Board of Supervisors
Laura Boyd - Chairperson
Laura Boyd was elected in 2020 and is currently serving out her first term with the District. She has been a resident of Hamilton County for 15 years and has over ten years of experience working on environmental compliance issues for the public and private sectors. Her professional experience provides her with an in-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental rules and regulations. Laura was selected for the 2022 cohort of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI), a national program championed by the National Conservation Foundation (NCF) and is committed to using her leadership skills to further the mission of the district.
She is actively involved with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and regularly participates in community-wide cleanups and outreach programs. Laura is passionate about the environment, conservation, and her community.
Laura serves as the Environmental Manager for the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSDGC). She earned a Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Laura is also a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC).
She is actively involved with Keep Cincinnati Beautiful and regularly participates in community-wide cleanups and outreach programs. Laura is passionate about the environment, conservation, and her community.
Laura serves as the Environmental Manager for the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSDGC). She earned a Master of Science in Business Analytics and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Laura is also a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC).
Steven R. Korte - Vice Chairperson
Steven has lived in Hamilton County for all but two years of his life. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and is a licensed professional engineer focusing on land development and public infrastructure projects. He has worked at The Kleingers Group for 24 years designing stormwater management and pollution protection systems for projects of all sizes and types. He has also served many business-related roles at Kleingers, including the Board of Directors and the Treasurer positions for 12 years. Steve feels very fortunate to have abundant fresh water sources in southwestern Ohio in our streams, rivers, and aquifers. He is passionate about protecting our water supply for future generations to prosper.
Lisa Soper - Treasurer
Lisa was born and raised in Cincinnati where she developed a lifelong love of science and the natural world. She has dedicated her career to educating youth in the community through literacy and learning opportunities. In her role as Youth Services & Programming Coordinator at the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, she has partnered with the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District’s Education Team to present conservation programs for youth and families that help to ensure the future of conservation in Hamilton County. Lisa has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ohio University and a Master of Library Science from Indiana University (Indianapolis).
Ken Petren - Secretary
Ken is a lifelong ecologist and conservation scientist, who believes that society will benefit from scientists who take the time to fully understand community issues and challenges. Ken has been a professor at the University of Cincinnati since 2000, and he was Dean of Arts and Sciences from 2015-2019. He was recently appointed Director of the UC Field Center, which emphasizes public engagement with environmental research, education and outreach. Ken received his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of California, San Diego and has a bachelors from Princeton University. Ken sees his role with the Conservation District as an opportunity to help bring conservation, development and public perspectives closer together to create a better, more sustainable future for the citizens of Hamilton County.
Jane Wittke - Program Chairperson
Jane Wittke managed planning projects for water quality, ground water protection, storm water impacts and other environmental issues in the greater Cincinnati area for more than 37 years before retiring in 2016 from OKI, the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments. She has frequently collaborated with soil and water conservation districts, health departments, community groups, drinking water and waste water treatment providers, and with environmental managers and elected officials at the local and state levels. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech and communications from Miami University and Northern Illinois University, which have helped her work with groups ranging in size from 3 to 300 to get things done. The American Society for Public Administration honored Jane with one of its first regional public service awards in 1998 and repeated the honor in 2015, and the National Ground Water Association awarded her a life-time membership in 2012 for her work in ground water protection.