Growing up on a farm near Scales Mound, Illinois, Leanne developed an appreciation for the outdoors early in life. She has managed prairie and savanna preserves at University of Nebraska Omaha, earned her Ph.D. in Ecology from Iowa State University, and worked with the Native Medicinal Plant Research Program at the Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas. She currently serves on the Steering Committee for the Northwest Illinois Prairie Enthusiasts, where she helps design seed mixes for local restoration efforts. Leanne also volunteers on the Jo Daviess Conservation Foundation Land Stewardship Committee and is excited to serve on the Board of Directors to further support the organization’s mission.