Andy grew up in Indiana, where he developed an enduring fascination for nature and exploration in the dense hardwood forests of the Hoosier National. He spent countless hours hiking, camping, building forts, and wandering the woods at night looking to uncover new natural mysteries. He wanted to share his passions for the outdoors and so pursued a degree in recreation with hopes of becoming an interpretive guide. Andy later discovered that to answer his childhood quandaries he needed to learn more about ecology and natural history, so he completed a masters specializing in ecological restoration. He has worked in the Northwoods of Minnesota, Great Plains of the Dakotas, mountains and foothills of Colorado, expansive deserts of New Mexico, and cascading gorges of Upstate New York. A common theme throughout his career has been community engagement and volunteerism in support of natural resource management initiatives. Andy is excited to share his enthusiasm for plants, pollinators, and human connection with Pollinator Partnership and community. If you'd like to volunteer with Project Wingspan in Indiana, please fill out this form and Andy will get in touch with you with more information. You can also reach Andy via email.

Kaleigh has a lifelong love of nature and conservation and spends as much time as she can outside hiking and exploring new areas. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology and Ecology with a minor in Environmental Science. As an undergraduate, she was involved in multiple research studies related to the conservation of local pollinators. After graduation, she worked for the local park system’s stewardship department where she managed native plants and improved pollinator habitat. She continues to be passionate about pollinators and conducts regular surveys and volunteer programs to promote pollinator health and education in her community. She is excited to be working toward improving pollinator education and conservation!

Eleanor began her career in agriculture and conservation in 2010, serving as an apiary inspector with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Fascinated by the correlation between pollinator habitat quality and bee health, she pursued studies in Pollination Ecology and received a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from University of Illinois in 2018. She worked as Resource Conservationist for the Madison County Soil & Water Conservation District from 2017 through 2019, where she enjoyed conservation planning, engineering, event planning, and leading a prairie management collective, the Madison County Prairie Partners.

If you'd like to volunteer with Project Wingspan in Illinois, please fill out this form and Eleanor will get in touch with you with more information. You can also reach Eleanor via email.

Holly Frainer is a nature enthusiast, whether it be for hobby or occupation and oversees Project Wingspan's seed cleaning, processing, and grow out activities. Holly graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor’s in Agricultural Science with an emphasis on Horticulture and Dendrology. She had the liberty of completing her internship at one of Chicagoland’s leading landscaping firms, Acres Landscaping Group. Previous experiences include a Forester for Davey Resource Group with Davey Trees, Greenhouse and Garden Center management, and owning and operating Barefoot Roots landscaping. Outside of Holly's professional experiences, she is a contributing member to various gardening societies such as Land of Lincoln Water Gardening Society, Sangamon Gardening Society, and Springfield Garden Society. In her spare time, she greatly enjoys gardening, growing and caring for plants, hiking trails, single-track mountain bike riding, kayaking, camping, and anything involving the outdoors.