Ashley Belle is the Great Lakes Areas of Concern Specialist with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Illinois Extension. She is located in the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office, where she provides outreach and education to empower stakeholders in Great Lakes Areas of Concern communities to interpret and apply science and engineering-based information to sediment remediation projects.

Ashley holds a PhD in Environmental Science and Technology from the University of Maryland College Park, an MS in Environmental Sciences from Louisiana State University, and a BS in Chemistry from Dillard University. Prior to joining IISG, she was an Environmental and Energy Stewardship Educator with University of Illinois Extension. Ashley is also an active member of the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals.

Award Highlights

• Illinois Extension Program Evaluation Excellence Award, November 2020
• Illinois Extension Interdisciplinary State Team Excellence Award, November 2019
• National Association of County Agricultural Agents Communications Award – Program Promotional Piece – State Winner, September 2019
• Community Service Excellence Award, August 2019. Ashley received this award from C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation for developing and delivering educational programming to meet the needs of underserved audiences.