The people
behind our mission
Our staff
Amber Seiler
Office Manager
amber@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 121
Favorite place in the Dunes: Washington Park Beach
As a native of Michigan City, Amber grew up playing in the area’s woodlands and on the shores of Lake Michigan. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Ball State University. Amber has a background in the finance and manufacturing industries, and most recently in the education industry, where she coordinates a youth mentoring program at some local schools. She is involved in community groups and local volunteer efforts. In her free time, Amber enjoys spending time with her family on the shores of Lake Michigan, beaching, boating, hiking, and fishing.
Betsy Maher
Executive Director
betsy@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 122
Favorite place in the Dunes: Trail 9, IN Dunes State Park
Em Racine
Manager of Communications & Community Engagement
em@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 102
Favorite place in the Dunes: Cowles Bog
Em is a Chicago transplant with intergenerational ties to the Indiana Dunes. She received a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree with honors from The University of Illinois at Chicago, and brings an array of experience in community events coordination & social media implementation to Save the Dunes. She believes in bringing folks together in nature through sustainability, education, and recreation. She enjoys road tripping, growing herbs & veggies in her garden, and making art in her free time.
Harshini Ratnayaka
Manager of Government Affairs and Policy
harshini@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 101
Favorite place in the Dunes: Mount Baldy
Harshini grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Xavier University of Louisiana and a J.D. in Comparative Law from Louisiana State University Law Center. She also was a legal intern for Louisiana Sea Grant, where she was able to work on several environmental policy projects. With degrees from both the natural science and legal sectors, Harshini combined her love for protecting the environment with helping others in her community. Harshini was previously the New Orleans Group leader for a non-profit group called Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a nonpartisan grassroots advocacy climate change organization focused on national policies to address the climate movement. In her free time, Harshini explores the Michigan City area and the Indiana Dunes National Park trails. She enjoys reading, playing video games, and visiting the local Indiana beaches.
Jacob Nieto
Conservation Coordinator
jacob@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 104
Favorite place in the Dunes: Miller Woods
Katie Hobgood
Program Director
katie@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 128
Favorite place in the Dunes: East Branch of the Little Calumet River
Lisa Scheller
Development Director
lisa@savedunes.org | 219-879-3564 x 100
Favorite place in the Dunes: IN Dunes State Park
Lisa has lived in Chesterton, Indiana, for the past 25 years. She has a Bachelor’s in Social Work and over 35 years of development experience. She has dedicated herself to the mission of many amazing organizations. Lisa has a passion for developing relationships as well as partnering with other businesses and individuals to make a difference. Lisa is a wife, a mother to two adult daughters and 3 awesome dogs. Lisa and her family enjoy all the seasons of NWI. They love being outdoors, especially hiking and exploring the dunes.
Ris Twigg
Seasonal Native Landscaping Associate
Favorite place in the Dunes: Hansen Park
Born in Appalachia and raised in what used to be Ohio’s Great Black Swamp, Ris now lives in Michigan City after 10 years in Columbus, Ohio. They earned their B.S. in Environmental Policy from Ohio State University, with a focus on journalism. In 2018, Ris co-founded an investigative nonprofit newsroom covering local development and policing. Ris returned to environmental advocacy in 2021 to join the Ohio Environmental Council as their Communications Director. There, they also served as the strategic planning co-liaison to develop an in-house strategic planning process, and authored the resulting plan. After spending the majority of their career behind a laptop, they are thrilled to now use their hands to tend the wonderful patch of Earth that is the Native Pollinator Garden at Barker House. Outside of work, Ris enjoys writing poetry, riding their bike, birding, and playing Pokémon with their partner.
2026 Summer Interns
Ben Schweitzer
Indiana University McKinney Climate Fellow
Favorite place in the Dunes: Portage Lakefront & Riverwalk
A lifetime Hoosier, Ben Schweitzer is an undergraduate student at Indiana University Bloomington pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs focusing on Law, Public Policy, and Environmental Management at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. This summer, he is a part of IU’s McKinney Climate Fellowship Program, a program that places students across the State of Indiana to build climate resilience in local, Indiana communities. At Save the Dunes, he will be supporting the program team, working in all three of our core pillars. Ben comes from a background working in programming, marketing, and communications, with experience at Hayes Arboretum in Richmond, IN and the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, reading, cooking, and being in nature.
Emily Neyens
Advocacy Intern – Indiana University Bloomington
Favorite place in the Dunes: Longshore Birding Platform – Indiana Dunes State Park
Emily is a rising senior at Indiana University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs with a major in Policy Analysis and a minor in Environmental Management. Originally from Northwest Indiana, she spent the Fall 2025 semester in Washington, DC, where she served as a legislative intern in the United States Senate while completing coursework through the Washington Leadership Program. Prior to this, she was a community outreach intern at Drive Clean Indiana, where she developed outreach materials, analyzed stakeholder, donation, and event data, and engaged with community members to support collaborative efforts. Outside of her academic and professional work, Emily enjoys attending farmers’ markets and concerts, as well as reading, running, and going to the gym.
Emma Depa
Valparaiso University CAPS Fellow
Favorite place in the Dunes: Dune Succession Trail, West Beach
Emma grew up in Crown Point, Indiana and has spent most of her childhood in and around nature, especially the dunes. Emma is currently pursuing her Bachelors of Science (B.S) at Valparaiso University, majoring in Environmental Science and Geography, expecting to graduate in May 2026. She previously worked with the Lake County Health Department in their vector control program. She is passionate about bringing awareness to important causes and loves to learn. In her freetime she enjoys hiking, biking, reading, and crafting.
Board of Directors
Officers
Members
Favorite place in the Dunes: Dune Ridge Trail
Favorite place in the Dunes: Mt. Baldy
Favorite place in the Dunes: Michigan City Beach
Favorite place in the Dunes: Mounty Baldy Trails
Favorite place in the Dunes: Cowles Bog
Favorite place in the Dunes: Miller Beach Lakeshore
Favorite place in the Dunes: Cowels Bog
Honorary Members
Susan MiHalo
Sylvia Troy
Tom Serynek
