Heather Huffstutler
Heather has spent her career in land conservation honing leadership, fundraising and non profit management skills across the Great Lakes region. After earning her degree at Eastern Michigan University, Heather took on diverse career opportunities like serving as an AmeriCorps member in Vermont, joining a prescribed burn crew in Minnesota and recently leading Land Protection and Development programs in Northeast Michigan. At the Watershed Council, Heather works closely with the board of directors to develop organizational strategy, lead fundraising and oversee administration. She lives near Petoskey and enjoys hiking, being on the water and spending time with her family.
Eli Baker
Eli joined the Watershed Council in 2016 after volunteering through the Huron Pines AmeriCorps program. Eli’s primarily responsible for working on the Watershed Academy project, the Michigan Shoreland Stewards project, and other educational and outreach opportunities within our service area. Eli went to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. He then interned at the AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies where he taught natural history and Michigan history. He grew up in Grand Haven, Michigan where he spent his summers working on his family’s blueberry farm. He loves fishing of any kind, but fly fishing in Northern Michigan’s waters is his favorite pastime.
Calla Beers
Calla joined the Watershed Council in January 2023. Her work with communications and water quality monitoring includes creating material for our outreach programs and website and contributing to various habitat and water quality surveys. She grew up in New Buffalo, MI, and earned bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Science and Art and Design from the University of Michigan in 2020. In addition to working at the Watershed Council, Calla enjoys painting, hiking, reading, embroidering, and kayaking.
Andrea Coronado
Andrea joined Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in May of 2023 as Communications and Development Director. Andrea graduated with a BA from Michigan State University in 2005 and has worked in nonprofit administration for more than 20 years with roles at the Detroit Historical Society, the Detroit Zoo, and Crooked Tree Arts Center, setting in Petoskey in 2016. Andrea is active in the community through her participation in service clubs. As a Rotarian, she serves on the board leading the public relations committee and as president in 2025-2026. As past president of Zonta Club of Petoskey, she led a group of passionate and dedicated women with a mission to improve the lives of women and girls in our community. In addition, Andrea volunteers on committees for the Petoskey Chamber of Commerce supporting Leadership Little Traverse and several other non-profit organizations. In her free time, you can often find Andrea rock hunting on the beach, reading a good book, or enjoying a meal with friends and colleagues.
Lauren Dey
Lauren joined the Watershed Council in May 2021 and is responsible for writing watershed management plans, running watershed advisory committees, and managing the education program. She grew up in Harbor Springs and developed a deep appreciation of everything Northern Michigan has to offer. She attended Lake Superior State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in conservation biology. Lauren spent several years working for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians in the water quality program and is excited to be able to continue to protect Northern Michigan’s waters for future generations. Lauren enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her husband and their two boys. They can be found in the woods, or on the water, in any season.
Abbie Hawley
Abbie joined the Watershed Council in 2025 as the Community and Government Relations Director and oversees local and state policy initiatives. Abbie is a licensed attorney with a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Studies from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate from Michigan State College of Law. While in law school, Abbie interned under policy staff at the Watershed Council. She has previously worked as the Director of Conservation Programs at Walloon Lake Association and Conservancy, and most recently worked as an attorney practicing water, real property, nonprofit, and municipal law. Abbie is a voracious reader in her free time. She also enjoys spending time with her family in the great outdoors and perfecting her pizza oven skills.
Noah Jansen
Noah started at the Watershed Council as the Restoration Coordinator in 2022, and he promotes and designs rain gardens, green stormwater infrastructure, and nature-based shoreline protection. He also works to enhance stream habitat through improvements to road/stream crossings and dam removals and provides support on managing invasive species. Noah was raised in Grand Rapids and has always had a keen interest in the natural world, which led him to study environmental science at Calvin College. He later completed a master’s degree in forest ecology at the University of Florida. After graduating, he conducted forest ecology research in the fire-dependent long-leaf pine forests in Georgia for seven years before moving back to Michigan in 2014. He served as the Conservationist for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians for nearly eight years, where he led land management and invasive species efforts, and spearheaded a project to help the Tribe’s forests be better adapted to climate change.
Emily Johnson
Emily joined the Watershed Council in December 2022. She grew up in Flushing, Michigan but spent a lot of time in northern Michigan as a child, especially on Burt Lake. Emily graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Society and a concentration in Geosciences. Following graduation, she interned and worked at Little Traverse Conservancy in Harbor Springs and fell in love with the conservation world. She decided to move from protecting Michigan’s lands to water and work with the Watershed Council! In her free time, you can find Emily outside in all seasons hiking, rock hunting, and stargazing.
Carrie Mikolaizyk
Carrie joined the Watershed Council in 2025 as the Water Resources Manager, and she works with clients to develop and oversee water quality research and monitoring. Carrie graduated from Lake Superior State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in fisheries & wildlife management and received her master’s degree in 2020 from Bowling Green State University. She spent many years working in the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians’s water quality program. She is excited to continue protecting Northern Michigan’s natural resources. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and family, riding her horse, and coaching a high school equestrian team and 4-H club.
Kristin Tekiele
Kristin joined the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in 2025 as Finance Director. A graduate of Northwood University with a degree in Business Administration, Kristin oversees the Watershed Council’s financial direction, performance, and compliance by managing their resources efficiently and effectively. She brings a strong background in non-profit finance that includes the development and launch of new nonprofits and governmental accounting. When not at work, she enjoys exploring the local waterways, gardening, reading, and spending time with her family.
Natalie Walts
Natalie joined Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council in August of 2019 after relocating from southeast Michigan. As Office Manager, Natalie is responsible for ensuring that the office and building are running smoothly and will support the Watershed Council’s outreach and education programs. Prior to joining the Watershed Council, she was a middle school science teacher for 11 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Western Michigan University and a Master’s degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College. She grew up in Plymouth, MI, and spent many summers at her family cottage on Munro Lake. Natalie loves spending time with her husband and daughter. Her favorite outdoor activities include skiing, backpacking, kayaking, dock reading, and hiking.