The Minnesota Mycological Society is governed by a board that is entirely staffed by volunteers. Some members are elected officers, while others serve as Committee Chairs, appointed by the President and approved by the rest of the Board. All MMS activities begin in a committee, and it takes member volunteers to make them happen. If you are interested in learning more, contact us.
Peter Martignacco
Member Since 2002
President Since 2022
Peter has also led forays, helped organize events, presented at meetings and at community education events. Peter has also worked to raise awareness of foraging issues for public policy.
Peter’s favorite mushroom-related activities include Foraging for, teaching about, and eating mushrooms.
Peter’s favorite thing about mycology is that there is so much that is yet to be studied. There are so many mushroom related oppertunities for our Society to engage in together and with the rest of the public.
Peter’s Favorite Mushroom:
Mor-tru-mini chanter-hog
Heather Erickson
Member since 2018
Events Committee Chair since 2022
Heather is also the Editor of the Toadstool Review. She is a member of the Communications/IT committee, enjoys MMS outreach events and speaking on the History of the MMS and Mycology.
Heather’s favorite mushroom-related activities include foraging, cultivation, mycophagy, and researching how mycology has impacted our culture throughout history.
When asked what she loves about mycology, Heather says, “It’s an endless universe of learning. Whether in the woods, watching mycelium form on grain in a jar, or discovering the latest scientific findings about them, fungi never cease to amaze me! And although I am an introvert, I love MMS events because everyone there loves mushrooms as much as I do, so it is like being with family.
Heather’s Favorite Mushroom:
Boletes
Kathy Yerich
Member Since 2006
Meetings & Speakers Chair
Kathy organizes our monthly programming and special events. She was the MMS vice president for many years and has helped with our silent auction/fundraising and spreading the word about our great scholarships! She is also on the Board for NAMA.
Kathy says, “I enjoy hunting for mushrooms, even if just to photograph them, but I also enjoy cooking and baking with mushrooms! I enjoy crafts and mushrooms have found their way into my creations.”
Kathy loves the camaraderie of mushroom foraging. She has met so many friendly and talented people through mycology.
Kathy’s Favorite Mushroom:
Grifola frondosa – Hen of the Woods
John Lamprecht
Member since 2007
Membership Chairperson since 2023
John has been our foray committee chairperson, volunteered to lead forays, taught classes, been past president (6 years), and given many presentations at various displays and events including the Minnesota State Fair.
John’s favorite mushroom-related activities include foraging, cooking, teaching, photography, and making observations.
When asked why he loves mycology, John says, “It never ends. There’s always something new to learn. I love sharing my passion for mushroom hunting, observing.”
John’s Favorite Mushroom:
Maitake
Jane Onorati
Member since 2014
Webmaster since 2017
Jane has served on the Board as Corresponding Secretary and Communications and IT Committee Chair. She is on the Foray Committee and has led forays, and organized camping forays.
Jane’s favorite mushroom-related activities include looking for mushrooms while hiking and camping. She says, “I especially enjoy my annual spring morel hunting trip of several weeks, and camping forays with fellow MMS members”.
Jane’s favorite thing about mycology is the endless variety of colors, shapes, patterns, and decorations of mushrooms. “Each one is a new discovery and a new experience or a well-known and old friend.”
Jane’s Favorite Mushroom:
Morel
Adele Mehta
Member since 1989
Governance Committee Chair since 2023
Adele has also been the MMS Foray Collections Recorder
Adele’s favorite mushroom-related activities include MMS events & recording voucher specimens for NAMA.
When asked what she loves most about mycology, Adele says, “It’s a fascinating kingdom – I love its role in ecology and its scientific secrets yet to be uncovered.”
Adele’s Favorite Mushroom:
Agaricus subrufescens and, as a matter of principle, any mushroom whose name doesn’t change.
Troy Howard
Member since 2016
Funga Scientific Committee Chair since 2021
Troy has also been Member-at-Large and volunteered at the MMS’s State Fair Booth.
Troy’s favorite mushroom-related activities include fungal ecology, fungal ethnology and history, scientific collections and taxonomy, cultivation, as well as forays and foraging for fungi.
When asked what he loves most about mycology, Troy says, “How little we know..”
Troy’s Favorite Mushroom:
Maitake
Mary Dresser
Member since 2019
Corresponding Secretary since 2025
Mary handles club emails and serves as a volunteer to help with foray sign-ups.
Mary loves finding mushrooms in the woods and learning about about them through MMS programs and events. Her favorite thing about them is how mushrooms can be used to help clean up polluted lands.
Mary loves mushrooms so much that when asked which one is her favorite, she said, “How can I name just one?”
Mary’s Favorite Mushroom:
All of them!
Dang Le
Member Since 2019
Treasurer since 2025
Dang Joined the board in 2025 to assist the Minnesota Mycological Society with our fiscal responsibilities.
Dang enjoys both growing mushrooms and foraging for wild mushrooms.It is their beauty that he appreciates the most. There is such a variety of colors, textures and shapes to be found in the fungal world
Dang’s Favorite Mushroom:
Mycena chlorophos
Aaron Berg
Member since 2015
Recording Secretary since 2022
Aaron has also been a foray leader, foray educator, foray assistant, and camping lead.
Aaron’s favorite mushroom-related activities include foraging, identifying, microscopy, and teaching about fungi.
When asked what he loves most about mycology, Aaron says, “There is and will always be something new for me to discover in the world of fungi. If you get a chance on a foray, sit still for 30 minutes or more and take in every detail. You’ll be amazed at what you discover.”
Aaron’s Favorite Mushroom:
Genus Hemimycena
Ross Haugberg
Member since 2021
Member-at-Large since 2024
Ross has also been on the Camping Foray planning committee, helped at Lake Carlos, and is a Foray Team volunteer.
Ross’s favorite mushroom-related activities include group forays, and learning mycology from guest speakers and through self-study.
When asked what he loves most about mycology, Ross says, “My favorite thing about mushrooms is that they give me a good reason to spend lots of time in the forest. It is so fun and relaxing to spend the day mushroom hunting, and I always leave having learned something new….Mushroom hunting has inspired me to learn to cook. Every time I bring home a basket-full, I look up a recipe and learn to make something new. Why waste a surplus of gourmet mushrooms on the same pasta dish every time?”
Ross’s Favorite Mushroom:
Cortinarius Caperatus
Jitka Sirucek
Member since 2022
Foray Committee Chair since 2025
Along with being the chair of the Foray Committee, Jitka also volunteers on the Foray team as a co-leader, co-educator, and assistant. She enjoys foraging whether with the MMS, other friends, or on her own. Along with learning new mushrooms and identifying the ones she encounters while foraging, Jitka enjoys organizing MMS events and preparing mushroom dishes for friends.
Jitka says her favorite thing about mycology is “definitely, the people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made.” She loves the Intellectual, physical, and sensual interwovenness of being in the nature, moving, observing, discovering, learning, gathering, and then using and sharing her finds, time, and knowledge with others.
As an avid gardener, Jitka follows permaculture principles. She got interested in mycology after a failed attempt to inoculate ramial wood chips in her suburban food forest with wine caps.
Jitka’s Favorite Mushroom:
White pored chicken of the woods or black trumpets
Ron Spinosa
Member since 1989
Education Committee Chair since 2023
Ron is a past president of the Minnesota Mycological Society and a Foray Educator. He has given many presentations and workshops on mushrooms at nature centers, museums, schools, and garden clubs.
Ron volunteers as an identifier for Minnesota Poison Control. In 2011, the North American Mycological Association awarded Ron the Harry and Elsie Knighton Service Award.
Ron’s Favorite Mushroom:
All of them!
Randy Strobel
Member since 2016
Scholarships Committee Chair since 2023
Randy and his wife Joanie have been active members of the MMS for many years, and are also members of the Wisconsin Mycological Society and the Geological Society of Minnesota. Currently retired, Randy taught biology at Metropolitan State University in St. Paul for 25 years and at St. John’s University/College of St. Benedict for two years. Randy has taught several cultivation classes for MMS members and has also served as a foray leader and educator.
Randy’s Favorite Mushroom:
Panellus stipticus
Tim Clemens
Member since 2014
Past President since 2022
Tim has also been a foray leader and participated in MMS outreach events
Tim’s favorite mushroom-related activities include mushroom education, mushroom hunting, indoor cultivation, and outdoor gardening
When asked what he loves most about mycology, Tim says, “the smell of Gymnopilus luteus.”
Tim’s Favorite Mushroom:
Gyromitra korfii
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