Sometimes water is only a drizzle or a trickle, while other times it pours and floods, but it is always there in the background, a steady and vital resource for all our lives. A core University of Illinois Extension program area — natural resources, environment, and energy — connects communities with resources on everything from wildlife to water. Eliana Brown empowers people to do their part for clean water through her work as a water quality and stormwater specialist with Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, and director of the Red Oak Rain Garden.
What do you specialize in, and what motivated you to start working in that area?
I’m a water quality and stormwater specialist. I grew up fishing, swimming, and playing in the creek near my childhood home, which sparked my love of water and inspired me to pursue a degree in environmental engineering. First-hand experience with flooding motivated me to help others learn strategies to minimize their flood risks by improving their properties.
What brought you to University of Illinois Extension?
When I ran the campus stormwater compliance program, which included public education and outreach responsibilities, I found that I loved connecting with people about stormwater and water quality! So, when an Extension role became available that allowed me to engage with people statewide, I jumped at the opportunity.
What does a day of work at Extension look like?
I lead a small but mighty team that includes designers and engineers. I set our vision, ensure we’re meeting deliverables, while engaging with collaborators to best leverage our programs. In a workday, I may meet with a county educator who wants to run a water program, check in on my team’s progress, and record a clip for an educational video.
What’s a question you get asked a lot?
I’m often asked how to build a rain garden, which is one of my favorite questions. I provide folks with the basics and encourage them to seek out our resources on our Rainfall Management website.
What are you looking forward to working on this year?
I’m excited to be part of a bi-state team that’s updating the Rainscaping Program. It’s an honor to apply my skills on programming that empowers people to do their part for clean water.
To connect with Extension natural resources, environment, and energy staff about a program or for a consultation, visit go.illinois.edu/NREEstaff. Extension’s natural resources, environment, and energy program provides research-based education for awareness and action to sustain healthy environments and ecosystems that support quality living and resilient communities. Extension staff empower people across Illinois to make a difference through the Master Naturalists, Climate Stewards, and Watershed Stewards volunteer and training programs.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.