North Central IPM Center Staff
Staff of the North Central IPM Center includes three co-directors and one communication specialist. The Center staff work closely with IPM coordinators from the North Central States: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. More detail about these coordinators can be found on the Partners page.
Staff List
Lynnae Jess
Director
Michigan State University
Lynnae Jess has been involved with the North Central Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Center since 2002, previously co-directing the center with the University of Illinois. Jess will manage the North Central IPM Center working groups and critical issues grant programs, as well as administer the center’s signature programs. She will also represent the center and its interests to regulatory agencies.
Laura Iles
Co-director
Iowa State University
Laura Iles (PhD) assists in administering the center’s competitive grant programs. She will also coordinate the centers’ pest alert publications and coordinate responses to pesticide usage information to the EPA, and coordinate regional crop profiles and pest management strategic plans. In addition to co-directing the North Central IPM Center, Iles directs Iowa State University’s Plant & Insect Diagnostic Clinic (PIDC).
Daren Mueller
Co-director
Iowa State University
Daren Mueller (PhD) acts in an advisory role to the North Central IPM Center. Mueller is an associate professor and extension plant pathologist at Iowa State University. He is also the coordinator of the ISU Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program. Mueller’s main research interests involve understanding the biology and management of field crop diseases.
Kelsey Mueller
Research Administrator
Iowa State University
Kelsey Mueller joined the North Central IPM Center in 2022 as research administrator. Her responsibilities include coordination of the competitive grant programs, account supervision, post-award reports, and overall grant management.
Jacque Pohl
Communications Specialist
Iowa State University
Jacque Pohl manages the Center's communication and outreach efforts to promote IPM initiatives in the North Central region. Center communications include Pests and Progress webinars, the Central Issue newsletter, the website, Connections blog, Twitter and Pest Alerts (which cover national pest issues). Pohl communicates with regional working group teams to create materials that increase visibility of their achievements and collaborates with other regional communicators on national IPM issues.
Keaton Hewitt
Graphic Designer
Iowa State University
Keaton Hewitt joined the North Central IPM Center in 2022 as a graphic designer. His position entails the creation of original digital assets for visual marketing media, brand identity, and illustrations for publications, field use, print, and digital media. Additionally, Keaton consults on overall marketing strategies and tasks and helps to present scientific resources in a palatable and visually appealing manner.
Center Address
Natural Science
288 Farm Lane, Room 132
East Lansing, MI 48824