Michael Brown – Executive Director
Michael has served as Executive Director of the Ecology Action Center since November of 2007. He has a diverse background in environmental work including training of volunteers in ecological monitoring for the Illinois EcoWatch, service as a Peace Corps volunteer at Pirin National Park in Bulgaria, management of a 320-acre educational park for the Peoria Park District, work in environmental health with the Peoria City/County Health Department, and restoration of natural areas for Peoria Wilds. He served on the Board of the Illinois Recycling Association from 2010 to 2013, on the Board of Directors of the ParkLands Foundation from 2010 to 2019 acting as chair of stewardship efforts and on the ISU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning Community Consulting Board from 2018 to 2020. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Peoria Wilds, on the Environment and Climate Justice Committee of the Bloomington Normal Chapter of the NAACP, and is a volunteer with the McLean County Medical Reserve Corps. Michael is a 2006 recipient of Peoria’s 40 Leaders Under Forty Award, 2013 recipient of the Illinois Recycling Association’s President’s Award, 2014 recipient of the McLean County Public Health Award, and the 2015 inaugural recipient of Illinois Central College’s Alumnus of the Decade award. In his spare time, Michael is an avid cyclist, in 2017 completing a 250-mile ride across Death Valley National Park as part of “Climate Ride”. |
Larissa Armstrong – Assistant Director
Larissa Armstrong has served as the Assistant Director of the Ecology Action Center since 2018, and has worked for the organization since 2010. Larissa is a compassionate, experienced and enthusiastic community educator and energy professional providing a variety of solar, energy efficiency, and energy choice educational programming to the community. Larissa is a Building Performance Institute certified Building Analyst and Envelope Professional and coordinates the EAC’s BN Energy Bright energy efficiency program. Larissa also manages the Yard Smart program, helps organize Sugar Creek Stewards workdays, and assists with annual giving and fundraising in addition to other responsibilities. Larissa has a Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University in Politics and Government, and a Master’s Degree from Rutgers University in Global Affairs with a research focus on Global Environmental Issues. When Larissa isn’t busy working for the EAC, she is hiking, baking, gardening, hanging out with her cats and husband, and staying engaged in the community through various volunteer activities. |
Deborah S. Pitcher – Development Coordinator
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Katie Vogler – Education Coordinator
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Kelsey Bremner – Program Technician
Kelsey joined the EAC team in August of 2022 as a Program Assistant and became a full time Program Technician in February 2023. She is focusing her efforts on the EAC’s solid waste program initiatives, clean air programming, and greenhouse gas inventory. Kelsey earned her B.S. in Environmental Health from Illinois State University in 2012 where she worked as a student researcher and later as a teacher’s assistant in the Bioenergy Research Lab. She then interned with the Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 office located in Denver, Colorado. Kelsey serves on the Friends of the Constitution Trail Board of Directors and is a member of ISU’s Institutional Biosafety Committee. Outside of work you can find her hiking with her dog, gardening, learning to sew, and baking desserts for friends and family. |
Jacob Mehalic – Tree Coordinator
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Peg Mercer – Admin Assistant |
Nathan Bair – Stewardship Coordinator
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Eric Marshall – Program Assistant
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Riley Francis – Program Assistant
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