ECI EMPLOYEES
Melinda Sweeten
Originally from Marion, IN, Melinda attended Manchester University and graduated Cum laude in 2014 with a B.S. in Social Work with a minor in Gerontology.
She was Director of Manchester University’s Koinonia Environmental Center from 2006 to 2018. She also was Director of the Garber Simmons Senior Center in North Manchester, IN from 2014-2017.
Together with her husband Jerry they founded ECI.
They reside in Denver, IN
Jerry Sweeten
Dr. Sweeten is originally from Kokomo, Indiana and his life-long passion for the outdoors and aquatic ecosystems was nurtured along the shores of Bruce Lake in Fulton County where his grandfather had a small fishing cabin. After graduating from Manchester College in 1975 with a degree in Biology and Environmental Studies, he worked for the State Department of Education in Environmental Education, taught science in Attica Schools and was Director of the Asherwood Environmental Science Center in Wabash County and owned by Marion Community Schools for 25-years. He earned a Masters in Natural Resources from Ball State University, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University where he studied the effects of suspended sediment on the early life stages of young fish and worked on one of the earliest research initiatives that quantified nutrient and sediment loads from agricultural nonpoint sources. From 2004-2018 Dr. Sweeten was Professor of Biology and Director of Environmental Studies at Manchester College and was awarded Emeritus status at retirement. During his tenure, the Environmental Studies Program grew from six students in 2004 to 55 in 2015. Students were engaged in ecological restoration research across the Eel River watershed. Over $2,000,000 in grants was obtained to complete research that dealt with farmers to reduce nonpoint source pollution, fish and mussels, prototype fish ladder, augmentation of a state endangered fish (Redside Dace), reintroduction of a federally endangered mussel (clubshell) to the Eel River among many others. Dr. Sweeten along with Melinda led numerous travel courses to Alaska and Andros Island, Bahamas. After retirement 2018, Dr. Sweeten along with his wife, Melinda, and Herb Manifold founded Ecosystems Connections Institute, LLC. Achievement recognition includes: Professor of the year, Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching, Indiana Distinguished Citizen, Environmental Stewardship Award: Manchester University, Distinguished Alumni Award, Ball State University, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, and Outstanding Research, Indiana Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.
Herb Manifold MS-Senior Ecologist
Herb Manifold is a dedicated environmental scientist with a passion for ecological research and conservation efforts. Born and raised near New Castle, Indiana, he developed a quick love for the outdoors and water ecosystems in particular. From the passion for the outdoors Herb’s journey into the field of environmental studies began at Manchester University, where he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies in 2012. From 2012 to 2014, he served as a the Environmental Studies Scholar at Manchester University, helping manage research projects focused on water quality assessment and system-wide biological evaluations within the Eel River basin. Eager to deepen his understanding of environmental science, Herb pursued further studies at the University of Minnesota, where he earned his Master's degree in Bioproducts and Biosystems Science, Engineering, and Management in 2016. His research on the nitrogen budget of Beargrass Creek near North Manchester showcased his commitment to addressing pressing environmental challenges at the local level. After completing his master's degree, Herb returned to his alma mater, Manchester University, taking on the role of Environmental Studies Grants Coordinator. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in managing and securing grants focused on the Eel River Basin. These grants, which encompassed diverse initiatives such as water quality assessment, biological evaluation, and dam removal projects, served as catalysts for undergraduate research, nurturing future environmental leaders and professionals. In 2018, fueled by a shared vision for environmental stewardship, Herb, along with Dr. Jerry Sweeten and Melinda Sweeten, co-founded Ecosystems Connections Institute (ECI).
Kyle Boone MS - Ecologist
Kyle Boone was raised in North Manchester, Indiana. He attended Manchester Public Schools and is a graduate of Manchester High School. Kyle continued his education at Manchester University where he graduated in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural History of Environmental Science and Biology. Kyle worked as an intern in Dr. Sweeten’s lab during the summers of 2011 and 2012 where he led a project researching smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) nesting and year class strength and its relationship with total suspended solids (TSS) in the Eel River, Indiana. In the summer of 2013, Kyle worked in the Pacific Northwest for the United State Forest Service, PACFISH/INFISH Biological Opinion (PIBO) program as a Stream Technician. After graduating from Manchester University, Kyle went to Central Michigan University (CMU) to earn his Master of Science in Conservation Biology. While at CMU, Kyle continued his research on the effects of TSS on smallmouth bass recruitment in the Eel River and created a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for the Eel River to estimate past and project future TSS concentrations. After his graduation from CMU in 2016, Kyle worked at the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Department of Natural Resources as the Environmental Specialist. While with the Pokagon Band, Kyle led the effort for the tribe to receive Treatment in a Similar Manner as a State (TAS) status from EPA for the Clean Water Act 319 program. Receiving TAS status allows the Pokagon Band to receive annual funding to build a nonpoint source pollution program. Kyle also received funding for and led projects on climate change adaptation and utilizing air sensors to evaluate ambient air quality on Pokagon Band lands. Kyle joined the ECI team in 2022.
Donovan Henry MS-Senior Ecologist
Donovan is a native of southern Illinois growing up on the Wabash River. His connection to the value of aquatic ecosystems started from commercial and recreational fishing, hunting, and camping in the Wabash watershed. He expanded his passion for rivers and streams into college and attended Southern Illinois University studying aquatic ecosystems. Donovan completed his master’s degree working in the Cumberland River system in southeastern Kentucky and had the opportunity to work in rivers and streams throughout the Midwest and southeastern US during that time. After college, Donovan built a team of environmental consultants, traveling much of the midwestern and eastern US to balance industry and development with natural resources. After his daughter was born in 2006, priorities shifted to pursue a natural resource role closer to home. Donovan worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers in St. Louis in planning and project management through 2012, working on the Mississippi River and tributaries to support navigation, flood control, recreation, and ecosystem priorities. He then moved to the US Fish and Wildlife Service back in southern Illinois until joining ECI in 2026. For USFWS, Donovan managed the Fish Passage Program and coordinated the Ohio River Basin Fish Habitat Partnership, removing/augmenting numerous barriers and implementing watershed scale projects and programs. He later served as the Deputy Manager of Crab Orchard and Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuges to enhance conservation outcomes, outdoor recreation, as well as manage industrial and agricultural missions.
With over 25 years of experience developing partnerships, resources, and solutions to natural resource demands, Donovan has valued the opportunity to work with partners, colleagues, congressional representatives, local governments, NGO’s, and countless professionals to meet the complex needs of multiple stakeholders and the public. Working with ECI offers a new path to continue working with multi-agency, multidisciplinary teams across large geographies for planning, implementation, and management of natural resources, public use, and socio-economic development.