Contact

Matt Solemsaas

District Administrator
matt.solemsaas@stevensswcd.org

Matt has been the District Administrator at Stevens SWCD since December 2005. He is responsible for overseeing daily district activities, budgeting, grant writing, supervising and directing District personnel, and working with the Board of Supervisors. Matt coordinates the native grass program including sales, planting, planning, and implementation. He also administers state programs such as RIM and the MN Wetland Conservation Act, and is responsible for implementing the Local Water Management Plan. Matt also serves as the County Ag Inspector. He is the past President of the Minnesota Association of Conservation District Employees and a member of the working group that developed the Walk-In Access hunting program in Minnesota. Matt graduated from North Dakota State University with a bachelor’s degree in Fisheries & Wildlife Zoology. Prior to working at the District, Matt worked at the U of M WCROC as an Assistant Scientist in the soils department, as a Habitat Biologist for California Waterfowl Association in Sacramento, and as a Private Lands Biologist for Ducks Unlimited in North Dakota. He is Fire Chief on the Morris Fire Department and resides in Morris with wife Angie and five kids Abbie, Andrew, Annika, Abby, and Nicholas.

John Lembcke

District Techncian
john.lembcke@stevensswcd.org

John started employment with Stevens SWCD in April 2013. Promoted to District Technician in 2022, his duties include MN Buffer Law implementation and oversight; promotion, implementation and maintenance of the CRP, RIM, WRP-RIM and CREP programs; providing technical assistance for various local, state, and federal cost-share programs; coordination of the SWCD tree, rain garden, and grass seeding programs. He resides in Morris where he was born and raised. After high school John attended Minnesota State University Moorhead and received a degree in Business Administrations. Following college he returned back to Morris and worked for Lembcke’s Garage for nine years. John is presently serving as Second Assistant Chief with the Morris Fire Department, which he has been a member of since 2006. When not working, John enjoys playing golfing, hunting, ice fishing, and playing darts. Most of all he enjoys being with friends and family.

Brady Cardwell

Assistant Techncian
brady.cardwell@stevensswcd.org

Brady joined the SWCD team full time in May 2023. He has a degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences from SDSU. Prior to being hired as our Assistant Technician, Brady worked for Stevens SWCD over several summers while in high school and college. He’s helped us with mowing, flagging, site checks, tree planting and rain garden construction. As Assistant Technician, he will also take on other roles assisting with the coordination of several of our conservation programs, field work, data management, and other assistance to landowners. In his spare time, he enjoys fishing and hunting.

Judy Johnston

Education & Promotion Coordinator
judy.johnston@stevensswcd.org

Judy has been with the Stevens SWCD since 1995.  She started her position as Education & Promotion Coordinator in 2005, prior to that she did the office manager position at Stevens SWCD for 10 years.   At present she works closely at the District with the education program and promoting the district’s conservation activities, along with helping as needed with tree planting, and rain gardens. Judy coordinates a variety of environmental education programs for youth as well as adults. She is the coordinator for both the Area 2 and State Envirothon for high school students across the state. Judy is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology. She lives on a small farm northwest of Morris with her husband Lee. They have two grown children that are both married, and four grandsons.  Judy enjoys raising sheep on the farm, volunteering in the community, traveling, outdoor activities, fishing, boating, and a little scrapbooking/card making in her spare time

Chris Staebler

Office Manager
chris.staebler@stevensswcd.org

Chris has been our Office Manager since the fall of 2005. Her main role is to provide support to the SWCD board and staff, as well as to the Pomme de Terre Joint Powers Board and its technical committee. She oversees the financial recordkeeping and daily operations at the office. Chris graduated from the University of Minnesota Morris with a degree in English and she has lived and worked in Morris since then. She and her husband live south of town and they have two grown sons. When not at work, Chris enjoys staying active, spending time outdoors, horseback riding, camping, and reading.

Steve Linow

West Central TSA 2 Civil Engineering Technician
steve.linow@stevensswcd.org

Steve Linow provides engineering services to 12 Soil and Water Conservation Districts in central Minnesota.   He started his duties in May 2017 after 11 years of serving as a Civil Engineering Technician for USDA NRCS in Elbow Lake. Prior to NRCS he worked for Ducks Unlimited.  With over 16 years of experience, he works with private landowners getting conservation on the ground.  Steve’s main workload has been reducing soil erosion in cropland.  He has experience in lakeshore/streambank erosion, ag waste facilities, and water retention.  Steve is also interested in gaining experience with utilizing conservation within urban areas.

Steve is from Alexandria and currently resides near there.  When he is not glued to a computer or survey rod he enjoys being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Austin Norby

Soil Health Specialist
austin.norby@stevensswcd.org

Austin started with Stevens SWCD in July of 2024. He graduated from NDSU in 2017 with a degree in Agribusiness/Crop and Weed Science from NDSU. He is the Soils Health Specialist and works with local farmers and landowners to improve soil quality. This includes a variety of things such as planting cover crops, implementing crop rotations, reducing compaction, and improving overall soil health. In previous roles he was a seed salesman for Gold Country Seed in the Swift County area, and before that he worked at Hefty Seed Company in Hancock. He was born and raised in Benson where he now lives with his wife Hannah and son Noah. Outside of work, Austin enjoys being with his family, farming, hunting, and fishing.

Sophia Maruska

Pomme de Terre River Association Watershed Coordinator
sophia.maruska@pdtriver.org

Sophia joined Stevens SWCD in July 2024 as the Watershed Coordinator. Her work encompasses diverse coordination and marketing responsibilities to support the objectives of the Pomme de Terre River Association Joint Powers Board and Technical Advisory Committee. Sophia received both a Bachelor of Science and Masters in Natural Resource Management from North Dakota State University. While completing her Masters, Sophia worked in student services for the School of Natural Resources at NDSU. She is from Northeast Minneapolis and spent the last five years in Fargo before moving to Morris. When not at work, Sophia enjoys cheering on the Minnesota Timberwolves, shooting clay pigeons, traveling, and of course, anything outdoors. She has one son—a fat, grumpy orange cat named Donnigan.