Frank Sladek is the Urban & Community Fishing Program Coordinator for Northern Illinois. His program offers free fishing clinics, aquatic resource education lessons and fishing materials to Illinois residents. Each year, Frank and his team of seasonal fishing instructors lead hundreds of programs, educating over 20,000 residents. This statewide program also includes 3, regional coordinators and seasonal instructors, reaching 100,000 residents annually.
Frank has a bachelors’ and masters’ degree in Zoology, and has been an environmental educator for 20 years as well as a zookeeper, naturalist, interpreter and fishing instructor. As a zoologist, he has worked with over 200 species of animals, including exotic reptiles, endangered dragonflies, native bats and rare fish. Frank no longer works with exotic animals, but carries his aquatic ambassadors, including Donut the mud turtle, Finley the catfish, and Gem the diamondback water snake, with him to schools and community events.
Frank is a lifelong angler and has caught over 100 species of fish in fresh and salt water. He caught his first fish at 4 years old and fishes year-round. Some of his favorite species are northern pike, brown trout, yellow perch and gar. Outside of work, Frank spends his time cooking, gardening and playing volleyball.