Welcome to Melissa Ruether, Outreach Coordinator

We are thrilled to announce the hiring of a new Outreach Coordinator at Schmeeckle Reserve! A warm welcome to Melissa Ruether, who will be stepping into the role previously held by Megan Espe.

Melissa served as Schmeeckle Reserve’s graduate assistant from 2015 to 2017, with her research focused on the development of inter-generational nature programs. She was then hired for 6 months as an LTE at Schmeeckle to assist with interpretive media projects and other administrative work. She has been working as a School-to-Home Energy Education Specialist with the KEEP energy education program in the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education since 2018.

Melissa has been very involved with the Friends over the past several years, serving on the board since 2019 and as the chair of the Community Outreach Committee, the Friends Events subcommittee, the Arts Contest subcommittee, and the Candlelight Hike Festival subcommittee.

Over the next several months, Melissa will be transitioning into her Friends liaison role, providing assistance with Friends operations and coordinating special events and programs.