DNR Natural Resources Board Honor Awarded To Christine Sieger

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced Remediation and Redevelopment Bureau Director Christine Sieger was awarded the 2023 Rebecca Wallace Memorial Award. Sieger received the award at the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) meeting on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

This prestigious award honors DNR employees who improve relationships with external partners and organizations on environmental quality issues or staff mentoring. The NRB created the award as a memorial to DNR employee Rebecca Wallace, who lost her life, along with her husband, in an automobile accident in 1997. Wallace was an 18-year DNR employee known for her dedication to her work and her ability to bring people together to solve problems.

Sieger started her career with the DNR in 2013 as a brownfields specialist and became the Remediation and Redevelopment bureau director in 2019. She is known for her thoughtful and effective communication skills that promote healthy and respectful relationships among external partners while supporting the agency’s mission.

Since becoming bureau director, Sieger has taken on two of the largest challenges the program has faced in many years: the emerging class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and indoor vapor issues caused by historical use of trichloroethylene (TCE), a toxic solvent.

Sieger deserves significant credit for fostering positive working relationships between the DNR and the public at a highly contaminated and complex site in the Marinette and Peshtigo area. She has a respectful way of communicating and ensuring collective decision-making among citizens, elected officials and business owners. Her skills helped reestablish meaningful dialogue, restore trust with DNR and create a sense of transparency on the information and decisions being made at this site. She leads her program on nearly 100 other PFAS sites, many of them with drinking water, groundwater, surface water and fish consumption concerns.

Under Sieger’s direction and guidance, Remediation and Redevelopment is leading the nation in addressing potential indoor vapor risks caused by TCE and other organic chemicals. The program is in the process of screening over 16,800 sites, which are helping inform a prevention and partnership communication toolkit for local governments, developers, consultants and the public.

Sieger skillfully balances her career and personal life. She enjoys sharing her love of nature with her two kids through camping and hiking and taking them on trips to national and state parks. She has served on the Stewardship Advisory Council, Partnership for the National Trails System, American Hiking Society and Dane County Parks Commission.

“She is a wonder woman of a public servant, a working mom extraordinaire and very deserving of this award,” said Bart Sponseller, Environmental Management deputy division administrator.

Visit the DNR’s website for more information on the NRB and the Remediation and Redevelopment program.