Contact Us

Chicago Wilderness
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60603

For general inquiries, please contact Catherine Game, Alliance Relations Coordinator, 312.580.2135 or catherine.game at chicagowilderness.org

Chicago Wilderness Staff

Melinda Pruett-Jones
Executive Director

Melinda Pruett-Jones is Executive Director of the Chicago Wilderness alliance. Since joining Chicago Wilderness in 2006, she has worked to define and align the goals, strategies, and actions of the alliance to advance its conservation mission, and to deepen member engagement in the collaborative work of Chicago Wilderness. Melinda oversees operations, progress on priority objectives, and sustaining the alliance. She helped to establish, and now chairs, the Metropolitan Greenspaces Alliance, a national network of regional conservation coalitions leading the national dialogue on urban conservation and offering effective models for other metro regions.

Melinda is the alliance’s first executive director. Prior to joining Chicago Wilderness, she worked with two of the founding organizations of the alliance, serving as a senior scientist and Vice President for Applied Research for the Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, and as Director of Major Gifts for The Field Museum. Her early foray into landscape scale conservation was made during a decade working for the University of California’s Natural Reserve System. Melinda continues to serve on graduate student committees at area universities, and sits on several regional and national advisory boards.

Email: melinda.pruett_jones at chicagowilderness.org

 

Lucy Hutcherson
Director of Conservation & Communication Programs
Lucy Hutcherson oversees the work of the conservation program staff, facilitates the coordination of regional projects, and provides strategic guidance for special initiatives. She also develops and implements overarching communication strategies for the alliance.

Lucy has more than a decade of non-profit management experience and over 25 years of experience in conservation communication, public relations, corporate communication and employee relations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Communication from The American University in Washington, D.C. and a second Bachelor’s in Wildlife Conservation Biology from Arizona State University.

Email: lucy.hutcherson at chicagowilderness.org

 

Patricia Cassady
Chicago Wilderness Corporate Council Coordinator
Patricia Cassady facilitates corporate participation in the work of the alliance and coordinates the activities and programs of the Corporate Council. Contact Patricia for information on how to join the Corporate Council or participate in its annual Day of Service volunteer event.

Prior to joining Chicago Wilderness, she served for 20 years as Executive Director of the Illinois Landscape Contractors Association. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Rosary College (now Dominican University), and a Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture from the DuPage Horticultural School.

Email: patricia.cassady at chicagowilderness.org

 

Crystal Ruiz
Administrator
Crystal Ruiz administers the accounting, grants, HR and information management for Chicago Wilderness and the Chicago Wilderness Trust. Contact Crystal directly to schedule appointments with Melinda Pruett-Jones, Executive Director.

Crystal has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from DeVry University and more than 15 years of financial, human resource and administrative experience in the international business and insurance industries.

Email: cwadmin at chicagowilderness.org

 

 

 

Catherine Game
Alliance Relations Coordinator
Catherine coordinates the alliance’s member outreach and communications and supports strategic external partnerships. Contact Catherine for information on joining Chicago Wilderness, on the Conservation and Native Landscaping Award program, or to learn more about how our members are engaged in the regional conservation work of Chicago Wilderness.

Catherine has a Master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Art from Albion College. She has more than five years of experience in communications and outreach, member engagement, environmental education, and program evaluation.

Email: catherine.game at chicagowilderness.org

 

Emilian Geczi
Youth & Community Engagement Coordinator
Emilian Geczi coordinates the alliance’s strategies to raise public awareness about the critical value of access to nature for healthy childhood development and for nurturing the next generation of conservation leaders. He works with Chicago Wilderness member organizations to develop relationships with community partners that engage new and diverse audiences in Leave No Child Inside. Emilian also manages the Chicago Wilderness internship program and the alliance’s broader young adult engagement strategies.

Emilian has a Master’s degree in Natural Resources Planning from the University of Vermont and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Shimer College. He is the recipient of a 2010 TogetherGreen Fellowship from the National Audubon Society and Toyota in support of his efforts to build bridges between conservation agencies and community organizations. Emilian has 10 years of experience in working with diverse stakeholders to engage the public in environmental affairs.

Email: emilian.geczi at chicagowilderness.org

 

Chris Mulvaney
Restoration & Green Infrastructure Coordinator
Chris Mulvaney coordinates the alliance’s strategies to develop and implement regional, collaborative conservation projects and to protect and restore our region’s green infrastructure. In addition, he supports and participates in the alliance’s science program, through which alliance members conduct cutting-edge research on the interconnected social and ecological systems of the Chicago Wilderness region. Contact Chris for information on Chicago Wilderness’ initiatives to restore nature to health, take climate action, and protect green infrastructure.

Chris holds a Master’s degree in Biology from Illinois State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Millikin University. He has more than 10 years of experience in facilitating and implementing conservation programs and research projects.

Email: chris.mulvaney at chicagowilderness.org