Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute

Enhancing Wisconsin's lake resources through

leadership, training, and civic engagement.

The Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute is a leadership program that enhances the skills and broadens the capabilities of people in our lake communities to champion effective and communicative collaboration with the goal of protecting and managing our lakes.

Crew 16 - Nominations being accepted!

We are now accepting nominations for Crew 16. Consider nominating yourself, a neighbor, a colleague or anyone you feel would benefit from the Wisconsin Lake Leaders Institute and would in turn use what they learn to care for Wisconsin's lakes.

Crew 16 Session Dates and Locations (locations are tentative):

May 20-21, 2026 Seminar I – Daycholah Center, Ripon, WI; Society and Environment: Philosophy and Ethics of Lake Management
Sept. 2026 Seminar II – Kemp Natural Resources Station, Woodruff, WI; Aquatic Ecology and Watershed Management:
Impact of Development on Lakes
Oct. 15-16, 2026 Seminar III – Durward’s Glen, Baraboo; Organizations, People, and Politics, Graduation Ceremony at the Aldo
Leopold Shack

Questions? Contact Sara Windjue at swindjue@uwsp.edu or 715-346-3212.

Our Mission and Values

Mission: Protecting in Partnership Our Legacy of Lakes

Values:

An educated public is supportive of sound lake decisions
Everyone has a part to play and is welcome to help protect lakes
Lake management decisions should be science driven
All lake users should have the opportunity to participate in lake management actions

Success Stories

Wisconsin Lake Leaders are a unique group of over 350 individuals who have dedicated time and resources to protect our shared waters. They all have inspiring stories and have made powerful connections with their fellow crew members. We hope sharing some of their stories inspires you to join us as a future Lake Leader or connect with one of these leaders in your area to strengthen the water network across Wisconsin.

	Waterways Association of Menominee and Shawano Counties (WAMSCO) Lake Leaders is a unique experience that will stay with you for life. Shanda Hubertus, Board President of the Waterways Association of Menominee & Shawano Counties (WAMSCO), says, “The connections and relationships that I formed in Crew 10 have made an extremely positive impact in my area of Wisconsin. The passion and drive that was organically imprinted within me during my time at the Lake Leaders Institute left me with a feeling that one person truly could have a major impact on our waterways. That was so obviously shared by others in attendance.” As a direct result of Lake Leaders, WAMSCO was formed. In the short 10 years since its formalization and now with full-time staff, WAMSCO has seen the mindset change in the youth and community members in the area. WAMSCO is now installing Best Management Practices throughout the counties each year including: shoreline restorations with native plants, seawall removals, rain gardens, invasive species control, pollinator gardens, increasing the practice of no-till planting and cover crops, nutrient reduction techniques, and erosion control methods. WAMSCO has a very successful and busy conservation education program complete with its own mobile classroom! “The buy-in and support we see from our local businesses and community is amazing! The most difficult and rewarding accomplishment of WAMSCO is the bond we have formed with our agricultural producers. By this time next year, Shawano County will have its own Farmer Led Watershed Council!” As evident in the formation of WAMSCO, a short 6-day investment of time can lead to generations of healthy waters in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Lakes (formerly known as the Wisconsin Association of Lakes) “Lake Leaders graduates are a big source of directors for Wisconsin Lakes and some of our strongest leaders rose from their ranks. A significant reason for that is that the comprehensive training one gets in the Lake Leaders Institute grounds participants in leadership and also grounds one in the crucial understanding of both lakes and the lakes community in Wisconsin”, says Mike Engleson, outgoing Executive Director of Wisconsin Lakes, who is also a Lake Leader himself (from Crew 9). Graduates of the Lake Leaders experience are more confident and able leaders partly from the content provided by the WI Lakes and Rivers Partnership in each of the sessions. They also meet folks throughout the state, from different types of lakes, all with different versions of similar issues, and individuals with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives, both professionally and personally. Mike reflects, “The Lake Leaders Institute truly prepares a person to lead the lakes community. For some, a great way to do that is through service to the statewide citizen organization dedicated to lifting up that same community of lake people. It has certainly served Wisconsin Lakes well.”
	Ladies of the Lake It all started in 2021 when Wisconsin Lake Leaders Crew 13 came together after being delayed for a year due to COVID. A few of the participants formed a strong bond and the Ladies of the Lake was formed. This dynamic group of women support each other’s lake protection efforts. They discuss ideas, solve problems, and learn together. In June 2023, some of the ladies attended the Northwest Lakes Conference in Spooner to learn more about lake protection and restoration. They also participated in the Advanced Lake Leaders session in September of that same year. Gathering at continuing education events such as these with a group of people you know and trust makes the networking more productive and the event more memorable. The Ladies of the Lake group has grown beyond Crew 13 as women from other Lake Leader crews have also joined their network. Just recently, this group attended the 2025 Northwest Lakes Conference in Hayward and participated in their second Advanced Lake Leaders Session. We look forward to seeing what this group accomplishes as they support each other and work to solve complex problems.
Adam and Charlie Handel We’d like to introduce you to Charlie and Adam Handel, a father and son who both share a love for Wisconsin’s waters. Charlie participated in the Lake Leaders Institute in 2006 as part of Crew 6. Adam participated in 2024 as part of Crew 15. They are both active on the Delavan Lake Improvement Association in Walworth County. Charlie held the title of lake manager for 22 years until Adam was hired to take over. The first thing Charlie did after that was nominate Adam to the Lake Leaders Institute because, “Lake Leaders is an essential part of understanding the lake environment and issues both environmentally and politically.” As Adam continues to grow in the role of lake manager, he is lucky to have his father working alongside him on various projects including water sampling, monitoring, and maintaining lake levels. Adam states that the best thing about his Lake Leaders experience is having a “large, passionate community eager to learn and work with others whom he now calls colleagues and friends.” Charlie remembers his experience saying, “I learned I’m not the only person dealing with issues regarding lake problems; there is a community of lake leaders that are dedicated to making a difference for natural resources.” He echoes Adam when he says, “I have gained a close network of individuals who I now consider my friends, as well as colleagues, with whom I can share knowledge, ideas, and solutions.”
	Executive Residence Shoreland Restoration – Crew 7 In 2008, Crew 7 took on a project that encompassed the core lessons of each of the three Lake Leader Institute sessions – social, scientific, and political. They worked together to develop a shoreline restoration strategy for Wisconsin’s Executive Residence. The Executive Residence has served as the official residence of Wisconsin Governors and their families since 1949. It sits on 3.5 acres in Maple Bluff and includes over 300 feet of Lake Mendota shoreline. For many years, the shoreland area was lawn, not too different from many properties on Lake Mendota but also not doing much to infiltrate stormwater or provide habitat to pollinators and birds.  Working in partnership with the Department of Administration, the Department of Natural Resources, Extension Lakes, as well as consultants and lake organizations, Lake Leaders Crew 7 members were able to pull together the necessary data, people, and resources to obtain project approval for a native shoreland planting from the State Capitol and Executive Residence Board (SCERB) in December 2011. For a range of reasons, the planting project stalled for about 10 years. Fast forward to 2022: a group of dedicated volunteers and Lake Leaders, including some from Crew 7, installed Phase One of the native planting at the Residence, which included over 1,700 native plants and covered about 3,000 square feet along the shore. Phase Two was completed in 2024 and included an additional 1,400 plants across approximately 4,000 square feet of land. In total, there were 32 different native species planted in an area that used to be just grass. Governor Tony Evers, a supporter of the project, participated along with the volunteers in Phase 2 of the planting. Patricia Cicero, one of the Crew 7 members who spearheaded the project states, “This project started with Crew 7, but Lake Leaders from other Crews played a major role as well. It was exciting to see all our hard work result in a shoreland restoration that can be an example of good stewardship for lake shore owners across the State.”
County Land & Water Staff Our County Land & Water Departments: • administer and assist with various conservation programs to protect and enhance natural resources • provide public information, education, and technical assistance to help the public understand and manage their land and water resources • work on land and water resource issues, offering educational and technical assistance to landowners and farmers • collaborate with local governments, state agencies, and landowners to conserve soil, prevent agricultural runoff, and preserve farmland. At least 26 county staff (current and past) have participated in the Lake Leaders Institute which provided strong networking and in-depth learning in lake science, policy, and community building. Here is what a few had to say about their Lake Leaders experience: “For my role working for a county Land and Water Conservation Department, the Lake Leaders Institute was instrumental in expanding my professional and lake-citizen contacts throughout the state.” “The knowledge, connections, and friends I made during Lake Leaders have benefited my county conservation career in ways I didn’t realize it would when I signed up.” “It not only gave me a good understanding of lake ecology, stewardship, and activism, but I feel one of the most beneficial parts was learning about personality types and how to work with different types of people.” “Being newly hired, Lake Leaders provided me with a unique opportunity to meet and form partnerships with a wide range of individuals as well as an opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills and resources to help me excel in my job to preserve, protect, and enhance the natural resources of my county.” We applaud the work of our County Land+Water staff and look forward to continuing to support and provide learning opportunities through the Lake Leaders Institute.