Staff Bios

Ron Lawrenz
Director
Ron's ethic and interest in nature was first kindled as a child in the dune country along the southeast shores of Lake Michigan. He attended Michigan State University and in 1970 and graduated with a B.S. in Limnology and Fisheries Biology. He was subsequently accepted into graduate school at Central Michigan University where he earned a M.S. in Aquatic Ecology (Biology) in 1975. While in graduate school, Ron was appointed the first Director of the CMU Elk River Aquatic Ecology Field Lab. He moved to Minnesota in 1975 where he was subsequently employed for 14 years as a Research Scientist and Director of the Surveys and Review Unit for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In 1989 he accepted the position as the first Director of the St. Croix Watershed Research Station, a new environmental research facility owned and operated by the Science Museum of Minnesota. In 1999, Ron accepted a promotion to become Head of the Science Division for the Museum in St. Paul. In 2006 he was appointed as the third Director of the Lee and Rose Nature Center. Ron has over 32 years experience in field research and directing natural history based programs. His special interests include paleoecology, aquatic ecosystems, geology, and promoting the development of a public appreciation for nature.

Julie Grecian
Assistant Director
Julie began working at Warner Nature Center in 2005 after moving to Minnesota from Chicago, Illinois. She earned a bachelor's degree in Public Policy/Environmental Science and Management from Indiana University and a master's degree in Environmental Studies from University of Illinois at Springfield. Julie brings a variety of experiences from the environmental policy and education fields to Warner Nature Center, including state and local government, international non-profits, nature centers, science museums, and environmental corporations. Julie coordinates all education programs at the nature center, including the volunteer and internship programs. Julie enjoys spending time reading, kayaking, birding and traveling with her husband and daughter.

Kirk Carter Mona
Outreach Coordinator/Interpretive Naturalist
Kirk has over ten years experience working outdoor education programs and began at Warner Nature Center in 2001. He has outdoor program management training from the University of Minnesota as well as a bachelor's degree in Youth Development and Environmental Studies. Kirk's past work experience includes time at Tamarack Nature Center, YMCA Camp Ihduhapi, The Girl Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis, Underwater World and St. Louis Park Schools. Kirk develops and delivers scout, off-site classroom visits, after-school clubs and park programs for Warner. He also developed many popular summer camps including Ultimate Survival, Fossils to Feathers, Canoe and River Challenge and Cryptozoology. Kirk's special areas of interest include astronomy, birds and youth development.

Bekah Dalen
Interpretive Naturalist
Bekah has been a naturalist with Warner Nature Center since 2004. She has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Minnesota and is currently working on a Master's degree in Natural Science and Environmental Education from Hamline University. Before working for WNC, Bekah was the Youth Volunteer Coordinator at Minnesota Children's Museum in downtown St. Paul. Bekah is one of the naturalists children see when they come to WNC for a school field trip. She also delivers off-site programs at schools and local parks, and on-site scout and public programs. In addition to teaching, Bekah cares for the live captive animals that reside at WNC. Bekah's special areas of interest include nature photography, animal care, and child development.

Kathy Feste
Interpretive Naturalist/Exhibits Coordinator
Kathy has been a naturalist at Warner Nature Center since 1995. She has a B.S. in Natural Resource Management/Environmental Education and Interpretation from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Kathy worked as a park ranger for the National Park Service for 13 years before coming to Warner Nature Center. At Warner, she devotes part of her time to teaching environmental education classes and part of her time to exhibit design and development, and computer graphic design projects. Kathy's special areas of interest include kayaking, wilderness skills, backpacking, block printing, and mosaics.

Paul Smithson
Interpretive Naturalist/Avian Coordinator
Paul has over 10 years of experience working in outdoor and environmental education settings, he started at Warner Nature Center in September 2004. Between stints as an educator at Camp Olson YMCA, Wolf Ridge ELC, Fort Edmonton Park, and Quarry Hill Nature Center he has also worked as a biological technician on projects ranging from songbird surveys in the jack pine forests of WI, to root analysis of prairie plants in Alberta, Canada. At Warner, Paul is responsible for the bird banding program, raptor program and the natural history collection that Warner houses in the Trailside Museum. During the school year, Paul focuses on teaching and his avian duties. During the summer he teaches summer camps.

Carol Pierce
Office Manager
Carol Pierce has worked at the main desk at Warner Nature Center since June of 1996. She has a B.S. in studio arts and art education, worked as an art resource instructor for the Minneapolis and Anoka school districts and also did numerous art residencies in the local river valley school districts. She also has a business management background with Daytons, the Aveda Corporation and family-owned businesses. With interests in horses, art and nature, the Pierce family moved to a ten acre farm in Marine on St. Croix in 1980. Carol's special interests include, origami/printmaking compositions, collecting textiles, sewing, gardening and baking. Aside from being Warner's program registrar, she also handles book keeping, press releases, and general details. Having been a serious student of yoga since 1972, Carol has found Warner to be a rewarding and satisfying outlet, very much in keeping with a philosophy of preserving and protecting nature.

Dave Johnson
Site Manager
Dave Johnson has been the site manager at Warner since 2005. Better known to locals as Davey, he has lived in the St. Croix Valley all his life. He's married with two daughters and says that being hired to work at Warner was exciting as it has all the things needed for family fun. Dave is the perfect fit for a site manager as it is the outdoors he enjoys most. Even though he's often out in the woods he says that staff and volunteers make Warner feel like family. He already has lots of fun memories. Away from work, he enjoys remodeling old houses, hunting and fishing and going to the family cabin.

Anne Cammack
Family Program Coordinator
Growing up camping and exploring the North Woods, Anne has always had a passion and respect for the outdoors and the environment. Since graduating from Colby College with a degree in history/environmental studies, Anne has spent the past eight years devoted to inspiring youth to appreciate and enjoy the natural word around us. She has worked with families and youth in Washington State, Colorado, and North Carolina in a variety of child care fields including environmental education, pre-school, afterschool, summer camps, ski-school, and teen clubs. Anne develops and teaches the family programs at Warner. When Anne is not busy at work or being a mom, she enjoys camping, hiking, reading, and canoeing/kayaking.

Margie Jones
Seasonal Interpretive Naturalist
Margie has taught children and families over the past 20 years in a variety of settings. Her educational background includes a bachelor's degree in fine arts with a concentration in natural resources and an elementary education teaching certificate. She was a first grade teacher at a Navajo reservation in New Mexico, as well as, a wilderness trip leader in Maine. As a full-time teacher for over a decade, Margie collaborated on science curriculum at the district level and developed hands-on science learning opportunities for her students. Margie is an avid outdoor enthusiast. She enjoys biking, canoeing, and winter sports. As a world traveler, she has hiked the mountains and rainforests of Hawaii, Alaska, Colorado, Washington, Switzerland, and Australia. As a naturalist at Warner for the past 8 years, she has designed and coordinated early childhood environmental education programs for families and children aged 3-9. Her programs emphasize active learning and incorporate puppetry, art, and music. Her Acorn Adventures Program for pre-school children has been a long time favorite of the community.

Kelly Amoth
Seasonal Interpretive Naturalist
After graduating from the University of Georgia with degrees in English and Ecology, Kelly began her foray into environmental education teaching at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in central Georgia. Feeling the need to experience a real winter, she decided to move to north of the 45th parallel and become a graduate naturalist at Wolf Ridge ELC. The first northern Minnesota winter was an adventure and solidified her passion for teaching outside, no matter the climate. Kelly spent a year at Carpenter Nature Center working as a member of AmeriCorps. She then returned to the North Shore for a second year at Wolf Ridge. With three Minnesota winters under her belt, she is really looking forward to cross country ski season. If not having adventures geocaching, or watching college football during the fall, you'll be likely to find Kelly knitting or running, but never both at once as it is too dangerous. Kelly is really excited about joining the Warner team and having the opportunity to work with the raptors and continue teaching!

Geoff Urban
Seasonal Interpretive Naturalist
Geoff began his outdoor career right here at Warner in the summer of 1989 as the animal caretaker/groundskeeper after completing his B.S. in Renewable Natural Resources from the University of Arizona. He has worked on a part-time basis almost every year since, teaching mostly during the summer program at the nature center. He has also developed and taught programs for the Girl Scouts and the Edina Public Schools. During the school year, Geoff can be found leading groups for the Saint Paul Public Schools program at Valley Branch. Fishing is a past time favorite, along with playing sports (especially hockey) with his son.