Staff

Nate grew up in Michigan and received his doctorate in 2007 from the University of Michigan in the field of limnology (the study of freshwater lakes).  He has 18 peer-reviewed publications spanning research in the Great Lakes to smaller inland lakes and streams. Nate has been awarded the Chandler Misner Award twice by the International Association of Great Lakes Research which signifies the most notable journal article for that year – this is an award that many lake scientists strive for over their entire career.  At Grace College, Nate is a professor in the environmental science program. He also has the privilege of leading the Lilly Center team and serving the local community.

In addition to nerdy science stuff, Nate loves to spend time with his wife and four kids enjoying water sports on local lakes, restful walks in nature, exploring caves in southern Indiana, or traveling to national parks and other scenic places around the United States. 

Alex, the Lilly Center’s associate director, is a Warsaw-Winona Lake native. From days spent at Pike Lake as a child to doing a comparative study of Center, Pike and Winona Lakes during his undergraduate work at Manchester University, he and his family have been connected to local water for decades. Alex also has a master’s in nonprofit management from Grace College and occasionally teaches online classes at Grace. At the Lilly Center, Alex provides leadership to the day-today operations, as well as managing grant proposals and reporting processes. When he’s not at the office, Alex enjoys biking, running, playing soccer and spending time with close friends.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Abby grew up with a camera in one hand and a pen in the other. They were essential to her favorite hobbies and remain her preferred mediums. At the Lilly Center, Abby manages all outbound and internal communication, including copywriting, social media, graphic and editorial design. In their free time, Abby and her husband Ben enjoy playing board games and hosting family and friends.

Adrienne grew up climbing trees, catching frogs and running around barefoot in northwest Indiana. Playtime outdoors quickly developed into a lifelong curiosity in all things nature and science, and Adrienne further pursued this passion through a degree in biology and environmental science minor at Huntington University and two summers at the Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies in Mancelona, Mich. As the research program specialist at the Lilly Center, Adrienne analyzes and synthesizes data for scientific studies as well as the general public.

As a life-long learner, Jed enjoys the outdoors as much as the indoors. He frequently takes deep dives into topics like the world of microorganisms, or the inner workings of quantum physics. Jed is a 2019 Grace College graduate and a former member of the Lilly Center research team. He worked at Element Labs in Fort Wayne, but decided to return to the Lilly Center as a full-time staff member in 2021. Among other tasks, Jed will run the research lab, guide the student research team, and monitor quality control processes.

Amy has worked at the Lilly Center since 2013; she’s one of the center’s longest-serving staff members (only our director has worked at the center longer). Amy currently serves as our development assistant, curating materials for and communicating regularly with our supporters. She serves those of you who make our work possible. You may have received a handwritten thank-you note from Amy or contacted her to RSVP for one of our summer social events. You can contact her with questions about making a gift, and if you’ve received a specific gift receipt or annual giving statement, it was Amy who helped with that!

Sarah was raised on a farm in Allen County. She grew up tending gardens, working in the fields and caring for animals, and she thrived in the rural atmosphere, free to fully enjoy the outdoors. As an adult, Sarah studied business management while running a small business and raising a large family. She earned several certificates along the way, including ones from Project Wet, Aquatic Wild, Hoosier Riverwatch, Indiana Master Naturalist, and an Environmental Education certificate from Cornell University. A life-long learner, Sarah has served as an environmental educator in communities throughout Kosciusko County for over four years.

In their spare time, Sarah and her husband enjoy camping and bike riding. They frequently watch sunsets over Lake Tippecanoe and run their tiny fishing boat along Grassy Creek to watch native wildlife.

Dr. Frentzel’s research picks up once the lakes and streams samples are brought back to the Grace campus.  In the research lab, Dr. Frentzel and his team of undergraduate researchers perform algae analysis using sophisticated microscope imaging of water samples.  Algae are identified based on structural and biochemical characteristics in order to estimate species assemblage, information critical to assessing the overall health of a lake.  Moreover, Dr. Frentzel’s group performs coliform testing of water samples, including quantifying E. coli bacteria levels, as an integral part of the continuous monitoring of health and safety of our local waterways.

Dr. Frentzel is a member of: Phycological Society of America; Human Anatomy and Physiology Society; Indiana Academy of Sciences, and the American Chemical Society.