above: the Village of Mount Pleasant's restoration of the North Branch of the Pike River
Root-Pike WIN Staff
Passion for These Rivers
Dave Giordano
Executive Director
Dave is a former Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network board member and leads the communications, fundraising, and operations of Root-Pike WIN with a goal of connecting partnerships with projects. Dave brings a background in marketing and has held a variety of director-level roles throughout his career. He has also been involved with non-profit organizations such as the Trout Unlimited, Safe & Sound, Kenosha Sport Fishing and Conservation Association, UW-Milwaukee Minority Mentor program, Ovation Awards, and the Pike River Revival. Dave grew up a frequent visitor to the Pike River as a biker, hiker, runner, canoe paddler, and fly-fisherman.
amy kolb
Bookkeeper
Amy manages the accounting functions of Root Pike-Win. She comes with a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Business Management from UW-Madison. She has worked in many accounting roles in both small and medium-sized businesses. Amy also manages the bookkeeping for her family’s grain farm in Racine County. She enjoys time with her children and spending time outdoors.
Laura Buska
Senior Manager
Respect Our Waters Program Manager
Laura manages Root-Pike WIN's Respect Our Waters public outreach and education program and also serves as Root-Pike WIN’s communications coordinator. She loves building relationships within her community and working together to address local, environmental concerns. Her favorite part of working with Root-Pike WIN is sharing all of the collaborative projects, training sessions, and events in an effort to educate and recruit the local community in caring for their home habitats. Laura is a graduate of UW Parkside with her bachelor’s in Environmental Science and minors in both biology and public policy. For 3 years, she has volunteered on the Executive Committee of the local Sierra Club with 2 years as an active Co-Chair. Laura is an avid gardener and loves hiking, kayaking, and cooking plant-based foods for her friends and family.
Kristi Heuser
Stormwater Resource Consultant
Pollinator Patch Program Manager
Kristi comes to Root-Pike WIN with an undergraduate degree in Biology and Secondary Education from Carthage College, and her master’s degree in Conservation Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. In previous positions, Kristi was responsible for creating lessons that engaged middle school students in scientific exploration. To deepen her passion for learning, she partnered with Carthage College professors to learn about bioacoustics and design experiments focused on fluid dynamics which she conducted herself on a microgravity research flight. Kristi’s love for education, collaboration, and research will help transform how we manage stormwater and improve water quality. In her spare time, Kristi loves to read, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time with her family.