel

Jessie Crow Mermel

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves
Field Representative
avatar for MacKenzie Michaels

MacKenzie Michaels

Loyola University Chicago
Graduate Research Assistant
avatar for Meghan Midgley

Meghan Midgley

Center for Tree Science, The Morton Arboretum
Soil Ecologist
avatar for Terry Miesle

Terry Miesle

Beespotter
avatar for Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller

Illinois Natural History Survey
Mycologist - Principle Senior Scientist
RM

Rika Mizoguchi

Field Museum
avatar for alan molumby

alan molumby

University of Illinois at Chicago and James Woodworth Prairie
AM

Angella Moorehouse

Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
avatar for Claudia Morrison

Claudia Morrison

Forest Preserves of Cook County
Conservation and Experiential Programming Assistant
avatar for Glen Moss

Glen Moss

Lake County Audubon Society
Past President
avatar for Louis Mule

Louis Mule

Tallgrass Associates
Ecologist
avatar for Thomas Murphy

Thomas Murphy

CPD West Ridge Nature Park
steward
PN

Phil Nicodemus

Urban Rivers
avatar for Gabriela Nunez-Mir

Gabriela Nunez-Mir

University of Illinois at Chicago
Assistant Professor
JO

Joy O'Keefe

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
VO

Vanessa Ortega

Student at Joliet Junior College
avatar for Will Overbeck

Will Overbeck

Hey and Associates, Inc.
Environmental Scientist
avatar for Catherine O’Reilly

Catherine O’Reilly

University of Illinois Chicago
Partner Coordinator
avatar for Stephen Packard

Stephen Packard

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves
Site Steward
avatar for Madeline 'Madi' Palmquist

Madeline 'Madi' Palmquist

Loyola University
avatar for David Parsons, MS

David Parsons, MS

USFWS Retired
Project Coyote Science Advisor/Carnivore Conservation
avatar for Brett Peto

Brett Peto

Lake County Forest Preserves
Environmental Communications Specialist
avatar for Sam Pirruccello

Sam Pirruccello

Forest Preserves of Cook County
Resource Specialist
avatar for Judy Pollock

Judy Pollock

Chicago Audubon Society
avatar for Cassandra Powell

Cassandra Powell

Light of Loving Kindness
Founder & Executive Director
avatar for Ayesha T. Qazi-Lampert

Ayesha T. Qazi-Lampert

Chicago Teachers Union
AP Environmental Science Teacher, Doctoral Candidate, Climate Justice...
AR

Anastasia Rahlin

Illinois Natural History Survey
Associate Research Scientist, Ornithology
SR

Sai Ramakrishna

North Branch Restoration Project
Zone Steward
IR

Iza Redlinski

Forest Preserves of Cook County
DR

Donisha Reed

TCA Health
Director Community and Population Health
avatar for Kelly Reina

Kelly Reina

Brookfield Zoo Chicago
Manager, Early Childhood Education
avatar for Adam Rembert

Adam Rembert

Missouri Botanical Garden
avatar for Alex Risdal

Alex Risdal

Loyola University Chicago
Undergraduate Researcher
LR

Lea Rodbarry

The Conservation Foundation
Communications Specialist
avatar for Jess Rodriguez

Jess Rodriguez

Brushwood Center
Coalition Building Manager and Nature & Forest Therapy Guide
avatar for Kim Roman

Kim Roman

Illinois Nature Preserves Commission
Natural Areas Preservation Specialist
avatar for Diane Rosenberg

Diane Rosenberg

Lake County Audubon Society - Sharing Our Shore-Waukegan
Co-Chair Sharing Our Shore-Waukegan
DR

Derek Rosenberger

Wheaton College
Associate Professor of Conservation Biology
avatar for Sharon Rosenzweig

Sharon Rosenzweig

Volunteer Steward
avatar for Lisa Rundle

Lisa Rundle

Sharing our Shore - Waukegan committee member and Piping Plover...
avatar for Jennifer Rydzewski

Jennifer Rydzewski

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Ecologist
avatar for Allison Sacerdote-Velat

Allison Sacerdote-Velat

Chicago Academy of Sciences
Curator of Biology & Herpetology
SS

Scott Saffer

Tri-Point Junior High
avatar for Dan Sandacz

Dan Sandacz

Lake County Forest Preserve District
Restoration Ecologist I
avatar for Wayne Schimpff

Wayne Schimpff

Hornaday Conservation Award Commitee
Chairman
avatar for Rianna Schwartz

Rianna Schwartz

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Preserve Project Designer
avatar for Eric Secker

Eric Secker

Bird Conservation Network
Vice President
avatar for Brad Semel

Brad Semel

Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Endangered Species Specialist
avatar for Sima Shah

Sima Shah

Kiwi versus the Paintbrush
Traditional artist and printmaker
avatar for Tarik Shahzad

Tarik Shahzad

The Nature Conservancy in Illinois
Government Relations Associate
avatar for Laura Shihadah

Laura Shihadah

University of Illinois
Graduate Student
avatar for Jack Shouba

Jack Shouba

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves
Board of Directors member
avatar for Troy Showerman

Troy Showerman

Forest Preserves of Cook County
Resource Project Manager
avatar for Rachel Schick Siegel

Rachel Schick Siegel

Illinois Beaver Alliance
President
avatar for Dana Sievertson

Dana Sievertson

Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission
Commissioner
avatar for Steve Silic

Steve Silic

Forest Preserves of Cook County
Chief Fisheries Biologist
avatar for Thomas Simpson

Thomas Simpson

McHenry County Conservation District
SS

Sarah Slayton

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
M.S. Student
avatar for Pamela Sloan

Pamela Sloan

pamsloanart
artist
KS

Kim Stone

Go Green Illinois
Co Chair
CS

Carl Strang

Volunteer, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
avatar for Cathy Streett

Cathy Streett

Darien Garden Club
Community Outreach and Service Projects Chair
avatar for Robert Sullivan

Robert Sullivan

Argonne National Laboratory - retired
Environmental Scientist
GS

Gary Swick

Friends of the Fox River
President and Educator
avatar for Robb Telfer

Robb Telfer

Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves
Program Director
avatar for Zelle Tenorio

Zelle Tenorio

Cook County Master Naturalist Volunteer
BT

Brooke Thurau

The Nature Conservancy
Conservation Partnership and Network Specialist
JU

Jacqui Ulrich

Forest Preserves of Cook County
Deputy Director
avatar for Lauren Umek

Lauren Umek

Chicago Park District
TD

Tony Del Vallé

The Morton Arboretum
Research Coordinator
avatar for Tom Velat

Tom Velat

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
MW

Mike Ward

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Illinois Natural History Survey
avatar for Maggie Warren

Maggie Warren

Advance Inquiry Program, Brookfield Zoo
avatar for Ellie Wasilewski

Ellie Wasilewski

UIC EcoΦlab
Lab Manager
JW

Jeff Weiss

Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team
YW

YLANDA WILHITE

The Field Museum of Natural History
Senior Partnership Coordinator
avatar for Dr. Debra Williams

Dr. Debra Williams

The Nature Conservancy/IBP
Community Outreach Coordinator
avatar for Philip Willink

Philip Willink

Illinois Natural History Survey
avatar for Shana Wills

Shana Wills

Refugee Education & Adventure Challenge (REACH)
Founding Executive Director
MW

Mitch Woods

Tri-Point Junior High
AY

Addy Yoder

University of Missouri in St. Louis
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