For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Amy Work

Director of Communications

& Member Programs

317.692.7374

amy-work@iaswcd.org

IASWCD Announces the Start of the NEW

Resilient Indiana Program

Indianapolis (June 7, 2024) - This week the new initiative Resilient Indiana: Technical Assistance for Soil and Water Conservation Districts (RITA) began with their first cohort of six technicians.


This new program housed under the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts is supported by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and Clean Water Indiana (CWI).


Resilient Indiana is dedicated to providing on-the-ground technical assistance to Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD). Each RITA Tech will work one-on-one with their assigned Districts to develop, support and expand programs that support the District’s priorities. The Techs will spend about one day a week at each office and while there, function as if they are a District employee. Having them embedded this way will ensure that they work closely with the SWCD staff and increase the services provided to their communities. By collaborating with other Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP) organizations, this effort will help Indiana landowners and producers enhance the resilience of their operations.


Each of the six technicians will be assigned to areas throughout the state with additional technicians being hired early next year to extend statewide coverage. Resilient Indiana’s goal is to support all 92 county districts once it is fully staffed. 


Meg Leader, RITA Program Director, states, “I am excited for the RITA Technicians to begin engaging with SWCDs and partners in their regions. They are all driven to enhance conservation practices with producers and landowners throughout the state. With time and guidance, we are fostering the next generation of leaders and advancing the mission of protecting Indiana's natural resources."


Meet the RITA Technicians:

Emma Bodnarick holds a degree in Geography from Indiana University and has experience as a Surveying Technician and an Ecological Restoration Technician. Recently, she earned her Master Naturalist certification. She is passionate about discovering and implementing strategies to mitigate human impact on the environment.

Jamie Davenport is a recent graduate from the MPA-MSES program at Indiana University Bloomington. Originally from Georgia, she spent time on her grandparents’ farm in Alabama. While at IU, she studied soil organic carbon as a climate strategy at COP28 in Dubai and spent a summer in Njawara, a Gambian village, learning about rural development and environmentally conscious agriculture. She is eager to learn more about Indiana conservation strategies and contribute to their adoption and awareness.

Hanna Garriott graduated from Indiana State University with a major in Environmental Geoscience and a minor in GIS. She has three years of experience in the conservation field, including seasonal work in Montana. She enjoys hiking, slacklining, and going to markets.

Sydney Hassfurther is a 2023 graduate of Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. Raised on a family farm in Spencer County, Indiana, her passion for agriculture and sustainability grew through her involvement in 4-H, FFA, and other activities. She enjoys gardening, fishing, and caring for her two Corgis in her spare time.

Camille Sczerbowicz is from Auburn, IN, and a recent graduate from Indiana University Bloomington with a Bachelor’s in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, focusing on Sustainable Energy, Resources, and Climate. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and hiking.

Jordan Young graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Natural Resources & Environmental Science. Previously, she worked as an Invasive Species Technician for Tippecanoe County SWCD. Studying Indiana's native plants and wildlife is one of her favorite pastimes.

View the map for assignment locations for each technical assistant.


For more information about the Resilient Indiana program, please contact Meg Leader at meg-leader@iaswcd.org.


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About IASWCD

The Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts (IASWCD) works at a state level to promote and enhance conservation through legislative advocacy, public outreach, and support of the 92 -member SWCDs in their local work. The IASWCD represents the interests of local Districts as one voice, and assists their leadership through coordination and education for the wise use and management of our natural resources.

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