For over 25 years, Steve has been advancing the ethical relationship between people and land through tangible conservation initiatives. As Programs Director, he oversees the foundation’s education and outreach, land stewardship, communications, marketing and facilities staff. Steve’s current work focuses on the foundation’s ambition to define a land ethic for the 21^st century and create educational programming capable of growing a national land ethic movement.

Through his role, he oversees the preservation and protection of Aldo Leopold’s historic Shack, a National Historic Landmark, and the conservation ambition and impact achieved on surrounding lands through the 4,000-acre Leopold-Pines Conservation Area. 

Regionally, Steve coordinates a public-private partnership through the My Wisconsin Woods program. Through outreach and education, My Wisconsin Woods inspires mindful land care among woodland owners. For this project and others, Steve authored regionalized handbooks titled My Healthy Woods, written specifically for inexperienced landowners. These award-winning handbooks have reached over 40,000 landowners collectively owning 6 million acres in Arkansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, Iowa,and Wisconsin.