Who
NIRMI consists of a core team of ecological and environmental scientists that serve various roles, as well as student stewards and interns, advisors, and a network of conservation-minded organizations and regional academic institutions situated in the south-shore coastal region of Lake Michigan.

Nirmi Staff
Chief Director - Peter Avis, PhD, NIRMI cofounder, Assistant Professor of Biology at Indiana University Northwest, a plant and fungal community ecologist.

Co-Director - Jason Palagi. NIRMI cofounder, former Project Manager, and experienced restorationist.

Procedural Manager (fieldwork, identification, outreach) - Gayle Tonkovich, M.S. Botanist with 20 years of experience working in the western Great Lakes region.

Data Manager (fieldwork, database, website) - Wyatt Gaswick, M.S. Mycologist, field ecologist and computer scientist.

Stewardship Interns
NIRMI has trained and employed students from four local universities (Calumet College of St. Joseph, Indiana University Northwest, Purdue University Calumet, and Valparaiso University) over the field seasons of 2010 through 2012. In 2010 and 2011, GLISTEN supported at least two of our interns. In 2011 we had one volunteer intern and an additional botanist.

Carole Schreiber, 2012
Danyi Harper, 2011
Don Meola, 2011
Erin Hagenseker, 2011
Jessica Gomez, 2011 & 2012
Kat Werner, 2012
Kayla Logsdon, 2012
Lauren Banina, 2010
Maria Palmerin, 2010 & 2011
Mike Schmidt, 2012
Naida Lehmann, Botanist, 2011
Peter Henderlong, 2010, 2011, & 2012
Savannah Hauter, 2012
Silvana Navarro, volunteer, 2011