2025 Board of Directors

Itasca Waters is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors who come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The full Board meets quarterly and the Executive Committee, consisting of the officers and committee chairs, meets on a monthly basis. The board consists of both voting and non-voting technical advisors.

Kathy Cone, President

Kathy served IWLP as Education Chair from 2012 when she joined the Board to 2020. In addition, Kathy works full time as an accountant, has two children, and volunteers on the Community Cafe Board and completed a two- year training in "Leadership for the Century".

Kathy enjoys spending time raising meat birds, pork, beef, and laying hens for the farm fresh eggs as well as raising vegetables. She also likes to paint with watercolor and oil, hunting, fishing, crafts, and spending time with friends.

John A. Downing, Vice President

John is currently the Director of the Minnesota Sea Grant College Program, a research scientist at the Large Lakes Observatory, and a tenured Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Minnesota Duluth. His research and teaching dossiers concern many aspects of the aquatic sciences. His leadership experience has included positions in the US and Canada. He has founded and run several small businesses in the US and Canada. He has a long-standing record of success in securing research funding from federal, state, provincial, and local agencies. He maintains current international research collaborations with Canada, Brazil, and Holland.

John’s family has conserved and managed a shore-habitat and forest area in northern Minnesota for 108 years. He is a certified diver, a once-professional musician, and volunteers to help citizens across the US Midwest with local water quality concerns.

Sandy Anderson, Treasurer

Sandy moved to Minnesota in the early 80's and to Grand Rapids in 2001. With a Masters in Geography and a GIS certification, Sandy worked as a site location analyst for Dayton-Hudson Corp. for years before starting Lakehomes.com Realty in 1999 with her husband, Dan. With a family cabin on Lake Ontario and Dan's experience growing up on Rainy Lake, they brought their love of lake property to the business. In 2013 Lake Homes Realty grew into the Move It Real Estate Group keeping a strong emphasis on waterfront sales. With a strong history of waterfront sales in Northern Minnesota, she and Dan understand the importance of clean waters on the environment and a community's growth potential.

Bill Grantges

Bill is the Itasca County Aquatic Invasive Species Program Manager and a board member of Itasca Waters. He serves on the Mn Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center’s (MAISRC) Advisory Board and has previously served on its Technical Committee for four years. A former Vice-President of the Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations (ICOLA), Bill holds an MBA from the University of Rhode Island and worked as a program manager for Siemens Medical Systems before relocating to Minnesota in 1999. He is certified by the Minnesota DNR as a Lake Service Provider and Level 1 & 2 AIS Watercraft Inspector, and as a University of Minnesota Extension AIS Detector. In 2020, Bill received the Carol Mortensen Award for Individual

Achievement from Mn Invasive Species Advisory Council. He is passionate about building partnerships to preserve and protect our outdoor traditions.

Jack Jones

Jack spent four decades at the University of Missouri teaching water quality courses, conducting research in lake and stream ecology, and in administration. He retired as a Curators’ Professor and holds an adjunct appointment at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. His research quantified the relationship between nutrients and algal biomass in streams and lakes, with an emphasis on how aquatic systems reflect edaphic characteristics and human activity in their watersheds. In Nepal he modified an aquaculture program with support from USAID and taught aa a Fulbright Fellow. He served as the Editor for publications of the International Society of Limnology.

Jack and Susan have been seasonal residents on Deer Lake for three decades and currently reside in St. Paul.

Jessica Loes

Jessica first connected with Itasca Waters in 2020 through the Shoreland Advisor program, sparking a passion for water quality. A lifelong Minnesotan, she grew up on a Ramsey County Lake, spending summers fishing, swimming, and canoeing. Fond memories of crystal-clear waters—and concerns about pollution—deepened her commitment to conservation.

In 2021, her family moved to Itasca County for its pristine lakes and strong community. Now serving on the Itasca Waters Board, she is dedicated to protecting local waterways. With a background in quality management, Jessica holds degrees in Business Management and Medical Technology Quality. She is a Shoreland Advisor, AIS Detector, and citizen lake quality monitor, working to ensure clean water for future generations.

Grace McCullough

Grace grew up spending summers on Lake Wabana, where her family's longtime cabin sparked a passion for freshwater ecosystems. She is pursuing a degree in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at the University of Minnesota, with academic and field experience in fisheries research, aquatic management, and invasive species prevention. Grace holds AIS certification and is actively involved in protecting Minnesota’s lakes. Through education and hands-on work, she has built a strong foundation in conservation and remains committed to preserving the state’s aquatic environments for future generations.

Tom McCullough

As a serial entrepreneur, Tom brings extensive experience in sales, business development, and target marketing, supported by strong interpersonal skills. He spent 14 years in the cellular phone industry, managing sales teams and operations, and developing marketing strategies for niche markets. In 2003, he co-founded Probus Onetouch, a direct import business selling a variety of consumer goods, gaining recognition as a top internet retailer in the early 2000s. Driven by a passion for connecting people and resources, Tom co-founded the Jobs Foundation (d.b.a. Tech Dump) in 2009, an electronics recycling nonprofit employing ex-offenders and those recovering from addiction. As Executive Director from 2012, he grew the organization into a $2.6 million enterprise by 2016, creating hundreds of jobs and establishing it as a leading R2-certified recycler in the Twin Cities. Tom’s deep family ties to Lake Wabana have fueled his lifelong love of the outdoors and commitment to preserving its natural beauty.

Wesley Sisson

Born and raised in Northeastern Minnesota, Wesley joined the IW Board in 2023. He earned bachelor’s degrees in history and political science from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 2020 and is currently pursuing a master's degree in history from Arizona State University. Wesley chaired the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group in 2018 and now serves on the Board of the DFL Environmental Caucus, where he developed a passion for environmental, social, and economic advocacy. To him, “history unifies the disciplines, heritage brings people together, and water is life for all living things.” Having lived on or near lakes his entire life—including Lake Margaret, Lake Superior, and now Shallow Lake in Warba—Wesley understands the critical importance of protecting Minnesota’s freshwater resources. With 10% of the world’s surface freshwater in his backyard, he feels a deep responsibility to preserve water, wildlife, and the communities that depend on them.

Christina VanDeventer 

Christina joined the Board in 2023 with a strong passion for community resilience and environmental advocacy. She is the founder of the Hometown Resilience Foundation, which supports small communities facing climate challenges.

Christina works at Minnesota Diversified Industries as a Customer Service Representative, promoting inclusive employment. She holds a Business Administration degree from Bemidji State University and completed environmental research through Independent Studies at Metropolitan State University.

In her free time, Christina enjoys traveling, auctions, home gardening, and spending time with her grandchildren at her Ball Club Lake property.

Cory Smith

 

EMERITUS BOARD MEMBER

Harold E. Dziuk

As a young kid, Harold first learned to appreciate the wonders of nature on a small dairy farm in Benton County, MN. He left the farm to embark on undergraduate and graduate studies in Veterinary Medicine and a career in teaching and research. His graduate studies were delayed for two years while he was on active duty in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps at the Biological Warfare Laboratories, Fort Detrick, Maryland.

His employment included a wide range of public and private venues, including the Tuskegee, Minnesota and Iowa State universities, General Electric, and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

His primary role in IWLP over 8 years of service on the Executive Committee was to seek grants to support IWLP’s many initiatives

2025 TECHNICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Andy Arens, District Manager, Itasca County Soil and Water Conservation District

Andy Arens graduated in 2001 with a Forest Management Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Andy has been with the Itasca County SWCD since 2003, as Forestry and Shoreland Specialist initially, and District Manager and Water Plan Coordinator since October 2015.

Ben Benoit, Environmental Director, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe

Born in Hartford Conn, Ben likes to jokingly tell people that he has lived the Ojibwe migration story. Starting on the East coast and ultimately making his way to Minnesota, Ben went to high school in Anoka, began college at St Cloud State and finished with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in Biochemistry. After college, Ben worked for a few years in industry, as a microbiologist and chemist and when he began looking for a house but decided that city life wasn’t for him, and it was time to rejoin his family in the North. The best parts of Minnesota are found in this area. Some of the most pristine lakes and watersheds in the county and he is committed to protecting them for future generations to rely on as his family does today. He was taught that if we care for the manoomin, land and waters, they will care for us. That is the mission Ben works towards as Leech Lake Environmental Director and as an Anishinaabe man. He hopes that through working with Itasca Waters he can further develop relationships between local governments, help push projects that benefit all parties and share the core values that bring people together to care about the water.

Stephanie Kessler, Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations

Stephanie was born and raised in Grand Rapids. She has two Geography degrees: a Bachelor's degree from UMD and a Master's degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, where she focused on water resources. She worked for the Federal Emergency Management Agency for 24 years in the Mitigation Division mostly with flood recovery programs and floodplain management. She served eight years on the Itasca Water Plan Implementation Committee, eight years in leadership roles with the Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, and now is President again with ICOLA. She has been her lake association president since she attended her first meeting, 20 years ago.

She and her husband have two teenage children. She volunteers for Girl Scouts, Itasca Synchronized Swimming Club, and 4-H. She has done event planning as a consultant, and she currently makes a cooking show for the local TV station, ICTV. She recently was hired as the part-time City of Cohasset Parks and Rec Coordinator. In her spare time, she likes to be outside in all the seasons. She grew up on the water and has valued water as a critical resource since she can remember.

Eric Raitanen, Fisheries Biologist, Chippewa National Forest

Chad Severts, Board Conservationist, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources

Jan Sandberg, Education Chair

Jan served on the IW Board from 2012-2024, helping to ensure that the board’s work was kept on track, compiling the annual report and assisting with Google Drive and Dropbox. After leaving the Board, she assumed the role of Education Chair to work on the Practical Water Wisdom program.

Since retiring as a program evaluator with the Office of the Legislative Auditor in 2007, Jan and her husband, Richard, spend much of the summer at their Pokegama Lake cabin that they purchased in 1986. In 2017, they welcomed their first grandchild and frequently visit Vancouver, British Columbia to “help” as needed. Jan makes Minneapolis her urban home, serving on the Minneapolis Charter Commission.

Dave Lick, Shoreland and Youth Water Summit Chair

Dave is retired as principal owner of Itasca Reliable Insurance Agency, Inc., has a B.S. degree in biology, a minor in chemistry, past president of Itasca Coalition of Lake Associations, responsible for septic compliance for Wabana Township Lakes, past board member for Advocates for Family Peace, lifetime member of Izaak Walton League, current member of Minnesota Power's Citizen Advisory Board, active organizer of Citizens Advocating Responsible Power Production “CARRP,” public school science teacher for four years, and he directed  Youth Conservation Corp camps for the USFS for two years. 

Dave’s additional Interests are extensive international travel, forest landowner, sustainable forest management from 1994 to present converting 70 acres back to white pine, beekeeper, gardener, woodworker, avid bike rider and cross country skier, canoeist and scuba diver. He is married and has two children.