Ryan J. Postema, Executive Director
Ryan is a Michigan native, born and raised in the Grand Rapids area. He attended Michigan State University and graduated in 2001 with a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife. He has more than twenty years of experience in land conservation and natural resources management. Ryan joined Chikaming Open Lands in 2013 as Land Protection Specialist, and was named Executive Director of the organization in 2016. As such, he oversees all operations and activities of the organization. Prior to joining COL, he spent eight years with Cardno (formerly JFNew), an international engineering and environmental consulting firm, implementing and managing ecosystem restoration and natural resources management projects throughout the Midwest. Currently, Ryan serves as Treasurer of the Board of the Berrien County Conservation District and as Vice President of the Board of Heart of the Lakes, Michigan's state association of land trusts and partner organizations.
A resident of Weesaw Township, in his free time he enjoys birding, gardening, and managing his 15 acre property which includes farmland, forest, and wetlands.
Contact Ryan at rpostema@chikamingopenlands.org.
Jen Underwood, Development Director
Jen retreated to Southwest Michigan after 22 years in Chicago, where she worked in development and communications for Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Health System, Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Rush University Medical Center. She received her B.A. in Art History from Loyola University Chicago.
She discovered this corner of Michigan in the summer of 2011, when she rented a cottage in Union Pier on the weekends. Jen bought a home in the area in the summer of 2012, and hasn't looked back since. She has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Harbor Country Chamber of Commerce, including as president from 2019-2021. Jen enjoys cooking, travel, reading, running barrels on her horses Beau & Scooter, and trekking the beautiful beaches, dunes and preserves in the area with her husband Jon and dogs Scout & Bandit.
Contact Jen at jthompson@chikamingopenlands.org
Lolly (Laura) Roberts, Development Specialist
Lolly is originally from Chicago and has lived in Harbor Country for 13 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Skidmore College. Lolly has devoted her career to communications, marketing and development in the nonprofit sector. She has also connected corporations and nonprofits, leading to meaningful partnerships. Before joining Chikaming Open Lands, Lolly consulted for various clients, including COL. Lolly’s passion, both personally and professionally, centers on storytelling, enabling audiences to connect with, understand and appreciate an organization’s mission more deeply.
When she’s not storytelling and raising much-needed funds for COL, Lolly enjoys cycling in good weather and exploring COL’s preserves and trails with her husband, Mark, their golden retriever, Piper, and corgi, George.
Contact Lolly at lroberts@chikamingopenlands.org to tell you a great story about COL.
Grace Fredenburg, Education & Outreach Coordinator
Grace originates from the Chicagoland area. After graduating from the University of Saint Francis in Joliet IL with a B.S. in Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Management and a minor in Leadership Studies, she transplanted to Northwest Indiana to join the Indiana Dunes Learning Center as a naturalist. Most recently, she served as a senior site-based program facilitator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, servicing Northwest Indiana. Whether teaching middle school students the importance of water quality in South Bend or providing 1:1 mentoring activities to youth in Chicago, Grace's passion lies in providing memorable experiences for those participating in her programs.
Outside work, Grace enjoys running, kayaking, camping, hiking with her dog Missy and cat Shadow, painting, and spending time at the beach.
Contact Grace at gball@chikamingopenlands.org
Emily Sarra, Education and Community Outreach Assistant
Emily was raised in Sawyer, MI, and graduated from DePaul University with a BA in Cultural Anthropology and Minor in Italian Language in 2021. Growing up on the beach and in the woods, Emily has always loved nature and the outdoors. Before working at Chikaming Open Lands, she spent three years guiding horseback trails through Custer State Park in South Dakota.
When not at COL, Emily enjoys traveling, working outside, riding horses, watersports, and capturing the beauty of the world through drone photography and videography.
Contact Emily at esarra@chikamingopenlands.org
Bethany Ballard, Communications Specialist
Bethany is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, and holds a Bachelors Degree from Taylor University. She spent much of her career in higher education, working to build meaningful connections and fostering a sense of belonging on campuses and within communities. Before joining Chikaming Open Lands, Bethany worked as an Outdoor Adventure Specialist and Marketing Coordinator at Muskegon Luge Park. Bethany believes that the stories we tell shape our relationships with places, fostering a sense of connection, responsibility, and stewardship. Through storytelling, she hopes to inspire others to not only appreciate the beauty of the land but also take an active role in protecting and preserving it for future generations.
When she’s not crafting communications for COL, you’ll likely find her with a camera in hand, camping, hiking, paddleboarding, exploring local spots around Michiana, or cheering on her favorite sports teams.
Contact Bethany at bballard@chikamingopenlands.org.
Dan Engel, Stewardship Manager
Dan hails from Grand Ledge, Michigan. He began visiting southwest Michigan over a decade ago, and moved to Sawyer to raise his two children near family. His passion for the outdoors began early while he waded in the local creek and chased deer in the neighborhood woods. He nurtured this passion by studying biology at Calvin College and earning a master’s in conservation ecology at the University of Michigan. Dan’s work experience has varied from a conservation crew with the City of Ann Arbor to a wetland research team with the US Geological Survey, from teaching high school math and science in Honduras to teacher aiding at a K-12 school in Milwaukee. Through all these adventures, his mission has remained the same: to use sound science to protect natural areas for the benefit of people and wildlife, and to pass on that ethic to others.
In his free time, Dan enjoys hunting, hiking, bird watching, kayaking, running, and playing soccer. Even better is sharing these experiences with his family!
Contact Dan at dengel@chikamingopenlands.org.
Mandy Allred, Field Supervisor
Mandy originates from Berrien Springs, Michigan and recently graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife. Mandy has always been into nature and the outdoors. She grew up loving animals (especially frogs!), so this career path is a natural fit for her. When she’s not working, Mandy is probably hiking or hangin’ in a hammock. Her favorite animal is the praying mantis.
Contact Mandy at aallred@chikamingopenlands.org.
Alex Schrader, Conservation Specialist
Born and raised in Union Pier Michigan, Alex has a love for the Southwest Michigan area and all the nature found within. He graduated from River Valley High School and went on to get an associate in mathematics and science from Southwestern Michigan Community College. He now lives in Bridgman, Michigan with his wife and three dogs. A fan of all things science and nature, his hobbies include gardening, mountain biking, hiking, birdwatching, and camping. Alex's goal is to help preserve and maintain the natural resources in southwest Michigan for all to enjoy.
Contact Alex at aschrader@chikamingopenlands.org
Donavin Harte, Stewardship Field Technician
Donavin hails from South Haven, Michigan. He is pursuing a B.S. in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies in Sustainability at Western Michigan University. Donavin has always had an interest in plants and animals and attributes his passion for the outdoors to growing up in the Pokagon Potawatomi tribe, where he learned the importance of being a caretaker of the natural world. In his free time, Donavin enjoys being outdoors and likes hiking, kayaking, and walking his dog, Piper. His favorite animal is the eastern box turtle.
Joshua Lubben, Stewardship Field Technician
Joshua was born and raised in Southwest Michigan. He attended Lake Superior State University, earning a Bachelor of Science in conservation biology in 2023. In the two years prior to joining COL, Josh worked for the Department of Natural Resources through AmeriCorps, focusing on forest health.
In his free time, Joshua enjoys anything that allows him to partake in nature, including hiking, fishing, hunting, birding and gardening. He especially loves backpacking and canoe trips with family and friends.
Chloe Hilty, Stewardship Field Technician
Originally from Niles, Chloe is currently studying Ecology at Northern Michigan University. A lifelong nature enthusiast, her love for the outdoors began at a young age thanks to her parents' early lessons about the natural world. She grew up camping and hiking in the woods—activities she still enjoys today. Chloe’s dream is to one day work in the Amazon rainforest in Peru. In her free time, she loves drawing and painting, solving Rubik’s cubes, and spending time with her cats and dogs.
