The Clean Lakes Alliance is staffed by an experienced team of professionals and volunteers who define the term “strategic partnerships”. The management team is led by President Don Heilman and Development Director James Tye, both lifelong Madison-area residents who have logged countless hours boating and skiing on Lakes Mendota and Monona. Together they guide the organization toward its ultimate goal: increasing public awareness and raising the financial means necessary to advance the Clean Lakes Initiative within the Yahara River Watershed.
President: Donald Heilman
don@cleanlakesalliance.com
Don Heilman has been both team and perennial board member of the Mad-City Water Ski Team for over 20 years. With the team looking to play a more significant role in the community, he co-founded the Clean Lakes Festival as a way to raise awareness and money for Madison’s lakes. Don’s career experience includes national sales and marketing management in the food and drug industry. Today, Don serves as president of the Clean Lakes Alliance, co-chair of the Clean Lakes Festival, and he spearheads the Clean Lakes Initiative.
As a lifelong Madison resident and stakeholder in our lakes, “it is my dream to return our waterways to their natural state,” Don says, “and it is the goal of our organization to engage the entire community in this effort.”
Development Director: James Tye
james@cleanlakesalliance.com
James Tye is the development director for the Clean Lakes Alliance. He previously ran his own business in media and marketing, founded the Madison business group OPEN (Out Professional Executive Network), and worked at Capital Newspapers and Downtown Madison, Inc. He grew up swimming, waterskiing and sailing on Lake Mendota, so James is especially pleased to be raising awareness of the need to preserve and enhance all of Dane County’s lakes. James manages the Alliance’s Community Board, volunteer teams, sponsorship efforts and community outreach, along with communications and development programs. His current projects include promoting the Crazy 4 Lakes project, writing a community outreach plan, and developing a Friends of Clean Lakes group.
