2026 UMRC Presenters

DAY 1 KEYNOTE SESSION

Dr. Aaron Thompson, Landscape Architect and Horticulturist, Purdue University

DAY 1 PANELISTS

Rachel Curry, Agricultural Educator, IL Extension Office
Dr. Emily Jenkins, Senior Engineering Manager, Farnsworth Group
Kathy Jo Jankowski, Principal Investigator, Mississippi Restoration LTRM Program
Whitney Clark , Executive Director, Friends of the Mississippi River

DAY 1 FIELD TRIP - EWOLDT FARM PROPERTY

Robb Ewoldt, Regenerative Farmer/Director, United Soybean Board

DAY 1 PLATED DINNER

Andrea Knepper, LCSW, Founder, Chicago Adventure Therapy

DAY 2 PANELISTS

Debbie Anselm, Executive Director, IA Newspaper Association
Reggie McLeod, Editor and Publisher, Big River Magazine
Noah Glasgow, Journalist, North Scott Press

DAY 2 NEXT GEN SUMMIT

Audrey Tran Lam, Environmental Health Program Director, UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education
Sarah O'Connell, Conservation Educator, Great Outdoors Foundation
Noah Glasgow, Journalist, North Scott Press
Carli J Schlabowske, Geographer, USACE

DAY 2 BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Whitney Clark , Executive Director, Friends of the Mississippi River
Margaret Frisbe, Executive Director, Friends of the Chicago River
Everett Hamner, Literature, Film, and Science Professor, WIU
Kamyar Enshayan, Former Director, UNI Center for Energy and Environmental Education
Dan Williams, Principal Landscape Engineer, MSA Professional Services
Stephanie Oppel, Executive Director, ICON Water Trails

DAY 2 KEYNOTES

David Cwiertny, Department Chair, University of Iowa Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Professor, Dept. of Chemistry
Chris Jones, Hydroscience Research Engineer, Iowa Water Center

HOST - RIVER ACTION

Kathy Wine, Executive Director and Founder, River Action