Wisconsin’s new DNR secretary makes staff appointments

Adam Payne, appointed DNR secretary in December, introduced his picks for high employees positions because the company begins work in 2023.

The Division of Pure Sources has a brand new chief however different high positions are little modified because the company begins work in 2023.

Gov. Tony Evers on Dec. 27 appointed Sheboygan County Administrator Adam Payne as DNR secretary.

Payne, who served because the Sheboygan County administrator for twenty-four years, assumed the place in Evers’ cupboard Jan. 3. He succeeded Preston Cole, who served as DNR secretary since Jan. 2019 and introduced his retirement in November.

Final week, Payne introduced his picks for spots on the DNR management crew.

Sarah Barry will proceed to function deputy secretary. Barry holds a grasp’s diploma from the Robert M. La Follette College of Public Affairs on the College of Wisconsin and a Bachelor of Science diploma from the UW-Oshkosh and spent 15 years as chief of employees for a number of state senators.

The quantity three spot on the company can even be unchanged. Steven Little will proceed to function assistant deputy secretary. Little holds a public affairs grasp’s diploma from UW and acquired his undergraduate diploma in authorities from Beloit School.

Cheryl Heilman will proceed to function the division’s chief authorized counsel. Heilman has been with the DNR since 2011 and beforehand served as a deputy chief counsel within the Bureau of Authorized Companies. She beforehand labored for the Minnesota Lawyer Basic’s Workplace, a legal justice non-profit, a non-public regulation agency and as a regulation clerk to U.S. District Courtroom and Courtroom of Appeals judges. Heilman is a graduate of the College of Minnesota and acquired her J.D. cum laude from the College of Minnesota Regulation College.

Sean Kennedy will proceed to function legislative liaison, a place he has held since November 2019. He beforehand suggested legislators and oversaw State Capitol workplace operations as employees to a number of state representatives. Kennedy holds a grasp’s diploma from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Research at UW-Madison and acquired his undergraduate diploma in political science, additionally from UW-Madison.

Katie Grant has been appointed to function communications director, filling the emptiness created when Sarah Hoye left the company in late 2022. Grant started working within the DNR’s Workplace of Communications in Aug. 2018 and beforehand served as Digital Communications Part Supervisor.

Jim Zellmer has been named administrator of the Division of Environmental Administration. Zellmer has labored for the DNR for 35 years and has served because the deputy division administrator since 2016 overseeing the division’s water applications. He has a bachelor’s diploma in water assets from UW-Stevens Level and a grasp’s in civil and environmental engineering from UW.

Diane Brusoe has been named administrator of the Division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, filling a emptiness created when Keith Warnke retired in 2022. She has served because the deputy administrator for the division since Could 2020. Brusoe’s DNR profession began as an LTE in 1998 after receiving a grasp of science in city and regional planning from UW and a bachelor’s diploma from UW-Stevens Level.

Heather Berklund will proceed to function administrator of the Division of Forestry and Wisconsin’s chief forester. Berklund has labored for the DNR for 22 years and was appointed because the chief forester in October 2020, changing into the primary lady to carry the place.

In different high roles, Ann Kipper has been named administrator of the Division of Exterior Companies and Tim Cooke will proceed to function administrator of the Division of Inside Companies.

As well as, the DNR’s regional administrators are unchanged. They’re Jean Romback-Bartels within the northeast; Mark Aquino within the south; Mike Thompson within the southeast; Dan Baumann within the west; and James Yach within the north.

Nordic middle open home

The Ariens Nordic Heart in Brillion will host an open home Jan. 13 to fifteen. The brand new venue, which encompasses a biathlon course and 5 kilometers of lighted ski trails, will supply gear demos and free snowboarding all weekend.  

The Ariens Nordic Heart (ANC) open home occasion is moved from this weekend to subsequent weekend. The latest rain washed away pure snow on areas that had not but had man-made snow. 

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