Marion SWCD Staff

John HazlettDistrict Manager

John became District Manager of the SWCD in March of 2018 after serving as a board member and Treasurer for many years. His background includes 15 years of experience working in energy efficiency, water conservation, recycling and stormwater management. John also served as the Director of the Office of Sustainability for the City of Indianapolis, where he led the implementation of the Mayor’s SustainIndy initiative and secured over $18 million in federal grant funds for various sustainability projects. He developed and managed the City’s Sustainable Facilities Initiative. John holds a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University with a specialization in Environmental Planning.

Kevin AllisonUrban Soil Health Specialist

Kevin is Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Urban Soil Health Specialist. He is focused on assisting food producers in applying the principles of Soil Health to gardens and small farms for the benefit of soil function and the environment. His background includes work with conservation cropping systems in large-scale agriculture as well as 3 years of service in the Peace Corps Dominican Republic’s Community Environmental Development sector. Kevin holds a BS in Environmental Science from Indiana University and serves on Indiana’s Soil Health Team.

Julie FarrResource Conservationist

Julie worked as a full time Resource Conservationist for the District from 1988 to the end of 1996. Julie currently holds a part-time position providing consultation, survey and design assistance to help homeowners with their land use, drainage and erosion problems. She also edits the District’s newsletter, manages the website and helps create educational publications. Prior to working for the District Julie worked for the Marion County Health Department. She received a B.S. degree in Public Affairs/ Environmental Science from Indiana University.

Robert KendallUrban Conservationist

Rob is Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District’s(SWCD) Urban Conservationist. He works with contractors and developers to help prevent soil erosion and sediment pollution as part of the SWCD’s partnership with Department of Public Works (DPW), Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS), and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). After graduating from Indiana University Bloomington with a degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Rob began his career through positions helping to conserve and rehabilitate the native ecology of developed and undeveloped areas. He has worked for local nature-based organizations such as EcoLogic LLC, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful INC, and Spotts Garden Service.

USDA – NRCS Staff

Jerod Chew NRCS District Conservationist

Jerod serves both Marion and Hendricks Counties helping our landowners and farmers through NRCS programs and funding. Jerod Chew served as the Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Division of Soil Conservation prior to joining the USDA, Natural Resource Conservation Service. He has over 10 years of experience working in the field of conservation both in the field and in administration. He holds a B.S. degree in Life Science with an Ecology emphasis.

Project Staff

Elected & Appointed Board Supervisors

A Board of Supervisors oversees Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District’s operations and represent the interests of land users in the county. Staff is hired by the Board of Supervisors to deliver services, based on local land uses and natural resources concerns. Supervisors are made up of five (5) non-paid county residents. Three (3) are elected, Two (2) are appointed. Elected Supervisors are selected at our Annual Meeting. Appointed Supervisors are approved by the State Board of Conservation. Additionally, Associate Supervisors, also are selected to assist the Board, but they do not have voting power. They participate in advising the supervisors in the decision-making for district business. Both Supervisors and Associate Supervisors take an active roll in setting forth the District’s Plan of Work. To view a copy of the current Plan of Work click HERE.

Heather BuckSecretary

As a Resource Planner with Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LLC in Indianapolis, Indiana, Heather works with the MS4 Coordinators from several NPDES Phase II communities in Indiana to develop and implement all components of their Stormwater Quality Management Programs (SWQMP). Heather also completes erosion and sediment control inspections on behalf of both public agencies and private development. In addition, Heather completes various water quality evaluations through chemical, physical, and biological data collection and analysis; including IDDE screening, QHEI, macroinvertebrate, and fish community sampling.

Heather and her family reside in Franklin Township.

Maggie GoegleinVice Chairperson

Maggie and her husband, Jason, live in the riverside Township of Rocky Ripple and enjoy the wildlife and beauty the White River brings to their neighborhood. Maggie earned a B.A. degree in Ceramic & Creative Writing, and a M.A degree in Earth Literacy, an interdisciplinary degree examining sustainability through ecological, ethical, and anthropological lenses.

Maggie has worked in the food access non-profit arena for the past decade, beginning with managing and developing an award-winning community garden resource center from 2011-2016, which served an urban Indianapolis neighborhood with garden beds for residents, a teaching garden for workshops and volunteer opportunities, a 3000-gallon rainwater harvesting system, and an orchard offering both native and commercial species. Since 2016, Maggie has worked at the Edna Martin Christian Center that includes a 2 acre urban farm, and an intergenerational garden for youth and seniors. She also works with a larger food-access network, the Martindale Brightwood Food Resource Network, to coordinate community gardens, urban farms, home growers, and local distributors seeking to support greater food access and security for residents living in a food desert.

Brian NeilsonChair

PE, LEED AP
B.S. Environmental Resources Engineering
Humboldt State University, Arcata, California 1985
Brian has over 36 years of experience working in both the public and private engineering sectors in the water, wastewater and storm water sectors. As an active water quality enthusiast and conservationist, Brian also works with the White River Alliance, IWEA Water for People International, and ASCE Environmental & Water Resources Institute. A fan and advocate for Low Impact Development (LID) Green Infrastructure design concepts, Brian works to integrate them into all aspects of his career.

Tyler GoughMember

Tyler Gough oversees the planning and operation of all aspects of Indy Urban Acres, a project of the Parks Alliance of Indianapolis. Gough was hired by the Parks Alliance in 2011 to transform eight acres of unused city park land into a sustainable, urban farm. Today, IUA is a system of four organic farms on the east, west, and south sides of Indianapolis that grows and harvests fruits and vegetables to feed more than 50,000 individuals who are food insecure. IUA produces an average of 40,000 pounds of produce, which is delivered to food pantries and directly to families via the Veggie Box program. Gough is driven by the belief that that each member of our community should be able to attain proper nutrition for themselves and their families, and to have access to the educational tools necessary to provide for themselves.

Owen DwyerTreasurer

Owen is a professor of Geography at IUPUI. He teaches classes in the history of conservation, map-making, and public space. In his courses, he emphasizes service learning as a way to gain valuable experience while doing good. He has collaborated with Indy Urban Acres and the SWCD to make his students more aware of the impact of their choices on society and the natural environment.

Associate Supervisors:

Paula Baldwin
Rick Bein
Marvin Brethauer
Bob Eddleman
Mark Kautz
Bob Kleinops
Beth Mason
Scott Minor
Mark Mongin
J. Dennis Slaughter
Henry Wallis
Blake Wilson