Changes In Our Conservation Team

It's been a busy few months with our ISDA-Division of Soil Conservation Team!

Since April, we saw three of our Resource Specialists take on new roles.

Jordan Seger, who served an RS in the northwestern portion of the state, is our new program manager for Agricultural Affairs. Jordan has a very diverse background in agriculture and natural resources and has been an excellent addition to our central office team! 

Logan Garner is taking on a new role with ISDA moving from his Resource Specialist position for the Tippecanoe Watershed based in Kosciusko County to Program Manager for the ISDA Water Quality Initiatives at the Central Office in Indianapolis.  In this role he will manage the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), as well as play an integral part in developing Indiana’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy. Prior to joining ISDA in 2011, he was a Research Assistant at DOW AgroSciences. 










Geneva Rawlins is our new District Support Specialist covering Northeast Indiana. Geneva previously served as a RS in the central part of the state.  Geneva is an excellent addition to our DSS Team and we are very excited to have her talents serving to build the capacity amongst Soil and Water Conservation Districts. 

In June, ISDA announced Sarah Simpson as Interim Director of the Division of Soil Conversation for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.  Simpson joined ISDA in 2006, is currently the Director of Agricultural Policy, and will continue to serve in that capacity.
Simpson, who replaces former Soils Director Jerod Chew, will oversee ISDA’s environmental stewardship initiatives and conservation programs such as: direct on-farm technical and financial assistance for conservation practices implementation, supporting Indiana’s 92 Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and conservation promotion.







In July, Jamen Frederick joined ISDA. Jamen is a RS in the southwest portion of the state, and is located in Boonville. Before joining ISDA, Jamen served as a technician for Gibson and Pike County Soil and Water Conservation Districts.  His passion for cover crops, soil health and the On-Farm Network make him a great fit for this position. We are happy to welcome him to our team.
 

Ashley Linville joined ISDA in August as a Resource Specialist in the Johnson County field office as part of the Division of Soil Conservation team. Before joining ISDA, Ashley worked as a Natural Resource Specialist for the Shelby County Soil and Water Conservation District. She is proficient in Highly Erodible Land/Wetland compliance determinations and has assisted with conservation planning efforts for several Farm Bill programs including Conservation Reserve Program, Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentive Program. Ashley is an Indiana native from Shelby County. She is a 2006 graduate of Hanover College with a Bachelor’s degree in biology. She lives in Shelbyville on her family’s beef and grain farm. She enjoys working on the family farm, spending time with friends and family and boating.