Meet Erica LeMoine – Philanthropy and Membership Coordinator

Get to Know Erica LeMoine, WGF’s Philanthropy and Membership Coordinator

Erica LeMoine, Philanthropy and Membership Coordinator

In August 2024, Erica LeMoine joined the Wisconsin’s Green Fire (WGF) staff as our new full-time Philanthropy and Membership Coordinator. Erica joins us from a career in conservation and citizen-science programming. She is excited to support and develop the connections of the WGF community!

Quick facts about Erica:

• Erica lives near the western tip of Lake Superior. She grew up in southwestern Wisconsin.
• Highlights of Prior Experience:
  • 13+ years with LoonWatch
  • Experienced grant writer
  • Experienced ecology researcher (sea turtles, oysters, common loons)
• Education:
  • BA in Geography, Land Use Emphasis (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire)
• Contact info:
  • Email: elemoine@wigreenfire.org

Five Questions – Q & A with Erica LeMoine

Q: What are a few of your favorite places in Wisconsin?

A: When I was younger, I spent a lot of time in southwestern Wisconsin around Devil’s Lake State Park, Parfrey’s Glen, and the Natural Bridge. There’s an amazing outdoor theater in that area—the American Player’s Theatre in Spring Green—and of course Wollersheim Winery. When my family took our Northwoods trips, we would visit national and state forests, the Apostle Islands and Madeline Island. Those places hold special memories. I remember when my grandfather rented a couple of cabins for the whole family to stay on Franklin Lake in Forest County, which was also so much fun.

Q: Speaking of fun, what are some of your favorite things to do outside work?

A: I love hiking and gardening and many lake related activities, and I also love to cook. I recently discovered Milwaukee PBS show Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu and enjoy making Indian-inspired dishes.

Q: Why were you interested in becoming WGF’s Philanthropy and Membership Coordinator?

A: Before coming on as staff, I had so many connections to folks at Wisconsin’s Green Fire, especially one of the founders Terry Daulton. She was one of my predecessors and mentors in the LoonWatch program where I worked for the last 13+ years. She reached out to me about this position and said, hey I think you’d be a good fit. That’s a huge compliment for me coming from Terry. But then I’ve also worked with WGF’s Senior Scientist Mike Meyer and other members of the WGF community. I had always kept my eye on WGF because of all the cool projects that they’ve been doing over the years and all the press they were getting. When WGF took on the project on illegal deaths and injuries of large wild birds, I was thrilled because we had discussed it in a LoonWatch meeting and it seemed like an enormous and impossible project. In my previous roles, I’ve learned a lot about how to do the work of a Philanthropy and Membership Coordinator, and I enjoy the work! So, a lot of little things made it appealing to me and made me interested in taking on this role.

Q: What have been a couple highlights from your first several weeks in this role?

A: I hadn’t imagined how varied this role would be! Already, I’m lining up our Conservation Trivia event for December 3rd, meeting with so many of the scientists and leaders within the work groups, meeting a couple of our amazing Ambassadors, and working on a new corporate giving policy. It’s been fun and challenging! I’ve enjoyed stretching out and connecting with other conservation organizations in Wisconsin. I’m enjoying getting to work with this team. Even though we work remotely, it feels good to be building these connections and work together on the wide range of conservation topics that keep this awesome organization running smoothly.

Q: Any conservation role models you turn to for inspiration?

A: Of course! Like so many, I’m inspired by famous figures in Wisconsin conservation history like John Muir, and Sigurd Olson, and Aldo Leopold. But I’m so impressed and inspired by today’s conservation leaders too. Since I worked in the world of loons for much of my career, I’ll focus on some of those names right now—people like Mark Pokras, Jay Mager, Judith McIntyre, Kevin Kenow, Nina Shoch, Marge Gibson, Kathy Jones, Dave Evers, Kevin and Linda Grenzers, and of course WGF’s Terry Daulton and Mike Meyer. I think of the loon rescue inventions the Grenzers built like special nets and a jon boat with ice-skates to rescue loons stranded out on thin ice. That ingenuity and persistence continues to inspire me. And, I’ve learned more from the Loon Ranger volunteers than anyone else. I’ll always appreciate them.

Learn more about Erica and WGF staff.

Connect with Erica at elemoine@wigreenfire.org. Learn more about the rest of the WGF staff here.

Blog post by Carolyn Pralle, WGF Communications and Outreach Coordinator