Sweet Water Team Members

Sweet Water’s team is made up of a group of staff members, program associates, and board members who are all dedicated to achieving Sweet Water’s Mission of restoring the Greater Milwaukee watersheds to conditions that are healthy for swimming and fishing. Learn more about this great group of individuals!

 
 
 

Sweet Water Staff

 
 
 

Jake Fincher, Executive Director

fincher @ swwtwater .org
O: 414-382-1766
C: 262-716-2211

Jake is the Executive Director of Sweet Water and has been with the organization since 2015. Jake oversees each of the organization’s programs. He holds a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Integrated Science/Business, with an emphasis on water resources.  He is extremely grateful to have the opportunity to combine his career and a passion for the outdoors.

 
 

Erin Povak, Watershed Program Director

povak @ swwtwater .org
O: 414-382-1766

Erin joined Sweet Water in 2021 as the Watershed Program Manager. She supports, designs and implements programs in collaboration with the local watershed community to help protect our water resources. She has a B.S. in Forest Ecology and Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned her MPA from Seattle University.

 
 

Claire Kaleta, Project Coordinator

kaleta @ swwtwater.org

O: 414-382-1766

Claire joined Sweet Water in 2024 as Project Coordinator. She works with the Sweet Water team to support programs and coordinates the annual Clean Rivers, Clean Lake conference. She has a B.A. in Communication from UW-Milwaukee and an M.S. in Sustainable Management from UW-Green Bay.

Joe Bevington, Program Development Coordinator

bevington @ swwtwater.org

O: 414-382-1766

Joe joined Sweet Water as the Program Development Coordinator in 2024. He will be working closely with the Sweet Water team and collaborating across sectors to design programs that will enhance Milwaukee area waterways. He has B.S. degrees in Conservation Biology and Geography from UW-Madison, and an M.S. in Freshwater Science with a focus in Water Policy from UW-Milwaukee.

Paige Orals, Watershed Program Manager

orals@swwtwater.org

O: 414-382-1766

Paige joined Sweet Water in 2024 as Watershed Program Manager.  She works with the Sweet Water team to design and implement the Adopt Your Drain and Respect Our Waters programs.  She has a B.S. in Environmental Science with an option in Applied Ecology from Oregon State University.

Kelly Ann Otto, Watershed Communications Manager

intership@swwtwater.org

O: 414-382-1766

Kelly joined Sweet Water in 2024 and is actively completing her B.S. in Geoscience at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As Watershed Communications Manager, Kelly develops outreach initiatives and collaborates with local organizations to foster community awareness and engagement around watershed stewardship. Her background in sedimentology and environmental geology adds a scientific perspective to her communications, supporting Sweet Water’s mission to protect southeastern Wisconsin’s water resources.

 

Interested in joining our team?

Check our employment page to see if we have any openings!

 

Sweet Water 2024 - 2025 AmeriCorps Members

 

Delaney Griffin

americorps@ swwtwater.org

Delaney is a member of the AmeriCorps Community Corps and Marshfield Clinic’s Health Care Services for the 2024-2025 year. She has a B.S in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation from Coastal Carolina University. She has a lifelong passion for nature and conservation and is excited to share her passion via environmental education with Sweet Water.

 
 
 

Program Associates

 

Chris Magruder, Science Advisory Committee Coordinator

Christopher Magruder retired as the Community Environmental Liaison for the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) after 35 years of service, where he developed and coordinated the District’s environmental policies.  He has over forty years of experience in water resources related environmental studies and has designed and implemented extensive water quality programs that include real-time remote monitoring, biotoxicity testing and evaluation, pathogen identification, and sediment/water quality interactions. He has provided consulting services to New York State, Environmental Protection Agency-Region II, Indiana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

 
 
 
 
 

Board of Directors

Sweet Water's work is guided by our Board of Directors. Members of the Board represent diverse stakeholders and include leaders of municipalities, businesses, utilities, and nongovernmental organizations. Board members serve three-year terms and meet on a bi-monthly basis. 

2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Alyssa Schmitt, (Co-Chair)

  • Elizabeth Hellman, (Vice Chair - Treasurer), WEC Energy Group

  • Marian Singer (Secretary), Wellntel, Inc.

  • Brent Brown, Jacobs Engineering Group

  • Susan Coyle, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

  • Brian Depies, Short Elliott Hendrickson, Inc.

  • Nancy Frank, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, School of Architecture & Urban Planning

  • Laura Herrick (non-voting advisor), Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission

  • Karen Sands, Greenprint Partners and UW-Milwaukee School of Continuing Education

  • Michelle Scott, (non-voting advisor), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

  • Andrew Struck, Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department