Kaya Freiman
Kaya has met a number of Board and Committee members over the years while collaborating on Conservancy projects with the support of her former employer, American Transmission Co. As a Middleton resident and frequent visitor to the Conservancy, she was excited and proud to work on a project with the Friends and the City of Middleton to install the remote, solar-powered Conservancy Camera. Beyond that, she was grateful to work with the Friends on a project very near and dear to her as a parent - the co-branded 100 Birds of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan Field Guide.
In addition to her communications, marketing and public relations background, she has a love for science and nature. She has had the privilege to work with and learn from a number of environmental experts and foresters in her career. She is passionate about pollinator plants, habitat preservation and sustainability.
In these times, the Conservancy for her is a place of solace and an inviting destination to watch butterflies and birds, or just go for a run. She’d love to be part of highlighting its benefits, working to ensure important projects are completed and helping the organization achieve its short- and long-term goals.
Chris Kubiak
Chris is originally from Green Bay and has been a Middleton resident since 2002 after graduating from UW Madison.
He has operated a small animation and illustration business since 2013.
An avid runner, Chris started participating in FOPBC workdays in 2016 after seeing a volunteer sign in the Conservancy. He caught the bug and has continued to learn via the Wisconsin Master Naturalist program in 2018 and by joining the R&M committee in 2019.
Contrary to popular belief, he does not sleep in his rubber boots.
Lisa Quam
Lisa has been a Wisconsin resident for 35 years, but moved 7 times and lived in 6 other states as a child. One thing that was always constant no matter where she lived was spending time outside, and that continues today. Currently a resident of Cross Plains, Lisa enjoys hiking the many trails in the area and re-discovered her love of bike riding this past summer.
Lisa has worked in a wide variety of industries over the past almost 30 years, from healthcare to real estate, to executive administration. She joined the Middleton Chamber of Commerce as Membership Development Manager in 2019. She is responsible for expanding the membership base at the Middleton Chamber of Commerce by attracting new members to the organization and increasing member engagement to increase member retention.
She learned more about the Friends by doing a video spotlight for the Chamber about the 25th Anniversary of the FOPBC. She has volunteer experience as a Girl Scout Leader, on the Board of Elders at her church, and was a founding member/chair of a charitable giving committee at a former employer. Lisa has also been a United Way Campaign Manager for 4 years, raising over $50,000 for United Way of Dane County (2014 - 2018).
Lisa has been married to Steve for 24 years, and their daughter (Emily) graduated from St. Olaf College in Minnesota this past spring. Their family also has two rescue dogs, Birdie and Frida.
Carl Sinderbrand
Carl grew up just outside of Atlantic City, NJ; went to Quaker schools through elementary and high school, graduated from Oberlin College and UW-Madison Law School.
After working as a judicial clerk, he worked for the Wisconsin Department of Justice for about eleven years, primarily in environmental protection representing DNR. In that capacity, most of his work was in the areas of water pollution, watershed management, and hazardous waste management. He was also involved in nuclear waste management and various interstate compact issues.
Since 1990, he has been in private practice, focusing in three areas: environmental and conservation (mostly representing municipalities and environmental groups); construction law; and governmental regulation. He is now semi-retired.
He has been on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including Clean Wisconsin (two stints as chair and still on the board), Wisconsin Wetlands Association (served as interim chair), Temple Beth El (served as chair and permanent board member), and Friends of the Arboretum (recently joined the board). He has also represented and advised various public and non-governmental organizations.
He is married and has three grown children and two granddaughters. He treasures the Conservancy as a haven of tranquility and joy that nurtures his soul.