Meet The Presenters and Thought Leaders

Jon has focused on the role of innovation and technology in economic development since the 1980s. Upon joining TIP as a principal and managing partner in 2000, Jon helped transition the company from its Texas-based site selection practice to a national strategy firm. As managing partner, Jon plays an instrumental role in strategic goalsetting. He has also amassed an impressive portfolio that includes planning work from New York to California, with significant regional projects in the Mississippi Delta, Seattle’s Puget Sound, and the Great Lakes area. Prior to joining the firm, Jon was the director of business development first for the State of Washington and then, under Governor Ann Richards, for the State of Texas. During the transition to Governor Bush’s tenure, he helped restructure the state’s economic development organization and then co-authored the new strategic plan for the State of Texas. Jon also has deep ties to the state of Oregon. He was vice-president with the Oregon Technology Fund and lead investor for the Hood River Brewing Company, managed two start-up technology companies (Fiberlite Composites and LifePort Inc.), and founded a mountain bike company in Portland, Oregon (Fat Tire Farm). He received his BA and MA degrees from the University of Hawaii and did post-graduate work towards his PhD at the University of Oregon. Born and raised in Germany, Jon now resides in Austin and spends his summers in Bend, Oregon.

Elizabeth has nearly 20 years of experience managing diverse projects including business recruitment and retention, economic and workforce development strategies, socioeconomic impact analyses, and land use studies. Elizabeth draws from her deep experience with regional strategies to manage TIP projects—working closely with community, business, and academic leaders to develop comprehensive strategies that improve economic vitality and quality of life. Before joining TIP in 2019, Elizabeth directed business recruitment, retention, and expansion efforts for the Columbia River Economic Development Council (CREDC) in Clark County, Washington. During her tenure with CREDC, she also successfully managed several multi-million-dollar grant programs across the Greater Portland-Vancouver region. Early in her career, she also supported BRAC/NEPA projects by providing socioeconomic analysis for environmental assessments and environmental impact statements. She received a Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology from the University of Tampa. Elizabeth lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with her husband and three children, where they can be found exploring the woods by foot, bike, or skis.

Taylor Landeryou thrives as a cross-pollinator, weaving insights from her education in sustainability, neuroscience, and beyond to spark innovative ideas and approaches. As a consultant with UPLAND, her innate curiosity shines brightest when she is helping clients inspire and build emergent growth strategies.

Sarah Lucas, AICP, is the Director of Michigan's Office of Rural Prosperity, bringing 25 years of expertise in community and economic development to the role. She has worked with dozens of communities and across multiple sectors throughout Michigan to create long-lasting coalitions, drive policy changes, and enhance regional capacity for growth and investment. Previously, Lucas served as the CEO of the Lake Superior Community Partnership in Marquette; and as an economic development planner at the Western U.P. Planning and Development Region. She also served as the founding executive director of Housing North; and as the Community Development Director at Networks Northwest, both in northwest lower Michigan. In these roles she has worked closely with local and tribal governments, community organizations, economic development organizations, philanthropy, and others to address issues like housing, transportation, economic development, recreation, and health across rural Michigan. Lucas holds a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional Planning from Eastern Michigan University and a master's degree in public administration from Northern Michigan University.

Jonathan Jarosz is a seasoned conservation leader and advocate for Michigan’s outdoor recreation economy. As Executive Director of Heart of the Lakes, statewide voice for Michigan's land conservancies and their friends, he has been instrumental in shaping policies that balance environmental stewardship with economic growth. In 2018, Jarosz was appointed to Michigan’s inaugural Outdoor Recreation Advisory Council, a body advising the Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation on policies to enhance the state’s outdoor economy. He has been a vocal proponent of integrating conservation with recreation, emphasizing that today’s outdoor enthusiasts can become tomorrow’s strongest advocates for natural spaces. Jarosz also co-founded Land of Outsiders, a platform connecting outdoor brands and organizations to promote inclusivity and sustainability in the industry. His leadership was recognized during the COVID-19 pandemic when he received a Response Champion Award for his collaborative efforts to implement responsible recreation practices across Michigan. Through his multifaceted roles, Jonathan continues to champion a vision of Michigan where conservation, recreation, and community thrive together.

Dr. Jes L. Thompson (MS and PhD University of Utah, BS Northern Michigan University) is the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Sustainability at Northern Michigan University and the Director of the Sustainability Hub for Innovation and the Environment (SHINE). She previously served as a full professor in the College of Business. She is also a trained facilitator and mediator and holds graduate certificates in Adaptive Management of Environmental Systems (University of Utah) and Sustainable Business Strategy (Harvard University). Her research is focused on team and organizational communication about complex ecological issues, such as climate change resilience and adaptation. Last year, Dr. Thompson was honored as one of Crain’s 2024 Notable Leaders in Sustainability. She currently serves on the U.S. National Park System Advisory Board and is the chair of the Marquette Climate Adaptation Task Force.

Estler, CEO of Travel Marquette, oversees the Marquette County Destination Marketing Organization in the Upper Peninsula. Her 20+ year tourism career began in Florida with two different destinations--Bradenton and Panama City Beach in senior-level marketing positions. She later moved to Scranton, PA as the executive director for the Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau before being recruited by Travel Marquette to serve as executive director. In addition to her current role Estler was appointed by Governor Whitmer to the Michigan Travel Commission and is in her second term. Served as President of the Michigan Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus last year and also serves on the board of LSCP. She also sits on various task forces and committees locally, in the state of Michigan and nationally.

For the last 41 years, Bill has lived and climbed in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After he graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Masters degree in Community College Teaching/Outdoor Recreation, he began a career at Down Wind Sports, an outdoor specialty retailer based in Marquette Michigan. In the summer Bill can usually be found rock climbing at the local crags, or paddling the shores of Lake Superior. He is a co-author of the guide book, An Ice Climbers Guide to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and A Rock Climbers Guide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. He is the organizer of the country’s largest gathering of ice climbers- the Michigan Ice Festival, the chairperson for the Great Lakes Section of the American Alpine Club, co-founder of the Upper Peninsula Climbers Coalition, the Superior High Angle Rescue team as well as the Fresh Coast Film Festival.

Born and raised in Marquette, Dan graduated from Northern Michigan University with a Bachelor's degree in Marketing. He began his career in the outdoor industry, initially working at Downwind Sports while still in school. Over the last 22 years, Dan advanced within the industry, transitioning from roles in outdoor retail to technical representative, regional sales representative, key account representative, and assistant regional sales manager. Currently, Dan serves as the Active Channel Manager for Carhartt, supporting the sales team charged with growing the brand in sporting goods and outdoors throughout North America.

Jim Baker serves as the Fund co-Manager of the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund on a contractual basis with InvestUP. In addition to his fund management responsibilities, he also serves as the Associate Vice President for Research and Co-Director of Husky Innovate at Michigan Technological University where he covers technology commercialization, intellectual property management, research contracting, and campus-wide entrepreneurship initiatives. He is an active participant and supporter of the Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem, including serving as a board member of Invest Michigan, Operation Action U.P., the Michigan Small Business Development Center, and Global Detroit. He regularly works with early-stage technology companies as a board member or advisor and is co-founder of Iverson Outdoors Inc, a U.P.-based outdoor equipment manufacturing company. Jim a licensed patent practitioner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University.

One doesn’t have to venture far to marvel at the colors of nature. The animals, Michigan’s many lakes, and the leaves in autumn all display a diverse array of beautiful colors. That same richness of diversity is often absent when observing the people who participate in outdoor recreation. Brandan is on a mission to change that. Brandan Freeman is an Outdoor Recreation DEI Consultant from Ann Arbor, Michigan, who is passionate about increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor spaces. From his passion he founded "Shades of the Outdoors: A BIPOC Outdoor Enthusiast Community." The community encourages participation in outdoor recreation by hosting a wide range of outdoor events throughout the year, and by engaging with outdoor organizations to challenge them to remove structures that allow inequities to persist. Brandan is also a husband, father of a very adventurous toddler, and an avid outdoor enthusiast. Hiking, backpacking, and trail running are Brandan’s favorite outdoor activities. His most memorable adventures include backpacking in the wilderness of Alaska’s Denali National Park and hiking the length of Michigan’s Isle Royale National Park. This year, Brandan’s goals include learning to snowboard (work in progress), finishing his section hike of Michigan’s “Shore to Shore” trail, and running the Detroit Marathon.

Tim Schumann is the Program Manager for the SAIL’s Health & Wellness program. He has a background in social service and is passionate about physical health, mental wellness, and serving others. Constantly searching for new ways to share those passions with anyone he can, Tim is a lifelong learner and looks forward to sharing new experiences and creating memories with the people he serves. And if he’s lucky, he might get a slice of pizza or two along the way.

Jamie Glenn is an Accessibility Advocate at SAIL, the Disability Network of the U.P. She is working to make our UP communities more accessible for all. Jamie also assists with SPAR recreation, Independent Living Skills, and Workshop events. Jamie graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2018 with a degree in creative writing and journalism. During that time, she volunteered within the Marquette community and brought about change within the university setting. She was an elected representative for the Committee on Diversity, helped create the NMU food pantry, and advocated to create change within the NMU transportation system. She served as a Down Campus representative and was the Chair of Academic Affairs for the Associated Students of Northern Michigan University. As a former “Bay Cliff kid,” she understands how important a support system can be. She values people and the environment and seeks to advocate and create system change within all diverse populations.

Hello, I’m Everett Bateman, owner of Bates Bikes. Bikes have been my passion since 6th grade when I learned how to ride bmx, do tricks, spins and grinds. I quickly learned how to fix and upgrade parts. I started building bikes for friends and would receive parts in return. Having enough parts for an entire bike, I built and sold it for $200. That first bike sale sparked my passion for business. Throughout high school and college, I continued to build custom bmx and dirt jumpers. Bikes and business; a combination that lead me to receive my Bachelors in Business Administration with a major in Entrepreneurship, from Northwood University in December 2020. I spent four years critiquing my business model and playing football for the Timberwolves. After Graduation, I turned my sixth grade dream into reality when I bought two e-bikes and started renting them out of my van. After advertising locally, I noticed many riders wanted a hassle free service. I included delivery and pick up and got booked up quickly. I saw the potential early on, adding a trailer and two additional e-bikes. Now all grown up with a brick and mortar location in Marquette, Michigan, I rent and sell e-bikes. I continue to provide premium customer service and experiences to remember for a life time. Bates Bikes has been a long time coming; driven by passion, hard work and dedication; words I never use lightly.

Joe Thiel is a northern Michigan native who finds grounding in his innovative spirit and drive as an entrepreneur. From his first roles as an engineer and supervisor in a challenging union manufacturing environment, to creating and building international supply chains, he has prided himself in always striving for success. In his 17-year career, Joe has worn many hats: engineer, supervisor, sales executive, management executive, board member, serial entrepreneur, consultant, trainer, public speaker, coach, and mentor. Much of his attitude on dedicated focus and continued learning stems from his ability to build strong relationships as he’s encountered a plethora of highly skilled mentors and partners. Through skilled mentorship and gained business perspectives Joe has had the opportunity to manage, review, and evaluate large corporations, gain capital funds, and coach countless employees, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and students.