About – IPAW Leadership

Kari Hagenow
IPAW President

Employer:
The Nature Conservancy

Kari is a Coastal Resilience Specialist with the Wisconsin Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. In this role, Kari works with communities to implement nature-based projects, restore native habitat, and protect coastal areas from hazards such as flooding and erosion. In her prior role with TNC, Kari managed over 5,000 acres of natural area in Door County and served as the coordinator for the Door County Invasive Species Team.

Marcia Wensing
Vice President

Employer:
Wisconsin DATCP

Marcia is newly retired from a 45-year career in Horticulture, having worked for a landscape contractor and in state service as a nursery inspector.  Her introduction to invasive species began when she got involved volunteering with stewardship activities for The Chiwaukee Prairie Preservation Fund and subsequently with The Nature Conservancy.  She continues those efforts locally on lands owned by the Caledonia Conservancy.

Mark Renz
Treasurer

Employer:
University of Wisconsin, Professor / Extension Weed Specialist
Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences

Mark is the profession and extension specialist at the UW-Madison in their Plant & Agroecosystem Sciences program. The Renz Lab produces outreach materials that fall into one of three focus areas: natural areas management, perennial crops, and pastures. He is a board member of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN).

Vacant
IPAW Secretary

Erika Segerson-Mueller
Program Assistant

Employer:
IPAW

Erika is the current Program Assistant with IPAW, having come onboard in October 2025. She helps with all things organizational and operational for IPAW, including membership management, creating outreach materials, planning and coordinating events, and any and all logistics. Erika previously worked as an Invasive Plant Program Specialist for the Wisconsin DNR before starting her own business as a project/process manager.

Jacob Fluur
Board Member

Employer:
Central WI Invasives Partnership / Golden Sands RCND

Jacob is a Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator with GSRC&D Inc and coordinates the Central WI Invasives Partnership. Jacob has over 5 years of combined experience with invasive species work and 4 years of experience as the CWIP coordinator.

Claire Harwood
Board Member

Employer:
Northeast Wisconsin Invasives Partnership (NEWIP)

Claire is a recent UW-Stevens Point graduate with a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management. She currently coordinates the Northeast Wisconsin Invasives Partnership (NEWIP) under Golden Sands RC&D where she works with landowners and county conservation professionals to reduce invasive species on the landscape. Claire has experience in native landscaping, wildlife research, and surveying Wisconsin’s vegetation.

Mark Horn
Board Member

Employer:
Conservation Media, LLC

Mark is retired and works part-time as a conservation journalist and online content provider. He is a board member of the South Central Invasives Partnership (SCIP), as well as chair of the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council’s liability insurance committee. As a former restoration contractor, Mark is experienced in land stewardship, invasive plant management, and prescribed burning.

Melissa Johnson
Board Member

Employer:
Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council

Melissa serves as a Pest Survey Specialist for the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council, collaborating with all federally recognized Tribes in Wisconsin to coordinate exotic pest surveys. Prior to this role, she worked as a Forester for her Tribe, the Oneida Nation.

Larry Leitner
Board Member

Retired

Larry serves on the boards of the Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy (MALC) , the Kettle Moraine Natural History Association (KMNHA), the Invasive Plants Association of Wisconsin (IPAW), and the Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium (SEWISC), and is a member of SEWRPC’s citizens advisory committee guiding the revision of the regional natural areas protection and management plan (PR-42).

Vince Mosca
Board Member

Employer:
Hey & Associates

Vince is a professional ecologist who specializes in wetland science, water quality and green infrastructure. Recent area of inquiry includes expected climate change impacts on vegetation and aquatic systems. He has worked for Hey and Associates, Inc. since 1989. He has a BS from Northland College and a MS from UW-Green Bay. He’s a Board member on the Friends of Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge and is on the Executive Council of Chicago Wilderness Alliance.

Rosie Page
Board Member

Employer:
Wisconsin Headwaters Invasives Partnership (WHIP)

Rosie has served as the coordinator of the Wisconsin Headwaters Invasives Partnership (WHIP) since 2014, leading terrestrial invasive species management in Oneida, Vilas, and Lincoln Counties. She is responsible for securing WHIP’s grant funding, offering outreach, and working with landowners and community groups to carry out invasive species control.  Rosie brings experience from past roles working in conservation and ecology in northern Ontario.

Jes Roloff
Board Member

Employer:
WEC Energy Group

Jes works in the Environmental Department for WEC Energy Group and its subsidiaries, including Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies.  Jes wears many hats within the company including identifying, mapping, and managing aquatic invasive plants on the Company’s hydroelectric projects; provides terrestrial invasives identification training to applicable staff; and works with adjacent property owners to Company property on how to identify and manage invasives on the shoreline.