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Lisa Wozniak

Co-host of 1st Friday Focus on the Environment

Lisa Wozniak is Executive Director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters.

I love Michigan because people who have never been here don't believe that it could possibly be this beautiful or that that Lakes could be so vast. I love Michigan because once you've been here and experienced the sugar-sand beaches and sand dunes, the forests, the rocky shores of Lake Superior and the incredible beauty of the Keewenaw Peninsula, the endless and perfect expanse of Lake Michigan while the sun is setting, you wonder why you've ever been anywhere else. And, I love Michigan because I always believed, as a kid growing up in the Mediterranean, that all seas were salty. Not this one.
 
Lisa comes to the Michigan League of Conservation Voters with a long history in both the environmental and political worlds. Between 1996 and 2005, Lisa served as the Great Lakes Regional Director for the nationalLeagueof Conservation Voters, overseeing programs and projects in Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio and Wisconsin, with an enormous focus on keeping the Great Lakes Congressional caucus in check. Prior to that, Lisa cut her teeth on Lana Pollack's1994 heart-wrenching U.S. Senate campaign and on Alma Wheeler Smith's successful campaign for state Senate. Bitten by the political bug, Lisa was destined to deal with Michigan's current political challenges, which includes the world of term limits, reapportionment, and a bi-partisan log-jam.
 
Lisa is adept at working with a broad array of people and organizations and brings a strategic vantage point to almost any discussion. Although she may deny her expertise (and the years behind her), Lisa  is thought of as a key leader within the conservation community in Michigan. With degrees in French and History of Art, Education and Social Work--all from the University of Michigan--Lisa's strong interdisciplinary background clearly influences Michigan LCV's approach to problem solving, collaborative campaigns, and political change.
 
Many may consider Lisa an extravert, but a deep, dark secret is that Lisa recharges by being alone!  Give her a good book, time to tend to the garden or do yoga, a run with her dog, and Lisa is good to go.... peaceful, calm, measured, attentive. And, meshed between the politics and the garden is Lisa's beautiful family: husband Kenny, hip young sons Zachariah and Benjamin, and lovely dog, Santosha.
 
Lisa serves on the board of a number of local, state and national organizations, including the Advisory Board of Growing Hope, the fundraising committee of Friends of the Rutherford Pool, and the boards of the Michigan Environmental Council and the national League of Conservation Voters Education Fund.

  • There has been an intensified effort to invest in Michigan’s infrastructure. Certainly, you’ve noticed all of the road and bridge construction. There is much more work on being done on various kinds of infrastructure. Zach Kolodin is the state's chief infrastructure officer and the director of the Michigan Infrastructure Office. He discussed the ongoing efforts with WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak.
  • The U.S. Department of Defense is finally going to take meaningful action to protect Lake Huron from PFAS contamination emanating from the Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda. This action in Michigan may serve as a template for clean-ups at nearly 400 other bases across the country. The progress can be attributed to the efforts of concerned Michigan residents. Tony Spaniola is an Oscoda resident and co-chair of the Great Lakes PFAS Action Network. He joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak to discuss the latest information and what comes next.
  • 2024 is a presidential election year, and Michigan's primary is earlier than ever before. What role will the environment play in this year's election cycle? How are climate issues playing among Michigan's voters? Will the state remain blue or turn red? And what role do the green issues play in forecasting outcomes? WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak explore the latest polling with Andrew Baumann from Global Strategy Group on the January edition of WEMU's "1st Friday Focus on the Environment."
  • This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed historic legislation into law aimed at improving the health and sustainability of Michigan's environment, and we wanted to take a deeper dive into what that is going to look like. WEMU’s David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director Lisa Wozniak found Kara Cook to provide insights as WEMU’s 1st Friday guest. Kara provides perspective from her position in the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
  • The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative fights for funding every budget cycle. A potential government shutdown this year could have adverse impacts on the health of the world's largest fresh water supply. WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak discuss progress and challenges with Laura Rubin. She is the director of the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.
  • The month of September is going to be an important one for Michigan’s Environmental and energy future. A number of measures are being considered in the state Legislature aimed increasing availability and access to more renewable energy. State Senator Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak, to discuss the proposed legislation and its potential impacts.
  • The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has a new director. Phil Roos was recently appointed to the position by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Roos will be charged with taking on a number of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of Michigan's air, land and water. In his first media appearance since taking charge of EGLE, Roos discussed his plans with WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak.
  • The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has a new director. Phil Roos was recently appointed to the position by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Roos will be charged with taking on a number of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of Michigan's air, land and water. In his first media appearance since taking charge of EGLE, Roos discussed his plans with WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak.
  • Canadian wildfires have lowered air quality in Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan. Climate change is impacting local and statewide agricultural practices and outcomes. Tim Boring is the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. He joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak to share insights into how the state is working toward climate adaptation and resiliency in the face of significant challenges.
  • Canadian wildfires have lowered air quality in Washtenaw County and Southeast Michigan. Climate change is impacting local and statewide agricultural practices and outcomes. Tim Boring is the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. He joined WEMU's David Fair and Michigan League of Conservation Voters executive director, Lisa Wozniak to share insights into how the state is working toward climate adaptation and resiliency in the face of significant challenges.