 Michael Brown – Executive Director
Michael has a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He has a diverse background in environmental work including management of a 320-acre interpretive park for the Peoria Park District, service as a Peace Corps volunteer at Pirin National Park in Bulgaria, work in environmental health with the Peoria City/County Health Department, recruitment and training of volunteers in ecological monitoring for the Illinois EcoWatch, and the restoration of a rare tallgrass savanna remnant as Steward of Springdale Cemetery Savanna for Peoria Wilds from 1995-2010. He served on the board of Peoria Wilds from 2001-2013 including as President and Treasurer. Michael is a 2006 recipient of Peoria’s 40 Leaders Under Forty Award. He acts as Solid Waste Coordinator for McLean County and is a certified Sustainable Resource Management Professional. He currently serves as Chair of the McLean County Greenways Committee, on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Recycling Association and the Parklands Foundation. |
 Kris Hall – Assistant Director
Kris joined the EAC team as Assistant Director in the spring of 2010. Previously, she worked for over 20 years as the Education Coordinator at Miller Park Zoo, where she taught thousands of children and families about fascinating animals. But those animals cannot thrive on a planet with eroding resources and habitats, so now Kris’s focus is teaching people about making choices that will lead to a healthier world for everyone! The daughter of an Air Force family, Kris grew up living all over the world. Her love of travel has spread to her husband Mike and son Dave, and they have been to Australia, Costa Rica, Botswana, South Africa, and many national parks here in the U.S. Kris has a Bachelor’s Degree from DePauw University, where she majored in Zoology and English. |
 Larissa Armstrong – Program Assistant
Larissa is a Bloomington/Normal native with a Bachelor’s Degree in Comparative Religion, a Bachelor’s Degree in Politics and Government, and most recently she completed her Masters Degree in Global Affairs, with a focus on environmental issues, from Rutgers University. Her education, upbringing, and travel experiences have helped her fully understand that the world is a vast and dynamic place, and that despite all the differences any of us, or any other thing in existence may have, we cannot do what we do unless we take notice of what ails our planet, and take the time to do something about it. With a desire to have a career in environmental advocacy and/or education, Larissa was hired in the fall of 2010 to provide assistance with a wide variety of programs at the Ecology Action Center, and she couldn’t be happier about it. |
 Ruth Ann Lipic – Radon Program Coordinator
Ruth Ann Lipic, RN, MS, CHES has a BSN from St. Louis University and MS from Illinois State University in Health Education. She has been extensively involved in community health initiatives as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). She has coordinated the local radon awareness program with help from the McLean County Radon Task Force which she chairs since 1996. Lipic has facilitated continuing education programs for the Illinois state radon licensees for 8 years working closely with Illinois Emergency Management Agency. As a survivor of an impaired driving crash, her volunteer efforts for 20 years were directed toward safe, sober driving as a spokesman for MADD, IL state MADD chairperson, victim advocate and national board member. Lipic volunteered 15 years as chairperson for the Holiday Tour of Homes fundraiser for Homes of Hope, Inc. Currently she serves on the Board of Directors for East Central Illinois Area Agency for Aging. Lipic was awarded the YWCA Woman of Distinction in 2003 and Health Educator of the Year in 2010 by the Cornbelt Health Education Association. |
 Gary Kamplain – Program Assistant
Gary joined the EAC in June 2011; previously he worked for over 30 years in the safety and agricultural fields. He is from central Illinois with a B.S. degree from Illinois State University. With seven rain barrels in use at home he was a natural for teaching the Ecology Action Center’s rain barrel workshops. He is also part-time resident Handy Man for the EAC. He greatly enjoys finding out how many ways the EAC serves the community and being part of this dynamic team. |
 Sarah Hinch – Administrative Assistant
Sarah joined the EAC in Spring 2012. She is a graduate of Wheaton College with a background in marketing and publishing. When she’s not keeping financials and paperwork in order at the EAC, she enjoys getting her hands dirty in the garden and exploring the great outdoors with her two young children. |
 Laurie Fuller – Program Assistant
Laurie Fuller joined the Ecology Action Center as a program assistant in 2012 when she retired from teaching in District 87, where she taught special education and 3rd grade for 35 years. She came to Illinois State University to obtain Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education, and decided to make Bloomington-Normal home. She has three adult daughters, and lives with her husband outside southwest Bloomington. She enjoys gardening, mission work, volunteering with young people, substitute teaching, traveling, cooking, and crafts. She was pleased when one of her daughters recently told her “Mom, growing up I always thought you were really cheap – I now realize you were an environmentalist before your time!” |
 Leslie Lewis – Program Technician
Leslie Lewis came to Bloomington- Normal from the rural town of Sullivan, Illinois as a student at Illinois State University. At the University she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and minored in Environmental Studies. During her course work she took on the role of Program Manager at the Office of Sustainability on campus. It was in this position that her interest in sustainability grew and her passion for community education and progress blossomed. Since graduating, she has become increasingly engaged in various community projects and was appointed one of McLean County’s 25 under 25 in 2012. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping excursions, geocaching, biking, and upcycling crafts; embracing and supporting her love for the environment. |
