Heather Triezenberg

Role

As Associate Director and Program Leader for Michigan Sea Grant, Dr. Heather Triezenberg coordinates the Sea Grant Extension Program through Michigan State University (MSU) Extension’s Community, Food & Environment Institute. As a member of the Michigan Sea Grant Management Team, Triezenberg guides integrated program planning, implementation, evaluation, partnerships and collaborations, and pre-/post-award activities. She joined Michigan Sea Grant in 2014 as an Extension Specialist and Program Coordinator and was named Associate Director in 2022.

Heather is a participant in the 2026 cohort of North Central Extension Leadership Development (NELD) and a graduate of the 2018-2019 Great Lakes Leadership Academy Advancement Program focusing on leading for the common good. She is a supporter of navigating your way through conflict with Advanced Facilitative Leadership and using Tools for Effective Facilitation (formerly Facilitative Leadership).

Dr. Triezenberg has a faculty appointment in the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Department. Her work explores how stakeholders perceive risks related to a variety of Great Lakes issues, such as coastal hazards, and community-engaged approaches for Extension, outreach, and engagement scholarship. She is expanding her efforts to include socio-biological and relational approaches for strengthening, building, rebuilding, or repairing relationships among, within, and between people and the environment. This approach supports transition from conflict, loss, and disconnection towards reconnection and collaboration within the Great Lakes fishery.

Heather is the current chair (2026-2027) of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network Extension Program Leaders. She was chair (2021-2022) of the Assembly of Sea Grant Extension Program Leaders, which included being a liaison to NOAA’s National Sea Grant Advisory Board, the Sea Grant Association Network Advisory Council, and ex-officio member of the Sea Grant Association Program Mission Committee. She previously served as chair-elect (2019-2020) and an at-large member (2016-2017) of the Assembly of Sea Grant Extension Program Leaders. She is a board member to the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Department’s Quantitative Fisheries Center.

Heather was an advisory board member of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Board Science Collaborative from 2017-2022 and the MSU Institute of Water Research from 2020-2025. She has received numerous honors and awards, including MSU Extension awards for meritorious service, water school team; rapid response to emerging issues in the Great Lakes fisheries, and the Strategic Direction.

Education
  • Ph.D. Natural Resources Policy and Management, 2010, Cornell University
  • M.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Management, 2006, Michigan State University
  • B.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Management, 2002, Michigan State University
Publications

(nee Van Den Berg)

  • Benitez Gonzalez, A., Triezenberg, H.A., Doberneck, D.M., Bennett, A. and Rey, M. (2025). Factors affecting risk perceptions about the human health effects resulting from harmful algal bloom exposure. Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, 182(3), article 1. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/jcwre/vol182/iss3/1
  • Clites, E., Triezenberg, H.A., and Doberneck, D. (2024). Aligning Audience Needs with Scientists’ Information in the Complex Harmful Algal Bloom Outreach to Engagement Continuum. Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, 181(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2024.3408.x
  • Triezenberg, H. A., Hunnell, J., Elgin, E., Bhakta, B., and Bohling, M. (2024). Evaluation of the Michigan Water School: Water Education Program for Local Leaders. The Journal of Extension, 61(3), Article 18. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.61.03.18
  • Hunnell, J., Triezenberg, H.A., Schroeder, B.C., and Gass, M.J. (2023). Sea Grant Center for Great Lakes Literacy Shipboard Science Workshop Evaluation. Journal of Contemporary Water Research & Education, 178(1), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1936-704X.2023.3390.x
  • Carson, M. A., Doberneck, D. M., Hart, Z., Kelsey, H., Pierce, J. Y. Porter, D. E., Richlen, M. L., Schandera, L. and Triezenberg, H. A. (2022). A strategic framework for community engagement in oceans and human health. Community Science, 1(1), https://doi.org/10.1029/2022CSJ000001
  • Pavloski, E. L., and Triezenberg, H. A. (2021). Fish Disease Outreach Messages: Testing of Gain and Loss Frames. Journal of Extension, 59(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.59.02.02
  • Hunnell, J., Triezenberg, H. A., & Doberneck, D. (2020) Training early career Great Lakes scientists for Effective Engagement and Impact. Journal of Contemporary Water Research and Education, volume 170, 19-34.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Doberneck, D., Campa, H., III and Taylor, W.W. (2020), Mid‐ and High‐Engagement Programs to Develop Future Fisheries Management Professionals’ Skills. Fisheries, 45: 544-553. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsh.10480
  • Walcott, E. and Triezenberg, H.A. (2020). A critical time for Extension leadership in public policy education programming. Journal of Extension, 58(1) Article v58-1a1.
  • Pavloski, Erin L.; Triezenberg, Heather A.; Takahashi, Bruno; Taylor, William W. (2019). Using Risk Perceptions to Develop Effective Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach.
  • Good, M., Taylor, W.W., Carlson, A.K., Scholze, T., Triezenberg, H.A., and Lambe, R. (2019). The changing face of Great Lakes fisheries. Aquatic Ecosystem Health &Management, 22(3):355- 367, DOI: 10.1080/14634988.2019.1657688
  • Walcott, E. and Triezenberg, H.A. (2018). Public Policy Education Principles & Guidelines for MSU Extension, 2018 revision.
  • Whyte, J. H. and Triezenberg, H. A. (2018). Community planners’ perceptions of coastal risk: An evaluation of the Michigan Association of Planning community resiliency institute. Michigan Sea Grant College Program, Michigan State University Extension. East Lansing, MI.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Riley, B., Herreman, K., Knudson, W., Infante, D., and Taylor, W. (2018). Commercial aquaculture in Michigan siting guidebook. Michigan Sea Grant College Program MICHU-18-201.
  • Triezenberg, H. A. & Knuth, B.A. (2018) Limiting conflicts when managing public lands for furbearer trapping and dog-related recreation. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 42(4). ): 559-567. DOI: 10.1002/wsb.931
  • Riley, S.J., Triezenberg, H.A., Ford, J.K, Lederle, P. (2018) Stakeholder Trust in a State Wildlife Agency. Journal of Wildlife Management, 82(7). 1528-1535 DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21501
  • Triezenberg, H. A. & Knuth, B.A. (2018) Predicting Positive Outcomes for Waterfowl Hunters and Waterfront Residents. Journal of Wildlife Management, 82(6). 1311-1319 DOI: 1 0.1002/jwmg.21471
  • Liu, J. Connor, T., Friis, C., Challies, E., Newig, J., Romulo, C., Herzberger, A., Roche, J., Silva, R., Chung, M. G., Zimmerer, K., Batistella, M., Parish, E., Sun, J., Millington, J., Lenschow, A., Mechiche-Alami, A., Basher, Z, Zhao, Z., Dou, Y., Treglia, M., Triezenberg, H., Huettmann, F., Yang, H. (2018). Spillover systems in a telecoupled Anthropocene: Typology, methods, and governance for global sustainability. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Riley, S.J. & Gore, M.L. (2016). Efficacy of communication in changing behaviors of antlerless deer hunters. Submitted to Journal of Wildlife Management, 80(5):941–946; 2016; DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21078.
  • Youn, S. J., Allison, E. H., Fuentevilla, C., Funge-Smith, S., Triezenberg, H. A., Parker, M., Thilsted, S., Onyango, P., Akpalu, W., Holtgrieve, G., Good, M.J., & Muise, S. (2016). The underappreciated livelihood contributions of inland fisheries and the societal consequences of their neglect in Freshwater, Fish, and the Future: Proceedings of the Global Cross-Sectoral Conference, Goddard, N. Leonard, W. W. Taylor, and D. Bartley (Eds.). American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Gore, M.L., Lapinski, M.K. & Riley, S.J. (2014). Role of persuasive communication for achieving wildlife health goals. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 38(4):734-740. DOI: 10.10002/wsb.462.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Gore, M.L., Riley, S.J., & Lapinski, M.K. (2014). Perceived risks from disease and management policies: an expansion and testing of a zoonotic disease risk perception model. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 19(2):123-138. DOI: 10.1080/10871209.2014.844288.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Lauber, T. B., & Knuth, B.A. (2012). Policy learning and deer co-management in New York State: Insights from Newspaper Coverage. Journal of Wildlife Management, 76(6):1317-1325.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Knuth, B.A., Yuan, Y.C., & Dickinson, J.L. (2012). Social networking and collective action models of citizen science: Theory meets possibility. In Dickinson, J.L. & Bonney, R. (Eds.) Citizen Science: New Frontiers for Enhanced Public Collaboration in Environmental Research.
  • Triezenberg, H.A., Knuth, B.A., & Yuan, Y. C. (2011). Social Networks and Collective Actions: Relationship of Network Positions and Framing of Public Issues in Wildlife Management. Human Dimensions of Wildlife, 16:381-396.
  • Van Den Berg, H.A., Riley, S.J., & Dann, S.L. (2011). Conservation education for advancing natural resources knowledge and building capacity for volunteerism. Society & Natural Resources, 24(3):205-220.
  • Van Den Berg, H.A., Dann, S.L., & Dirkx, J.M. (2009). Motivations of Adults for Non-formal Conservation Education and Volunteerism: Implications for Programming. Applied Environmental Education and Communication, 8:6-17.
  • Van Den Berg, H.A. & Dann, S.L. (2008). Evaluation of an Adult Extension Education Initiative: The Michigan Conservation Stewards Program. Journal of Extension [On-line], 46(2).
Heather Triezenberg

Heather Triezenberg

Associate Director and Program Leader

Pronouns: she/her

(517) 353-5508
[email protected]

Michigan Sea Grant Extension
Justin S. Morrill Hall of Agriculture
446 W. Circle Drive, Annex Room 73
East Lansing, MI 48823-5243

Read about Heather’s work in her article series.

Growing up on a Michigan farm, Heather had a lot of questions about the environment, community, and agriculture. Read more about how this shaped her career. 

This interview is part of a series of articles honoring Michigan Sea Grant Extension educators during the 2016 National Sea Grant College Program’s 50th anniversary celebration.