Meet the 2025 Wild Ones West Cook Board
The West Cook Wild Ones Board is made up of fourteen people who work together to run our organization. We have a lot of fun as we promote and advocate for native plant gardening. We do this by planning and implementing our educational programs, running plant sales, and awarding grants.
Laura Hartwell-Berlin, President, Programs, co-chair
Laura has been a longtime advocate, supporter, and volunteer with WOWC. She has made our chapter stronger than ever with her organizational skills, tenacity, and willingness to adjust and adapt. Laura oversees several critical areas: Programs, the Native Garden Tour, and plant sales.
Carolyn Cullen, Vice-President, Plant Sale Committee, co-chair
Carolyn has been with WOWC since 2014 and a Wild Ones member since 2000. A long-time native plant advocate and restoration volunteer, Carolyn joined to help bring native plants to home gardens. She is the woman behind our Shopify site, a model for so many other non-profits and WO chapters.
Sharon Storbeck, Treasurer, Plant Sale-co-chair
Sharon has also been with WOWC shortly after its founding. She is also on the Plant Sale Committee. She has given us steady guidance about our finances and plant sales strategies over the years.
Laura Stamp, Secretary, Advocacy Committee
Laura Stamp is a science teacher and works to ensure students are connected to the natural world. She is helping West Cook Wild Ones work with schools and students to increase awareness of native plants and insects. She has a wealth of experience in other conservation-based programs.
Candace Blank, Membership Chair
A long-time member whom we finally convinced to join the board, Candace is an instrumental part of Wild Ones and has developed systems of welcoming and retaining members of our organization. She is passionate about our mission and about members. With whatever we do, she reminds us about where our focus should be: on members.
Douglas Chien, Grants Committee Chair
Douglas brings 25+ years of professional and volunteer experience in native landscaping, ecological restoration, and environmental advocacy. He’s a volunteer Steward of an Illinois Nature Preserve within the Cook County forest preserves. His home reflects his values with native landscaping and a high-efficiency building envelope.
Adrian Ayres Fisher, Programming Committee, co-chair & Advocacy Committee, chair
Adrian is a long-time WOWC participant who loves native plants and our Northern Illinois ecosystem. She gardens for pollinators at home and volunteers with the Forest Preserves of Cook County at several sites. Adrian is also our lead on many advocacy initiatives; she brings her depth of knowledge, research, and writing skills to many issues and is focused on results.
Kate Hamerton, Advocacy Committee
Lisa Jaburek, Native Garden Tour, co-chair
Summer Kee, committee to be determined
Emily Minor, Grants Committee
Steven Olderr, committee to be determined
Robert Sullivan, Programs Committee, Social Media
Stephanie Walquist, Founding Member, Social Media
Stephanie has also been with WOWC since 2013. Her passion has been in developing Programs, Communications, and Community Outreach. She brings a sense of urgency about planting natives and what she terms eco-sensitive maintenance.