“The Yahara lakes are as quintessential to the Madison experience as the Capitol Square Farmers Market or Camp Randall. These resilient and dynamic bodies of water are a prized piece of our landscape and deserve our attention and respect.”

Caitlin McAleavey

CAITLIN McALEAVEY
Watershed Engagement Manager

Caitlin joined the Clean Lakes Alliance staff in June 2022 as the Watershed Engagement Specialist. Her work focuses on volunteer engagement through water quality monitoring, Volunteer Days, and building awareness on the spread of aquatic invasive species through the Clean Boats, Clean Waters program.  

Prior to coming to the Clean Lakes Alliance, she worked for the Jefferson County Solid Waste Department coordinating their hazardous waste and recycling programming and outreach. She has also worked at Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources within the municipal wastewater and CAFO programs, and at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center teaching environmental education. 

Caitlin grew up in River Falls, Wisconsin and holds a degree in Zoology and Environmental Studies from University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a strong believer that education and outreach are crucial tools in creating positive change in our local communities and ecosystems. Coming from a family of teachers made her a lifelong advocate for environmental education, and you can still find Caitlin teaching programs at Aldo Leopold Nature Center in her free time. When she’s not working with Clean Lakes Alliance or teaching at ALNC, she enjoys kayaking, skiing, getting others excited and intrigued about the natural world, and being outside, preferably near a body of water. 

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JAMES TYE
Founder & Executive Director

James is the Founder and Executive Director of Clean Lakes Alliance. His connection to the lakes runs deep, as he grew up swimming, waterskiing, and sailing on Lake Mendota. As a lifelong Madison resident, he has seen many changes in the Yahara lakes over the years, and is excited to have the opportunity to work on their behalf.

Currently, his projects include the Yahara CLEAN Compact, marketing and promoting various lake events, creating more community engagement within the watershed, and continuing to expand the alliance of organizations, people, and businesses that care for our lakes.

James has experience working for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including Capital Newspapers and Downtown Madison, Inc. While working with Hype Communications on a project for Mad-City Ski Team, James identified the community’s untapped passion for the lakes.

James wrote a business plan for Clean Lakes Alliance in the summer of 2010 and started recruiting the founding board members. The first board meeting convened in January 2011. Now, James directs the strategic mission of the organization in close collaboration with the 50-person Community Board.

Under James’ leadership, Clean Lakes Alliance has received national recognition including the North American Lake Management Society Technical Merit Award in 2014, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Citizen-Based Monitoring Program of the Year in 2018, and GuideStar’s Platinum Level “Seal of Transparency” in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Currently, he serves on the Board of Trustees of Taliesin Preservation in Spring Green and is a member of Wisconsin Union Director’s Advisory Board. He is a member of Wisconsin Realtors Association, Downtown Madison Rotary, Capital Neighborhoods Inc., James Madison Park Master Plan Stakeholder Committee, the Nolan Waterfront Group, Dane County Board’s Healthy Farms Healthy Lakes Task Force, and a Steering Committee for the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission.

James has been recognized for his significant community achievement and leadership as one of In Business Magazine’s 25 most influential people of 2015, Yahara Lakes Association’s Person of the Year in 2016, Madison Magazine’s 2016: One’s to Watch, and Madison’s Super Single in 2015.

James is married to Gabriel Neves, and lives in Madison. They enjoy spending time with their seven nieces and nephews, traveling, and of course, swimming, boating, paddling, and sailing on the local lakes. 

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PAUL DEARLOVE
Deputy Director

Paul Dearlove joined Clean Lakes Alliance in 2014 and is the organization’s Deputy Director. His primary focus is on advancing community-based phosphorus reduction actions, and to empower citizen participation by creating opportunities for people to become more informed and involved as donors, advocates and volunteers.

Paul’s work includes overseeing the organization’s education and engagement programs, including citizen water quality monitoring, Renew the Blue Volunteer Days, State of the Lakes reporting, Lake Explorer Camp, Yahara Lakes 101, and the Yahara Watershed Academy. He also plays a lead role in promoting initiatives related to the Yahara CLEAN Strategic Action Plan.

Prior to joining Clean Lakes Alliance, Paul spent 15 years as Lake Manager for the Lake Ripley Management District (Jefferson County, WI). His work included directing the completion of a 13-year Priority Watershed Project through the Wisconsin Nonpoint Source Abatement Program.  He also worked as a consultant preparing comprehensive lake and watershed management plans for Wisconsin lake organizations.

Paul earned his M.S. in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. He has also served on the boards of Wisconsin Lakes and the Friends of Lake Wingra.

Paul is an avid angler who lives within a short walking distance of Lake Wingra. He grew up exploring lakes and has always been fascinated by the unique underwater worlds they support. One of the primary reasons for choosing Madison as a place to live is because it is surrounded by water.

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