September 18, 2026
On a sunny August afternoon in Marquette, 13 talented Michigan leaders turned out for a project symbolizing what they’ve been up to for months now in communities statewide: making a positive difference to counter the impacts of climate change in the Great Lakes State.
They planted erosion-fighting beach grass in the sands along Lake Superior, a service project to boost coastal resilience in a time when warmer, wetter conditions are increasing severe weather events.
The 13 make up the third cohort of the MI Healthy Climate Fellows (MHC Fellows), a statewide leadership development program advancing climate action. They visited Marquette from all over Michigan to mark the middle of their year-long service term with a two-day networking and educational retreat.
After their work ends in December, they’ll pass the torch to a fourth and final eight-month cohort for which applications are open through Oct. 6. Prospective MHC Fellows and anyone interested in supporting the program can find information on the MHC Fellows webpage.
The program selects partners from local, state, and tribal governmental agencies; nonprofits; and community organizations to host MHC Fellows who provide vital support to projects that reduce carbon pollution and address the negative impacts of climate change. The upcoming cohort will have 12 host sites.
Fellows receive training and career development support to strengthen Michigan’s climate leadership pool. They are committed to serving communities, building a more sustainable future for Michigan, and advancing the MI Healthy Climate Plan and its goal of a prosperous, equitable, carbon-neutral future for all Michiganders.
The Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Office of Climate and Energy and the nonprofit Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM), launched the program in March 2024.
The paid, full-time Fellows benefit from professional experience, training, and career-focused networking. Their ranks have included recent college graduates, graduate students, and people making mid- or post-career transitions to climate-related work. Some have served in more than one cohort, and several have been hired on by their hosts or begun other careers related to their service.
The program supports Michigan’s leadership in clean energy jobs. In a 2024 report on clean jobs, Michigan led the Midwest and was sixth in the nation for clean energy job growth.
Fellows work on projects that benefit and impact all Michiganders: creating community sustainability plans, implementing climate projects, producing educational materials, and more.
“In addition to gaining valuable work experience and building their own professional networks, MI Healthy Climate Fellows build capacity for their host sites to carry out programs and initiatives,” said Jordan Power, senior climate action officer in EGLE’s Office of Climate and Energy. “The Fellows play an important role in moving climate action forward in Michigan. The impact of their work is felt in communities across the state.”
“This program reminds us that lasting change takes root when people learn, lead and grow together,” said Angel Squalls, who manages the program through CEDAM. “Our fellows add capacity in their service communities to turn shared ideas into a healthier, more resilient future for all.”
Current cohort members are racking up numerous wins for their communities, including:
Here are profiles of a few current cohort members and others connected to the program:
Grace Freed works with the Marquette County Planning Division to support community programming, community and economic development, materials management planning, and the development of Marquette County’s five-year Master Plan.
After the K.I. Sawyer U.S. Air Force Base was decommissioned in 1995, the community experienced disinvestment, population decline, and deterioration of shared public spaces including the county-owned Little Trout Lake Park. Freed raised $2,400 in sponsorships from local businesses and organizations to support the park’s grand reopening.
Since 2022, Marquette County has prioritized reinvesting in the park as a central component of community revitalization, leveraging over $2 million in grants and private donations to restore infrastructure, expand recreation opportunities, and reestablish the park as a wellness hub. Recent improvements include restored utilities, upgraded facilities, new recreational amenities, and the development of the Silver Lead Creek Greenway.
Today, Little Trout Lake Park is the trailhead of a 3.5-mile nonmotorized trail network connecting residential and commercial areas, offering residents and visitors access to nature, physical activity, and social connection.
Thyra Karlstrom, Marquette County manager of planning, community development, forestry & recreation, said the county’s Planning Division has hosted an MHC Fellow in each of the program’s three cohorts. She called the experience extremely valuable.
“Each fellow has brought a fresh perspective and energy to our projects, strengthening community engagement and planning processes and, ultimately, our ability to turn plans into action,” Karlstrom said. “For the Fellows, the experience provides meaningful responsibility and exposure to the full range of work involved in local government. They build relationships with residents, local officials, community organizations, and state partners while developing practical skills in project coordination, public engagement, grant implementation, and navigating complex public sector initiatives.”
Nicole Cropper supports community engagement, stakeholder engagement, and the development of a county decarbonization roadmap in Wayne County’s Sustainability & Innovation Division. She presented at the Out County Continuum of Care Membership Meeting to inform homeless service providers about surveys and resources to understand climate emergency impacts. She also led a brainstorming session on potential next steps for Wayne County population growth planning.
Damaris Potter works with the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council in Grand Rapids and the Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds (LGROW), splitting time among managing the West Michigan Healthy Climate Plan and stream cleanups, communications, and supporting LGROW’s watershed education and restoration programs.
Potter’s work has included organizing stream cleanups on Plaster Creek and the Flat River that removed 1,700 pounds of trash from the waterways, helping with rain garden installations and tree plantings, leading watershed education activities, and building community partnerships and community engagement efforts.
Krystle Baecker, UP elective pay ambassador with the Superior Watershed Partnership Climate Office in Marquette, served in the first and second cohorts of the program as a climate and energy technician with her current employer.
“My experience as a Fellow directly helped me secure my current position,” she said. “While I was a Fellow, I participated in a lot of training opportunities and obtained certifications which helped me be more competitive as a potential employee.”
Baecker said she values her connections to the other Fellows and organizations across the state and still uses the network of climate professionals she met to facilitate her current work.
Here’s a list of the current cohort’s host municipalities, nonprofits and community organizations, and state agencies:
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