Officer Bios
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Tyler Pellegrini, President
I grew up in Sandwich, IL and spent a lot of time with my Dad's side of the family down in the Marseilles and Ottawa area. I spent many childhood weekends in natural areas on Cub and Boy Scout trips and deer hunting and fishing with my father and grandfather. After high school I worked as a mechanic for about 4 years before enlisting in the Air Force from 2011 to 2015. I served in the intelligence field as an aircrew member on small propeller planes stationed in the Florida panhandle, and spent time in Afghanistan and east Africa. I used the GI Bill to earn a B.S. in Environmental Studies from NIU, and interned with Nachusa Grasslands which sparked my career in habitat restoration. After a full season with the Nachusa crew I began working as Restoration Ecologist for Natural Land Institute in Rockford, where I've been now for about 4 and a half years. I live in Creston with my wife Jaimie who is a nurse at OSF in Rockford, our daughter Hadley who will turn 5 in June, and our pack of dogs. Three years ago I started converting our entire front yard to prairie, which has now grown to around 100 native species. I've also been a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Ogle-Lee Fire Protection District in Creston for almost 5 years. I'm very honored to have been asked to join MRCP as the next President, and I'm looking forward to bringing my passion for natural areas stewardship to the organization. I hope to help you all continue to grow MRCP and contribute positively to Ogle and Lee county natural areas. |
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Austin Webb, Vice-President
Live in Oregon with my wife Randi, son Bryce, and our two dogs Bo and Huck. Love to be outdoors with my family, whether hiking, fishing, or exploring. In my professional life, I've been at Byron Forest Preserve District for the past 14 years, which prides itself in the restoration and care of its natural areas. Volunteering with Middle Rock Conservation Partners let's me stretch my legs a little more. Partnering to help natural areas that don't have employees or equipment has been part of the local conservation effort since the beginning, and MRCP has been handed the baton. MRCP has also given me an extended family, made of incredible people who share a common goal of giving back to nature. |
Kathy Lawrence, Treasurer
At 71 years of age, Kathy has had a variety of opportunities. Growing up in Orland Park, a suburb of Chicago, she enjoyed spending virtually all of her free time, along with her parents and brother and sister, at their grandparent’s farm in Monee Illinois. The farm was in the family since the early 1830’s and was sold in the mid 1990’s as part of a transportation hub near I 57 and I 80. Her working career began in the computer department in an insurance administrative firm, followed by 17 years in a law firm as its manager. After putting herself through college, she met and married Kent Lawrence. While attending DePaul University to earn her MBA, she volunteered as a tutor for a local school. That turned into working at one of the first 5 charter schools in Illinois. Initially she served as the school’s administrator, but eventually became a member of the board of directors and on its executive committee. Perspectives Charter School has now grown to 5 campuses with over 1700 students. In 2004 Kathy and Kent built, and now live in, an environmentally friendly home just outside of the City of Oregon, IL. Shortly after the construction they created the Kickapoo Mud Creek Nature Conservancy which abuts the Stronghold Camp & Retreat Center. Today she and Kent enjoy spending their time working at the Conservancy. She currently serves as the Treasurer of the Middle Rock Conservation Partners.
At 71 years of age, Kathy has had a variety of opportunities. Growing up in Orland Park, a suburb of Chicago, she enjoyed spending virtually all of her free time, along with her parents and brother and sister, at their grandparent’s farm in Monee Illinois. The farm was in the family since the early 1830’s and was sold in the mid 1990’s as part of a transportation hub near I 57 and I 80. Her working career began in the computer department in an insurance administrative firm, followed by 17 years in a law firm as its manager. After putting herself through college, she met and married Kent Lawrence. While attending DePaul University to earn her MBA, she volunteered as a tutor for a local school. That turned into working at one of the first 5 charter schools in Illinois. Initially she served as the school’s administrator, but eventually became a member of the board of directors and on its executive committee. Perspectives Charter School has now grown to 5 campuses with over 1700 students. In 2004 Kathy and Kent built, and now live in, an environmentally friendly home just outside of the City of Oregon, IL. Shortly after the construction they created the Kickapoo Mud Creek Nature Conservancy which abuts the Stronghold Camp & Retreat Center. Today she and Kent enjoy spending their time working at the Conservancy. She currently serves as the Treasurer of the Middle Rock Conservation Partners.
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Mark Herman, Secretary
Mark Herman has over 25 years of experience in public education, environmental education, history, and recreation programming from several local organizations. Mark was Curator of Education with Midway Village Museum in Rockford, Illinois where he won state and national awards for excellence in innovative educational programming. He served as the Superintendent of Recreation with the Oregon Park District and was a board member of the Chana School Museum in Oregon. Mark capped off his career as Superintendent of Education at Byron Forest Preserve District where he led planning and state-of-the-art renovations to the Jarrett Prairie Center's natural history museum. Mark holds a Master of Science in Education in Recreation Resources Administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee. Now retired, Mark enjoys volunteering on prescribed burns throughout the area and lending a hand to local restoration efforts. As landowners, Mark and his wife, Debbie, have restored a beautiful prairie and savanna at their home in Oregon. |