Get to know the Detroit River-Western Lake Erie CWMA Chair, Coordinator, and Strike Team field crew working together to stop the spread and establishment of terrestrial and aquatic invasive species in Monroe and Wayne counties.
Benjamin Frey
Chair, DR-WLE CWMA & Coastal Program Biologist, USFWS
Ben is the lead coastal program biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Lake St. Clair to Western Lake Erie Focus Area. He specializes in the restoration and protection of vital fish and wildlife habitats across both public and private lands. Ben primarily provides technical assistance for habitat conservation design and planning, and financial assistance for habitat restoration and protection projects. With a passion for landscape-scale conservation, Ben plays a key role in promoting the Service’s mission to conserve and enhance the natural resources that benefit the American people.
Through strategic habitat conservation initiatives, Ben collaborates with various stakeholders to ensure the sustainability of diverse ecosystems. His work not only focuses on the immediate needs of fish and wildlife but also addresses broader environmental challenges, like helping to create resilient habitats for future generations.
Ben grew up in Los Angeles, California, and only realized the importance of an umbrella until moving to Maryland for college, where he was rudely introduced to the alien concept of rapidly changing weather patterns. In his free time, he plays video games, hikes with his wife and dog, runs dungeons & dragons games, and builds furniture.
Jessica MacTavish-Bogda
Invasive Species Coordinator, DR-WLE CWMA
Jess was born and raised in South Georgia where she grew up in a very rural, agricultural/hunting focused community. Her childhood was spent doing her best to imitate Steve Irwin and follow in his footsteps (even dreaming to work with him at his zoo one day). That included her going around and catching any lizards she could find and “relocating” them to a safer location (please don’t do this unless absolutely necessary). She spent most of her time as a child honing her skills of catching bream and minnows in the shallows of her family’s pond with a net, poking around dried creeks, exploring the woods next to her house, and swimming in alligator infested rivers. Pretty much being an overall feral gremlin of a child.
She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies at Valdosta State University in 2016 before taking a break from school for 2 years and deciding to return in 2019. In 2021 she graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stout with a Master of Science in Conservation Biology. During the final year of her master’s program, she landed a Forest Service internship as the lead intern and biology/ecology consultant. She and her team crafted a comprehensive first-step marketing plan for the reintroduction of Red Wolves back into their historic range; that work is still being continued by the teams that have come after them!
Other than her interest in biology, she enjoys astronomy and anything space related, info-dumping random facts or things she’s learned, and making truly terrible jokes/puns. In her free time she enjoys reading, writing, playing video games, and spending time with her spouse and cats!
Kaitlyn Chisholm
Strike Team Leader, DR-WLE CWMA
Kaitlyn has spent her whole life, so far, in Southeast Michigan. She graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a concentration in Biology. She began working with the CWMA that Summer as a technician. Previously, Kaitlyn worked as a student naturalist, teaching kids about nature, and interned at the Bird Center of Michigan, where she helped to rehabilitate injured songbirds.
Kaitlyn enjoys doing outreach and educating the public about invasive species, but her favorite part about working for the CWMA is regularly going into the field to exterminate invasive plants. She loves getting to do hands on work outdoors in natural areas. In her free time, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her husband, attending bible study, knitting, and reading.
Gia Minni
Strike Team Technician, DR-WLE CWMA
Gia serves as a seasonal Biological Field Technician for the Detroit River Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area. She is from the east side of Michigan in Royal Oak, but went to school on the west side in Grand Rapids. She is a recent graduate from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology. During her time at GVSU, she worked with and learned about Michigan native plants and animals. Her biggest achievement during her time at college was when she researched the ecological impact of freshwater mussels on macroinvertebrates. In doing so, she ventured out through snow, ice, and water into various streams to collect data.
Gia’s passion for conservation extends over all flora and fauna (insects included). Her recent work for Huron River Watershed Council as an intern further cemented her love for environmental work. When not at work, Gia can be found at home spending time with her family’s two hound dogs, catching up on reading, or tending to her new succulent garden.
Liam Sullivan
Strike Team Technician, DR-WLE CWMA
Liam was born and has lived most of his life in Ann Arbor. He received a BS in Ecology, Evolutionary, and Behavioral Biology from Beloit College in Wisconsin in 2019. He is particularly interested in field work and hands-on conservation. Before starting at the CWMA, he was a professional cook and kitchen manager for six years. In his spare time he enjoys reading, cooking, and hunting for mushrooms, particularly morels.
Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Cooperative Weed Management Area (DR-WLE CWMA) 