A Lac du Flambeau tribal citizen, Ackley now brings her skills and knowledge to the Ojibwe Ceded Territory as an environmental biologist.
With a focus on both the environment and human health, Ackley takes charge of GLIFWC’s fish consumption advisories, tracking mercury contamination in important Ojibwe treaty resources including walleye and muskellunge. Fish tissue samples from dozens of Ceded Territory lakes provide the input into GLIFWC “Mercury Maps,” used by tribal members and others to make choices on which waters to catch and eat fish. Beyond the mercury program, Ackley is also working Great Lakes basin, focusing on Lake Superior, through ongoing initiatives implemented under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Ackley earned advanced degrees in Geosciences, Hydrology, and Geography. Her field research includes studying nutrient and contaminant loads present in water runoff, notably the movement of mercury and methylmercury following snowmelt and precipitation events. She has a special interest in educating youth in natural resource science, helping the next generation better understand the evolving environmental challenges unfolding with climate change.