Melissa A. Walker, Ph.D. | Interim Director of the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs | Associate Professor
melissa.walker@wichita.edu | (316) 978-6967
Dr. Melissa Walker arrived at the Hugo Wall School with 20 years of fundraising, strategic
planning and program evaluation experience. Since joining the faculty in 2006, she
has played a leading role in the integration of nonprofit content in the MPA. Her
primary teaching responsibilities include the capstone course, human resource management
as well as fundraising and financial management in nonprofit organizations. Dr. Walker's
policy research explores the intersection of the public and nonprofit sectors; in
particular, how funding arrangements affect service delivery. Dr. Walker has evaluated
services for uninsured individuals who have diabetes, services for individuals with
intellectual and developmental disabilities funded by Medicaid and, most recently,
a drug court. Full Vitae
Tonya Bronleewe | Director | tonya.bronleewe@wichita.edu | (316) 978-6638
Tonya served as a program manager at the Environmental Finance Center since 2015 before
becoming director in 2020. She managed grants and projects during a period of growth
for the EFC that brought in more than $2 million in external funding. As director,
Tonya is committed to enabling the EFC to help communities and organizations build capacity
so that they can tackle environmental challenges. Prior to joining the Environmental Finance Center, Tonya worked at City of Wichita
as an air quality specialist and at K-State Research and Extension as a natural resources
extension agent. A proud Shocker and Wichita native, Tonya is highly active in the
community, leading volunteer work like the Arkansas River Trash Roundup, Wichita’s
g2gOutside program and Passport to Nature fundraisers. She also serves as the president-elect
on the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center board. Tonya graduated from Tabor College with a BA in Environmental Biology and International
Studies and also completed a Master's of Science in Environmental Science at Friends
University.
Nicholas Willis | Senior Program Manager | nicholas.willis@wichita.edu | (316) 978-6538 
Nick is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Kansas. Mr. Willis graduated
from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a B.S. in Biological Systems Engineering
and from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences with an MSc in Agroecology. He
has experience in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System regulation with
the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, and water conservation and water,
wastewater and stormwater utility management with the City of Hays, KS.
Brian Bohnsack, PhD | Program Manager | brian.bohnsack@wichita.edu | (316) 978-6421
Brian joined the Environmental Finance Center as a program manager in March 2018.
He has more than 25 years of experience with federal and state fish and wildlife agencies.
He has extensive experience with federal grants and financial assistance programs,
both as a grantor and grant recipient. Brian received his PhD in Wildlife and Fisheries
Sciences from Texas A&M University and completed his Master of Science in Zoology
from Oklahoma State University. He received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from
Fort Hays State University and is a native of Topeka, Kansas.
Jeff Severin, MUP | Program Manager | jeffrey.severin@wichita.edu | (316) 978-6373
Jeff joined the Environmental Finance Center in January of 2021. His interest in the
connections that exist among human and natural systems is reflected throughout his
career as an informal educator and sustainability professional. Jeff’s experience
spans watershed education, stormwater management, waste reduction, energy conservation,
multimodal transportation, landscape restoration, community wellness, food insecurity
and social justice. He has coordinated strategic planning and project implementation
to address a range of environmental and social challenges in higher education and
in the broader community, collaborating with students, researchers, natural resources
professionals, educators, and outdoor enthusiasts as well as local governments and
state agencies. Jeff is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a BA in Environmental
Studies and a Master of Urban Planning.
John Colclazier | Program Associate | john.colclazier@wichita.edu | (316) 978-7470
John joined the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs in 2018 as a Graduate Research
Assistant and won the George Van Riper Fellowship in Public Finance. He is currently
pursuing a Master of Public Administration with a focus in Public Finance and City
and County Management. He supports the EFC on a variety of projects, such as, cost-benefit
analyses, trainings and technical assistance. John holds a BA in Political Science
from Fort Hays State University.
Michelle Dehaven | Program Associate | michelle.dehaven@wichita.edu | (316) 978-6673
Michelle assists the EFC with recurring and new federal, state, and municipal initiatives
to enhance their capacity to face environmental and financial challenges. She has
experience in mapping, extensive research, and both quantitative and qualitative data
analysis. Michelle has experience conducting professional training including board
development, customer service, and community engagement. She also has experience
facilitating conversation to think strategically about future planning in both the
private and nonprofit sectors. Michelle graduated with a Master of Public Administration
and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wichita State University.
Leslie Kimble | Marketing Coordinator | leslie.kimble@wichita.edu | (316) 978-7460
Leslie started her career in event marketing and professional development training
by interning at Disney Institute, a division of The Disney Company that trains organizations
worldwide based on the business insights and best practices of Walt Disney Parks &
Resorts. Leslie creates and publishes marketing and creative content for the EFC,
and also coordinates logistics of EFC events and webinars. Leslie supports the EFC
facilitators in training topics focused on communication strategies, marketing management,
workforce planning and working with millennials. Leslie has a Master of Business Administration
with emphasis in marketing and Bachelor of Arts in strategic communication from Wichita
State University.
Jerry Blain | Project Associate | gerald.blain@wichita.edu
Jerry has over 37 years of water utility management experience. Prior to coming to
the EFC, Jerry retired from the City of Wichita where he had worked in water utilities
in a number of roles for over 33 years. While serving as the City of Wichita Water
Utilities superintendent of production and pumping, he was responsible for the operation
of the city’s water production facilities, the operation of the city’s water treatment
plant, the high service pump stations and the water and sewer laboratory. He received
his Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Nebraska in
1974 and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Kansas. He belongs to
the American Water Works Association, National Society of Professional Engineers and
the American Society of Civil Engineers.