EIC Staff

Claudia K. Walters, Ph.D. 

Director
313-583-6448, ckwalter@umich.edu

• Provides leadership and a vision for the EIC
• Manages daily affairs for the EIC and communicates with other units on campus
• Responsible for budgeting and fundraising
• Engages with community organizations

Dorothy McLeer

Program Coordinator, Interpretive Naturalist
313-583-6372, natrlist@umich.edu

• Teaches environmental interpretation to K-12 students, as well as the campus community
• Coordinates the biennial Michigan Master Naturalist program
• Shares EIC events and news with the broader community through a biweekly eNewsletter and Facebook posts

Rick Simek

Program Supervisor, Manager of the Environmental Study Area, Room Availability Coordinator 313-583-6371, rsimek@umich.edu

• Manages the Environmental Study Area
• Oversees the development, content, and implementation of environmental education programs for K-12 students 
• Supervises UM-D student naturalist staff at the EIC.
• Coordinates and oversees the management of the UM-D Community Organic Garden 
• Coordinates EIC volunteer activities
• Manages EIC room reservations

The EIC relies on the assistance from recent UM-Dearborn graduates who lend their expertise and support to specific projects. 

Dale Browne

Dale graduated from the University of Michigan - Dearborn in 2020 with a Bachelors of Environmental Studies.
Online portfolio

• Responsible for coordinating educational programming as well as delivering programs and creating original content, both in-person and digital.
• Dale has been a team lead for the Young Naturalists as well as the Sprouts Children’s Gardening programs for the past three years.
• Coordinator for the “Dearborn SHINES for Healthy Kids!” initiative; responsible for logistics, on-site work, volunteer and student engagement, building infrastructure, and managing EIC staff.

The EIC relies heavily on university students to assist with interpretive programs and maintaining the Center, Natural Area, and Community Organic Garden.

Valerie Osowski 

Valerie is a junior majoring in Environmental Science. As the sustainability intern, Valerie provides help with sustainability initiatives and projects, including helping maintain the EIC's pollinator garden and the UM-D Community Organic Garden.

Alexis Kott 

Alexis is a Senior majoring in Urban and Regional Studies (environment design and space concentration) and minoring in Applied Art.

As the EIC's Holland Family Intern, Alexis helps lead environmental programs for school classes. She is also hard at work with Director Claudia Walters updating the EIC website, developing graphic materials (flyers, posters, developing signage), helping re-envision the exhibit area and more.

Our student interpreters help lead programs for the thousands of K-12 students that visit the Center annually.

Michael Solomon

Mike is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies (naturalist concentration).

Allie Jones

Allie is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies (urban services focus).