Executive Director

Sophia Twichell joined FRW as its executive director in 2004. Sophie has developed a rich array of programs at FRW focused on environmental education for adults and older youth, with particular emphasis on science, art and nature and outreach to traditionally underserved communities.  Prior to joining FRW, Sophie managed international conservation programs for The Field Museum (1997-2004) and served as assistant director for the Lake Michigan Federation (1990-1994), now known as the Alliance for the Great Lakes.  Sophie graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1989 with degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Latin American Studies.  She received her J.D. with honors and a certificate in Environmental & Energy Law from the Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1996.  She serves on the boards of the Lake Forest Garden Club, Lake Forest Open Lands and Nature’s Edge.
An enthusiastic birder and gardener, Sophie lives in Lake Bluff with her husband and three children.  Her two boys enjoy hiking the woods at night during Ryerson’s Halloween Hikes, and her young daughter adores visiting Ryerson’s farm animals.

Assistant Director

Deb Donnelley joined the FRW staff as Assistant Director in June of 2007.  Prior to that, she served on the Board of Directors for over four years. On the Board, she chaired the Smith Nature Symposium for three years and also served on the Program Committee. She has worked as a fine art photographer for twenty years concentrating in portraiture. Her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally.  She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1985, and then earned a Masters Degree in Education from Harvard in 1996. She published a book of her photographs entitled in the company of sisters in 2003. Deb is grateful to her father for dragging her as a sullen teenager to Ryerson each year to view the returning bluebirds.  The seeds were planted then and have now come into full bloom.

Executive Assistant

Julia Kemerer is FRW’s Executive Assistant.  She joined the staff of FRW in 2006 and oversees the administrative elements of our programs, including bookkeeping, database management and more.  Julia also brings to FRW a wealth of art management skills including past curatorial and artifact collection management experience and a passion for the creation process. Also a mixed media artist, Julia sculpts with found objects, fabric, wood, and clay and paints in oil and watercolor.  Julia attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and holds a degree in Art History from the University of Illinois at Chicago.  Her artwork has been shown in several area galleries and can also be found online.  Julia lives in Gages Lake with her husband, Mark, and their daughter, Zoe.

See Ryerson Woods at the
Lake County Forest Preserve web site for a complete list of our progams and events.