Board and Staff
Board and Staff
Dave DeAngelis – President and Executive Committee Chair
Dave is a graduate of the University of Illinois-Chicago with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and is the owner of Urban Services L.L.C. based in Grayslake, Illinois. Previously, Dave was a Strategic Adviser in the Profit Enhancement Solutions group in Madison, Wisconsin, providing his expertise to private companies and corporations throughout North America, South America and Europe. Over the past 30 years, Dave has acquired a broad range of business, engineering and product development experience working in a variety of industries and corporate roles for Illinois Tool Works, Danaher, Abbott Laboratories and Nalco Chemical Company.
Tom Herbstritt – Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair
After graduating from the University of Notre Dame, Tom worked as an auditor and consultant with KPMG’s Chicago office. Since that time, Tom has worn a number of career hats, including as a member of the Chicago Board of Trade, as trader for his own account and as a broker for public customers. After hanging up that hat after fifteen years, he was Chief Financial Officer for a proprietary options and equities trading firm at the Chicago Board Options Exchange. During that same time, having prepared various tax returns on a freelance basis for a law firm specializing in taxes for fifteen years, in 2006 he began preparing tax returns on a full time basis for that firm. In addition to that work, Tom is a compliance consultant for two proprietary trading firms at the Chicago Board Options Exchange. He became a member of the Board of the Kettle Moraine Land Trust in 2012, where he hopes to be able to provide some assistance in the area of the land trust’s finances.
Justin DeAngelis – Director and Governance Committee Chair
Justin, an attorney, is a lifelong summer resident of Lauderdale Lakes and is passionate about conservation and KMLT’s mission. He brings strong organizational leadership, public speaking, legal advocacy and journalism skills to the board, as well as a broad range of experience with public policy, risk management, strategic planning and fundraising.
Justin graduated from UW-Madison and IIT’s Chicago Kent College of Law. His practice focuses primarily on patent law. In his spare time he enjoys golfing and softball as well as fishing and boating, and watching Chicago sports teams, especially the Cubs.
Walker Johnson – Director
Walker is a nationally recognized, award-winning architect with more than 40 years of specialized, experience in historic preservation. He served three terms on the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council to the State Historic Preservation Office. He was on the Board of Landmarks Illinois and was very active in its organization. He recently served two terms as a PBS Peer Professional for the General Services Administration and has served on Building Design and Construction Magazine Award Juries(2004-2008)as well as the 2008 AIA Honor Award Jury. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a fellow of the Association of Preservation Technology.
Prior to founding the Chicago firm Johnson Lasky Architects in 1992, he was Director of Restoration/ Rehabilitation at Holabird & Root, Architects.
A well-known speaker, he lectures on topics such as preservation, history, lighting for historic buildings and building material treatments. Walker has also been a guest lecturer at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, and an Adjunct Professor of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville-School of Architecture.
Amanda Ault
Amanda grew up in an Indiana farming community and she and her husband are starting a biodiverse flower farm in Lyons Township. She holds advanced degrees in earth science and geology and brings a professional background in environmental consulting, geographic information systems, and technology. Amanda has a lifelong interest in environmental issues and most recently worked with the Village of Wilmette on their first sustainability plan, focusing on sustainable communities. Amanda is particularly interested in improving habitat through native plant establishment and is excited about working on such efforts with the Lyons biodiversity Project, as well as helping with our natural areas mapping and monitoring.
Joe Ferrari
Joe has worked over 45 years in the accounting profession, developing a broad range of experience in public accounting, industry, and academia. He’s currently a Senior Consultant at Warady & Davis, LLP. Joe also served as an adjunct professor at the DePaul University School of Accountancy and MIS, teaching a range of undergraduate and graduate accounting and auditing topics. For over 10 years he did high school and college career day presentations to attract the next generation of CPAs. Joe earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Master of Science in Taxation, and Master of Business Administration in Finance from DePaul University. He is a Licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois.
Joe and his wife, Debbie, have been enjoying their weekend home on Mill Lake for over 20 years, and will make the lake house their fulltime residence this fall. He shares the community service tradition with Debbie, who has served as a past KMLT Board Member, a Commissioner and Treasurer on the Lauderdale Lakes Management District, and is the current Vice President of the Lauderdale Lakes Improvement Association, after serving as President. In contemplation of Joe’s retirement later this year, it’s now Joe’s turn to give back to these communities – although we at KMLT know that the Ferrari household will always be committed to doing their part for local conservation.
Rachel Lilla
Rachel hails from a farming background, living and working at Hafs Road orchard from a young age. She works as a professional arborist, and brings experience in horticulture, graphic communication, exhibit development and grant writing. Rachel also studies integrative medicine, traditional healing and Reiki, and has a passion for international travel. She looks forward to being part of our efforts to educate landowners about sustainable practices on their working lands, and advise on our woodland management.
Len Wardzala – Director and Lyons Biodiversity Project Chair
A graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Len Wardzala currently works as a Global Business Development Manager for Kimball Electronics Inc. An avid environmentalist, while employed at AG Communication Systems, Len received the Strowger Award for his work to eliminate ozone depleting chemicals from their manufacturing processes to comply with the Montreal Protocol. Len has served for over 20 years on the Lyons Township Planning Commission and was instrumental in the adoption of conservation subdivision requirements as part of the Town’s comprehensive plan. In 2020, he founded the “Lyons Township Biodiversity Project” committee and currently leads that project for the Kettle Moraine Land Trust. He was also one of the founding members of the Friends of the Fox River (www.friendsofthefoxriver.org), and he recently retired as board president for Catholic Central High School in Burlington.
Len is married to poet Dr. Kimberly Blaeser (www.kblaeser.org), and they have two children. The family lives in rural Lyons Township, Wisconsin, where Len has done prairie and woodland restoration on their property for over 25 years. They also spend part of each year in their water-access cabin adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness—hiking, canoeing, and welcoming visiting wildlife.
Kathryn Ingle Calkins – Secretary
A graduate of DePauw and Johns Hopkins Universities, Kathryn is a science writer passionate about conservation. Her professional career has been spent primarily in writing and editing about healthcare, biotechnology and basic cell science. She has worked for business-focused publications as well as several published by the National Institutes of Health. She is a lifelong summertime Lauderdale Lakes resident with many fond memories of southern Wisconsin. Currently, Kathryn also serves as co-vice president of Go Green Wilmette in Wilmette, Illinois, where she focuses on outreach about native habitat as well as helping with her group’s social media presence.
Jerry Petersen – Director Emeritus and Founder
Jerry worked for General Electric’s Nuclear Power and Aerospace Divisions in the 1960’s. He then worked for Allis Chalmers for 20 years, heading up the Corporate R&D Center. He subsequently ran his own firm under contract with NATO for three years, and then served as Marketing VP for an environmental firm, RMT, in Madison.
In the volunteer sector, Jerry served as a Director of the Lauderdale Lakes Improvement Association for 20 years and then as its president for four years. He served on the Town of LaGrange Planning Commission for 10 years. He was one of the three founders of the Lauderdale Lakes Lake Management District, and served as its chairman from 1990 through 1996. During this period, he led the District’s effort to acquire the Lauderdale Lakes Country Club, protecting 57 acres of open space and 2,000 feet of shoreline on Lauderdale Lakes. He served on the Walworth County Land Conservation Committee. He founded the Lauderdale Lakes Conservancy (later renamed Kettle Moraine Land Trust) and served as its president from 2000 through 2015.
Rory Klick – Managing Director
Rory Klick brings more than 35 years’ experience in ecologic restoration and land management, and also has a background in horticulture, landscape architecture and public planning. She has spent many years leading environmental education efforts, from informal nature experiences with children to formal academic teaching at the college level. Her passion is helping people appreciate nature and understand the science of how it works – and appreciate the critical role people must play in caring for nature.
Rory and her family make their home in Salem, Wisconsin, where they are working to restore their own oak woodland and be good land stewards.
Rachel Tanis – Program Manager
Rachel Tanis is KMLT’s new Program Manager. Rachel is an East Troy native, having grown up on Lake Beulah. Her family has always enjoyed hiking at Beulah Bog and surrounding natural areas. Rachel has worked in customer service for over 15 years and is excited to be able to serve others in a position that values the natural environment and promotes its preservation. She looks forward to working with members and volunteers as well as the Directors in making a difference in our land.