Meet The Crew

Nathan D. Simons, Executive Director

Nathan D. Simons is a registered landscape architect and executive director of Blue Heron Ministries, Inc. Mr. Simons graduated with Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and Bachelor of Science degrees from Ball State University with a minor in Natural Resources (1985). Nathan is an accomplished botanist and is credited with the rediscovery of Lathyrus ochroleucus in Indiana. Nathan’s specialization is in historic modeling of wetland, prairie, and savanna communities. Nathan is a skilled ecological restoration specialist focusing on restoring natural areas through the control of exotic/invasive species, the reintroduction of native plant species communities, and prescribed burn management. Combining landscape architectural design and ecological restoration principles within the context of economic development is of special interest to Mr. Simons.

In addition to directing Blue Heron Ministries, Inc., Mr. Simons is employed on a part time basis by the Division of Nature Preserves as an Ecologist Aide. Nathan’s responsibilities include resource management planning and stewardship of State nature preserves in northeast Indiana.

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Phillip Bieberich

Phillip is a registered herbicide applicator and serves as the project manager for Blue Heron Ministries. He daily manages most of Blue Heron Ministries’ ecological restoration projects including site inspections, project development, cost estimating, and field crew assignments. Mr. Bieberich graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Purdue University with a major in Wildlife Science (2007). Phil is a pretty good amateur botanist and his interest is in restoring the prairie-oak continuum landscape indigenous to northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Phil’s practiced exploration is in restoring wild places through the control of exotic/invasive species, the reintroduction of native plant species communities, and prescribed fire management. He has also served on the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council since its inception. Phil’s passion is applying the art and science of prescribed fire on the land to restore floral and faunal diversity within fire-dependent ecosystems.

In addition to leading field crews with Blue Heron Ministries, Phil is employed on a part-time basis by the Division of Nature Preserves as a field steward. His responsibilities include resource management and stewardship of State nature preserves in northeast Indiana.

In his spare time, Phil enjoys exploring the remnant prairie-oak landscapes in the neighborhood in search of native prairie seed. He also established and operates Mongo Seed, a source for local geno-type prairie seed and plants.

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John Brittenham

John Brittenham is a native of LaGrange County, being born and raised near South Milford, IN. After graduating from Prairie Heights High School in 1998, John went on to obtain a B.A. in Biology and Biblical and Religious Studies from Huntington University in 2002. John worked as an environmental educator near Santa Cruz, California for two years and then worked for the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies on the Puget Sound in Washington State and in the North Woods of Michigan for 3 years. In 2009, John graduated from Taylor University with a Master of Environmental Science. Before joining the Blue Heron Ministries team in 2012, John worked for one year at The Nature Conservancy in south west Michigan as a seasonal management assistant and two years at Native Connections in Three Rivers, Michigan as a restoration biologist. The driving principle in John’s working life has been to share God’s creation with others and to do the work of stewarding this magnificent creation. Along with his enjoyment of restoring the natural communities on his own property, John spends most of his time loving on his family of four kids and wife.

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Josh Hall

Josh is a Michigan native who has always enjoyed the outdoors.  He went to Albion college (2010) where he broadened his horizons (2014) by studying the wildlife and human interactions in the savannas of Eastern Africa as a senior.  He then returned home to study much smaller and less deadly specimens, the humble Eastern Box Turtle for his college internship.  After graduating he worked for Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division (2015) in various capacities as a field steward. In 2017 he felt the call to join Blue Heron Ministries and continue his passion of restoring and stewarding God’s creation.  

Outside of work he enjoys serving in his home church back up in Michigan, hosting his friends in games of Dungeons and Dragons, going fishing, camping, hiking, and walking his pet Eastern Box Turtle Aurora.

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Freya Bernston

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Mike Censke

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Matt Neff

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Jared Nichols

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