SITCOM

2022 was a year of change and finding direction for the State Interagency Training Committee (SITCOM). With the support of NRCS, we hired Michael Hook as the Statewide Training Coordinator to lead SITCOM in its efforts to enhance the delivery of conservation training across the state. Michael joined the team after a decade in public education, and his background in teaching and learning added another perspective to SITCOM’s team, which already consisted of an overwhelming amount of conservation experience, expertise, knowledge, and skill with members from all across the state, representing our agency partners.

SITCOM met four times over the course of 2022, and accomplished a number of key objectives:

Completed both an informal observation and formal research study of the statewide training landscape, consisting of more than 20 in-person interviews with county and partner employees, seven formal training observations, and survey feedback from 85 training course attendees. SITCOM plans to use the findings from these studies as part of 2023 goal-setting and upcoming task force efforts.

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Developed and updated the 2022 SITCOM Operational Guidance to include a number of key changes that allow for a more formalized approach to how the team identifies a training landscape gap, organizes a task force of individuals both in and outside of SITCOM, and creates and carries out an action plan to make real change.

Established a training landscape gaps and priorities list, which was broken down into 4 major categories: pertinent training topics, instructor support, professional development opportunities, and interagency coordination. SITCOM identified needs such as exploring a mentorship program to support new hires, identifying interagency curriculum development opportunities, and enhancing ways to address priority training topics.

Created a Needs Assessment Task Force to redesign, develop, and deliver the 2023 Professional Conservation Training Needs Assessment to help partner agencies and training programs identify statewide and area priority training needs.

If you have ideas for new training programs, coordination opportunities, or you’re interested in participating in a potential mentorship program, please reach out to a SITCOM member:

» Stacy Dehne, DATCP Ag Engineer, North AITCOM Leader

» Pete Wurzer, DATCP Environmental Specialist, Northwest AITCOM Leader

» Drew Zelle, DATCP Environmental Specialist, Northeast AITCOM Leader

» Kelli Neitzel, DATCP Environmental Specialist, Southwest AITCOM Leader

» Ryan Glassmaker, DATCP Environmental Specialist, Southeast AITCOM Leader

» Matt Woodrow and Coreen Fallat, DATCP

» Karl Gesch and Nate Walker, WDNR

» Steve Becker, Mike Stanek, and Pam Fiorito, NRCS

» Tony Reali, Calumet County Conservationist, Professional Improvement Committee

» Dan O’Connell, Portage County Senior Cons. Tech., Technical Committee

» Mimi Broeske and Jamie Patton, UW-College of Ag. and Life Sciences

» Kevin Erb and Jenna Mertz, UW-Extension

» Emily Micolichek, Miller Engineers & Scientists, Member-at-Large

» Isabelle Paulsen, Chris Schlutt, and Michael Hook, Wisconsin Land+Water