89th Annual Meeting of The Ridges Sanctuary

Ridges members are invited to The Ridges Sanctuary’s Annual Meeting, followed by a delectable dinner and social!

Join us for a special evening to celebrate the impact we’ve made together over the past year and to look ahead to the exciting road ahead.

This event offers an opportunity to hear important updates from our leadership and staff on our work in preservation, education, and research. It’s also a chance to reconnect with fellow members, share stories, and welcome the incoming board members who will help shape our future.

Please register by Friday, July 17 for catering purposes and submit any dietary restrictions. Please call (920)-839-2802 with questions.

Schedule of Events:  

4 pm Member Mix & Mingle, Seasonal Staff Poster Session, Silent Auction Opens

5 pm Business Meeting of The Ridges, Board Member Election, and Year in Review  

6:30 pm Dinner and Social! 

2026 Board of Directors Nominees

Jeff Sundberg – Nominated for First Term

Jeff Sundberg recently retired from Lake Forest College (Lake Forest, IL) as a Professor of Economics. He taught a wide variety of courses on economic theory, finance, and public policy. He also taught courses with public policy applications in the environmental studies department. His favorite is a course he designed on the challenges of wildlife translocations. His published research examines public policies such as conservation easements, voter referenda for land purchases, and property tax abatements for conservation. Jeff’s most recent project is working with The Endangered Wildlife Trust of Southern Africa to evaluate the motivations and experiences of South African farmers who enrolled land in a program designed to improve both agricultural productivity and ecological biodiversity. 

Jeff has been a board member with the International Crane Foundation, serving as the chair of the Finance Committee.  He was also the board president for a county-wide land trust and chaired the education committee of the Chicago Audubon Society. He is an avid birder who has led bird walks for these and other groups, monitors nest boxes on a local bluebird trail, and works on several habitat restoration projects.   

Ashley Prange – Nominated for Second Term

Born and raised in Green Bay, Ashley spent summers in Egg Harbor and has worked in Washington, D.C. as a Capitol Hill staffer and as an analyst in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. She is the founder and CEO of Au Naturale Cosmetics, which emphasizes responsible and sustainable supply chains, philanthropic profit sharing, the empowerment of organic farmers, advocacy for state and federal policies that champion the environment and consumer safety in personal care, and investment in zero-footprint packaging. Her company has earned features and awards from Allure, InStyle, Good Housekeeping, Domino, Vogue, and Real Simple magazines. She is also on the boards of the Natural and Organic Beauty Alliance and St. Norbert College. Prange’s passion for the environment is apparent in every decision she makes, from her business to the natural preservation of her piece of Door County landscape.

Ed Miller – Nominated for Second Term

Ed has Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Engineering from The University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He enjoyed a 33-year career with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. When he retired in 2007, Ed was the supervisor of the DNR Southeast District Air Monitoring Section. He is involved in many Ridges volunteer activities, particularly with the Wednesday Crew. Ed and his wife Sandy oversee the restoration of the Baileys Harbor Range Lights. He also re-enacts the role of a of a lighthouse keeper at the Range Lights. Ed previously served two three-year terms on The Ridges board from 2011 to 2017, the last five as board Secretary. He is looking forward to the privilege of serving once again as a Ridges board member and helping to guide The Ridges in a strategic direction while being faithful to its roots.

Mark Martin – Nominated for Second Term

Mark earned a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Wisconsin Madison. He worked for 40 years at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources as a wildlife research technician and conservation biologist with the Bureau of Endangered Resources. Gathering Waters recently awarded Mark and his wife, Susan, the Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award honoring their achievements in extraordinary land conservation projects and accomplishments. Mark is currently chairperson of the Land Protection committee.

To review the minutes from the 2025 Annual Meeting, Click Here