Meet the Board

Mike Nast, President

Mike joined CLCF’s Board in 2018. Mike grew up on Big Cedar Lake where he developed a great appreciation for the local watershed and the beauty of the Kettle Moraine region. Mike has a BS from UW-La Crosse and an MBA from UW-Milwaukee. His professional career includes leadership positions in manufacturing businesses and service on several boards. Mike, his wife Michelle, and their two daughters live in the Town of West Bend where they enjoy sailing on Big Cedar Lake, alpine skiing, and bicycling.

Denise Goergen, Vice President

Denise joined CLCF’s Board in 2018. Denise retired after 30+ years of practicing law at Reinhart Boerner and has served in numerous professional and nonprofit leadership roles. She has a long-term dedication to conservation. She is also a board member of Lake Country Clean Waters and serves as secretary at the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy in Scottsdale, Arizona. Denise and her husband, Glenn, have three children and have had a home on Big Cedar Lake since 1997.

John Harmon, Secretary

John joined CLCF’s Board in 2017. He has lived in the West Bend area since 2006 and is an avid user of CLCF’s properties. John is a firm believer in CLCF’s mission of preserving land and maintaining buffers for wildlife. He has a BS from UW-Eau Claire and is currently the Senior Manager of Applications at Broan in Hartford, WI.

John Bonnell, Treasurer

John joined CLCF’s Board in 2023. Since 2017, John has been the Director of Business Development at Campbell Newman Asset Management, Inc. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in Institutional Sales at Artisan Partners. He has been in the investment business for over 20 years. John also serves on the Board of Trustees at the University School of Milwaukee. He and his family enjoy spending time on Big Cedar Lake.

Mary Beth Carr

Mary Beth joined CLCF’s Board in 2019 and has been a CLCF volunteer since 2017. Mary Beth has 30+ years of event management experience with the Milwaukee County Zoo and the Wisconsin State Fair Park. She is an active volunteer at the Cedar Lake Yacht Club and stays busy with her three grandchildren – Escher, Juniper and Atlas. Mary Beth and her husband Frank (Buzz) have enjoyed their family home on Big Cedar Lake since 1963. Mary Beth got involved with CLCF as a result of seeing the positive impact that CLCF has had on the surrounding areas and the water quality at Big Cedar Lake.

Rich Czarnecki

Rich has enjoyed the beauty of Big Cedar Lake and the surrounding area since the early 1980s and began volunteering for CLCF in 2001.
Rich has a BS and MS in engineering from UW-Milwaukee and an MBA from UW-Madison. He retired from Deere & Company following a career that included global leadership assignments in Operations and Supply Management. Rich and his wife Teri have three children and live on Big Cedar Lake. They enjoy sailing, x-country skiing, and hiking the trails in the area.

Meg Jansky

Meg joined the CLCF Board in 2020. She grew up on Big Cedar and Gilbert lakes and treasures their beauty.  Meg has worked with CLCF to protect over 60 acres of family-owned property in CLCF’s mission area.  Meg holds an undergraduate degree from UW-Milwaukee and an MBA from Marquette University.  Meg recently retired after 30+ years in Financial Services and has served on several nonprofit boards.  Since early 2020, Meg and her husband, Joe, have served as the Volunteer Coordinators for CLCF’s Stew Crew.

Bob Phelps

Bob joined CLCF’s Board in 2020. Bob and his dog Purna have been taking advantage of the beauty of the Cedar Lakes area since 2001 when he purchased a home on Big Cedar Lake.   Now living on Little Cedar Lake, Bob and Purna can be found on the hiking and skiing trails of CLCF land and, almost as often, rowing and paddling the pristine waters of the lakes.  Bob is President of Oarsman Capital, an investment advisory firm based in Milwaukee with offices in Brookfield and in Prairie du Sac.

Didi Atwood Reilly

Didi joined CLCF’s Board in 2009. Didi wants to help preserve and protect both the scenic open spaces and water quality of the area for future generations. Didi has a BA from Harvard College, and an M. of Architecture from Princeton University. Didi and her husband Paul split their time between Florida and at Big Cedar Lake.

Cindy Rusher

Cindy joined CLCF’s Board in December 2020. Cindy has spent her summers on Big Cedar Lake all her life — and is now a full-time resident. Cindy has previously held leadership positions at a number of service organizations and was the Commodore of the Cedar Lake Yacht Club during 2017-18. She is a 1988 Olympian and a 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist in Rowing and graduated from UW-Madison with a BS degree in Physical Therapy. Cindy loves all water activities including sailing, rowing, kayaking, swimming, and boating. She treasures the Cedar Lakes region and enjoys hiking and cross-country skiing on CLCF’s trails.

Kevin Steiner

Kevin joined CLCF’s Board in 2023. Kevin Steiner has worked at West Bend Mutual Insurance Company since 1994 and has been President from 2008 to 2022 and CEO since 2009. He’s been in the insurance industry for 31 years.  He also serves on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County and Kettle Moraine YMCA, among other organizations.

Jynine Strand

Jynine joined CLCF’s Board in 2019. Jynine is a real estate lawyer with a practice in Washington County and has served on numerous professional and nonprofit boards. Jynine grew-up in rural Waupaca County and believes it is important to preserve and protect the lands around us to benefit future generations. Jynine, her husband Greg and their three daughters enjoy many outdoor activities such as hiking, boating and snow skiing.

Peter T. Ziegler

Peter joined CLCF’s Board in 2020. Peter grew up sailing and spending summers on Big Cedar Lake where, through his family, he developed an appreciation for the area.  Peter owns Habitat Restoration Partners, an ecological restoration business, and is the Project Director for Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s statewide habitat program.  He has worked extensively for and with nonprofits around the state where he is able to put his passion to work restoring and managing natural areas.