About

[He/Him/His]

Jono joins TCI as Executive Director. Previously, Jono served as the Head of Disaster and Crisis, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for the Americas and Caribbean region, based in Panama, Panama. In this role, Jono led the team overseeing Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Shelter, Migration, Livelihoods, Disaster Response and Recovery, and International Disaster Law.

Previously, Jono was the Vice President of International Services at the American Red Cross based out of Washington, DC. In this role, Jono oversaw disaster preparedness, response, and recovery programming in more than 34 countries, including the Measles and Rubella Initiative which since 2001 has helped vaccinate more than 2 billion children and reduce global measles by 84%…greater than 20.4 million lives. Jono also served as the Global Disaster Response and Relief Partnerships lead for Airbnb for a 16-month engagement to support scaling their social impact programming.

Jono has also served as a Regional Voluntary Agency Liaison at FEMA Region VII with responsibilities for coordinating with voluntary organizations active in disaster and FEMA Mass Care and Emergency programs in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. Jono has been affiliated with the American Red Cross since 1994. Jono graduated from Creighton University with a BA in Political Science, the University of Nebraska with an MS in Economics, a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Higher Education at the University of Nebraska, and the Harvard School of Public Health and Kennedy School of Government National Preparedness Leadership Initiative, and has earned the International Association of Emergency Management Certified Emergency Manager (CEM®) credential. Jono served as the chair of the Advocacy Committee for the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (National VOAD) from 2012-2015.

Jono’s background and expertise in global disaster and crisis response strengthens and drives his passion towards proactive mitigation and problem solving of the climate crisis. He is committed to overseeing TCI’s organizational growth trajectory of empowering 10 million youth to climate action by 2025.

Jono and his husband Andy, Gender Equality & Social Inclusion Associate Director at Save the Children, live in Portland, ME and enjoy all things outdoors and their love of family and friends.

[She/Her/Hers]

Leia Lowery is the Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programs and Partnerships with The Climate Initiative. She brings over 20 years of experience in education, curriculum development, and community engagement, specializing in facilitating dynamic educational experiences that create critical thinkers, life-long learners, and productive citizens. As a co-founder of the Kennebunkport Climate Initiative, the programs she helped create continue to inspire The Climate Initiative’s programmatic approach and youth impact.

Leia advocates building stronger communities by connecting people through their local landscape and shared history. To her, it’s key to inspiring action and building hope for solutions to the climate crisis.

Leia is a speaker and trainer at national conferences and her passion has led to innovations in local programs. Her work as an educator and community building resulted in her winning the Gulf of Maine Council Visionary Award in 2019, as well as her programs being featured in the National Land Trust Alliance magazine.

Leia earned her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Virginia Tech with concentrations in International Development, Women’s Studies and Communications, and a Master’s of Science from Virginia Tech. Leia and her husband Jamie, along with their three children (Marshall, Caroline, and Henry), share a deep love of nature. From working in her garden to hiking to the top of a mountain, Leia enjoys all that the outdoors has to offer.

[She/Her/Hers]

Louise has worked on environmental issues throughout her entire career. She joins the TCI team after helping set the conservation strategy at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, TN. She has conducted sustainability research for Walt Disney World and, before that, was with Manta Consulting and IMPACTS Research & Development where she focused on projects for nonprofit clients. Louise holds an MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

Louise is excited to be focused on galvanizing youth around climate – the most critical environmental issue of our time.

[She/Her/Hers]

Meagan joins the TCI team with over 15 years of marketing communications experience working for global consumer brands, travel and tourism organizations and outdoor recreation companies. Her primary responsibilities for TCI include managing the organization’s brand identity and content strategy, online communities, website, email communications, and PR/media relations.

Meagan received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Marketing Communications and Public Relations from Emerson College. She’s a Maine native and when she is out of the office, you can find her, along with husband Matt, son Liam and Australian Shepherd Freya, mountain biking or hiking the conservation land in Kennebunkport and beyond.

[She/Her/Hers]

Kristina brings a decade of work in development for organizations focused on conservation, animal welfare, captive bear rescue and rehabilitation, higher education, and biomedical research. As a former bear biologist and wildlife rehabilitator, she had the good fortune to work with Eurasian brown bears and other magnificent megafauna.

Kristina received both her MS in environmental science and policy and her BA in French language and literature from Johns Hopkins University. She holds professional certifications in fundraising and development, environmental communications, animal welfare, animals in disasters, wildlife rehabilitation, and project management.

A native of Washington, DC and its environs, Kristina now lives in Vermont where she currently serves on the boards of two animal rescue organizations. In her spare time, she and her husband enjoy the outdoors and attempt to tire out their standard poodle. Kristina is thrilled to leverage her unique blend of environmental science and development experiences in service of TCI’s mission.

Nyla McFadden serves as the Assistant Director of Programs and Education Lead for TCI.  Nyla served as an educator for thirteen years. Her professional career exemplified a commitment to student growth. Her belief firmly rests in the importance of education to produce informed and responsible citizens, which was supported with an emphasis on the educational philosophy, Critical Literacy. All instruction designed and facilitated epitomized four essential skills: critical thinking, reading, and writing with a purpose, and to speak up. All these objectives strengthened students’ abilities to actively improve themselves and the society in which they live. This is the heart of Critical Literacy, and the philosophy that Nyla will use to support TCI’s education programs and instruction. 

Nyla’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in English from Johnson C. Smith University, a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Wake Forest University, and a Graduate Teaching Certificate, ELA 9-12, from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Additionally, I have earned my National Boards Teaching Certification in Adolescent and Young Adult Literature. 

[She/Her/Hers]

Megan Birnbaum was raised in San Diego, California and now resides in Maine, about an hour north of TCI’s Kennebunk headquarters. She studied Environmental Studies and Psychology at Bowdoin College, and is excited to build upon her knowledge of how our planet & our minds work, in order to empower other youth climate advocates. Having witnessed the effects of climate change on wildfire severity in her home state of California, Megan is passionate about finding ways to address climate change, from federal policy advocacy, to efforts in her own life & community. Megan has worked with kids & youth in various capacities throughout her life, & loves witnessing the sense of empowerment that develops with learning, especially around nature & our environment!

In her free time, Megan can be found catching a Maine sunrise along the coast, hiking, and experimenting with vegan(ish) recipes.

[She/Her/Hers]

Emily was raised in Kennebunk, Maine, and joins the team with several years of social and digital media experience. Receiving her BA in Communications from UNE in 2019, Emily has worked with consumer brands, including environmentally sustainable Maine businesses, and nonprofits. In addition to social and digital media, Emily is also an avid photographer and creates stop-motion animation videos.

She enjoys spending time at Goose Rocks Beach, skiing at Sugarloaf, and reading. Emily enjoys bringing her passion for her community to TCI.

Kate is originally from Wisconsin, but has lived in New Zealand, and more recently in Portland, Maine.  Kate’s background is in public school teaching, specifically English & Language Arts, with an emphasis on inquiry-based learning.  Kate has nearly twenty years of experience in teaching, business, leadership, and entrepreneurship, and is excited to bring these unique skills to the team at TCI.

Kate’s first introduction to environmental and climate action was as a youth in a traveling children’s theater troupe called “To Save the Planet”, where she was lucky enough to perform at the White House for Vice President Al Gore during the United Nations Global Youth Forum.  Ever since then, Kate has been passionate about the power of youth voices in tackling the world’s biggest challenges.

In her free time, Kate enjoys spending time with her husband Ollie and their two daughters Zoey and Natalie.  She enjoys reading, sewing, fishing, cooking, and enjoying the beautiful Maine outdoors.

Melissa Luetje is a science teacher at Kennebunk High School in RSU 21, which serves the towns of Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Arundel in southern Maine. She is certified in both physical and life science and is committed to getting her students out and into the field as much as possible. She is passionate about place-based education and experiential learning. Melissa is a tireless advocate for amplifying youth voices and providing opportunities that give youth agency so that they can make positive impacts in their communities in the fight against climate change.

Ariel joined the TCI team as the Volunteer Coordinator. Since 2018 she has dedicated herself to teaching and youth about climate change through her online Instagram platform @gogreensavegreen. She is an advocate for learning about both climate sciences and the social implications of climate change and its solutions.

Ariel has a background in Fine Arts and utilizes her creativity to the fullest when approaching how to creatively educate, excite and activate youth to engage with the climate crisis.

Based in Los Angeles CA, Ariel has seen firsthand the disproportionate impact climate change has on communities and works to educate others on the not-so-obvious impacts of climate change. In her free-time, she is found in Downtown Los Angeles at her studio. Ariel is formally trained as a ceramicist (both pottery and sculpture) but currently is focused on working as a sculptural artist utilizing upcycled materials. She is currently working on figuring out how to weave sustainability into her art practice and how sustainability translates to the materials used in her work.

Mesa was born and raised in the beautiful state of Montana. This upbringing made her passionate about outdoor recreation and gave her a profound appreciation for the environment, igniting her passion for sustainability. She is working towards her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Sociology at Montana State University and became involved with a research project that allowed her the opportunity to engage with social justice causes, particularly in the United Kingdom.

She also works with a policy education center associated with MSU, seeking to educate the MSU community about policy that impacts their lives in a nonpartisan and accessible way. This academic background as well as passion for policy and the outdoors has given Mesa the desire to address climate change and social inequalities through policy and education. She is excited to work towards that goal particularly through youth empowerment and community connections in her time with the TCI team.

In her free time, Mesa enjoys hiking, riding horses, drawing, cooking, and taking care of her many plants!

Caitlin Neal-Jones hails from the mountains of East Tennessee, but she fell in love with Louisiana during her AmeriCorps service year at Lafayette Habitat for Humanity. She’s been fortunate to call Louisiana her permanent home since 2016. Prior to joining TCI, Caitlin spent almost a decade working in clinical mental health, career counseling, and most recently school counseling. She has served in primary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions providing student and educator support.

During her time as a school counselor, Caitlin volunteered with the Southern Association of College Admissions Counseling to promote equity and college access for students. She is excited to continue building relationships with Louisiana students and teachers through her work with TCI. Caitlin holds a BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University, an MA in Counseling from East Tennessee State University, and she is currently pursuing an MPA at Louisiana State University.

In her free time, Caitlin loves volunteering in her community. She can often be seen biking around downtown Lafayette; shopping in her favorite independent bookstore, Beausoleil Books; and kayaking in the local lakes and bayous.

My name is Jack Reetz III and I recently accepted the position of Maine Fellow for The Climate Initiative. This May, I graduated with my MBA from Springfield College. I am an avid skier and nature-freak with strong backgrounds in finance, green-business and sustainability.

In 2020 I was an ambassador/intern for TCI and found that my personal interests and values align closely with those of this organization. As an ambassador/intern, I specialized in donor relations and conducted various research projects under the supervision of Leia Lowery and Meagan Cooper.

I had an incredible experience working with TCI in the past and am confident that my new role will be even more eye-opening and valuable this time around.

[She/Her/Hers]

Stephanie Rivas was born and raised in the heart of Los Angeles, California where she witnessed the effects of environmental racism on her community. Despite experiencing and witnessing environmental racism, she only fully understood the extent of the issue while enrolled in cross Ethnic Studies and Critical Gender Studies courses at the University of California San Diego. Through those classes she gained a new language and tool kit, as well as an intersectional lens, which highlighted the interconnectedness of various social justice issues. As a result, Stephanie began to look at climate change through a social justice framework. This led her to join the Student Sustainability Collective on campus where she was part of a team educating students on all things sustainability. Throughout her time there, she supported various efforts to improve campus policies, student awareness, and San Diego county initiatives.

The combination of her personal lived experiences and educational knowledge led her to obtain a BA in Critical Gender Studies and Communication. Stephanie now joins TCI as a Regional Coordinator excited to be part of a team that values an intersectional framework. It is her goal to support in activating the voices and minds of many youth, especially those with similar backgrounds as her.

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys exploring San Diego with her friends or staying in to watch the latest episodes of her favorite shows.

Toni joins TCI as the organization’s virtual assistant from the Philippines. She is an accomplished bachelor’s degree graduate at the University of Asia and the Pacific in the field of Entrepreneurial Management, where she graduated with Latin Honors, Cum Laude. Toni achieved the ‘studentpreneur’ award as she has owned and managed businesses since a very young age.

Toni’s skillset involve researching, multi-tasking, task management, and organization. She is excited to use these skills as she supports the day-to-day needs of TCI, remotely.

When she is not working for TCI, Toni enjoys traveling and planning trips to experience new cultures and see different parts of the world. She also loves business planning and ideating around finding solutions to problems. Toni looks to inspire and create an impact for the common good, just like The Climate Initiative.

Originally from New Jersey, Alexa received her BA in Peace & Justice Studies and Political Science from Pace University. Her studies exemplified the intersectionality of social, economic, and political issues, and how each of these are intertwined with our environment. After gaining research and policy experience working with NGOs within the UN, Alexa was excited to expand upon her work as she combined her passion for social activism with environmental justice. She now joins the TCI team from Tampa, Florida where she is studying for her MA in Global Sustainability. Her primary focus is transitioning the tourism industry into one that sustainably supports communities, without damaging their environments, cultures, or economies. Alexa has been inspired by the work of TCI, particularly with their efforts to engage youth in climate action. She is proud to work with a team of passionate activists who live out TCI’s mission every day. Working with the Program’s team, Alexa is excited to continue expanding TCI’s educational and advocacy outreach!

In her free time, Alexa enjoys traveling, spending time with friends, taking a trip to the beach, and baking.

[He/Him/His]

Javan Santos is a young policymaker who champions using policy as a tool to fight climate change. Born and raised in the island of Guam, Javan is an indigenous CHamoru and a proud Pacific Islander. Obtaining a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Guam, Javan understands the important relationship between politics and environmental protection, especially from the perspective of learning in a Pacific Island and a U.S. territory. 

The Pacific Islands are highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change, so Javan has worked to craft his skills in policy, having about seven years of policy experience. Javan was the Speaker of the Guam Youth Congress, a youth elected legislative body that writes and passes bills and submits them to the Guam Legislature for review. Serving in the Guam Youth Congress for six years, his notable policy accomplishment was successfully passing into law a plastic bag ban for the island of Guam. Javan has also worked as a policy analyst for the Guam Legislature, and has even interned in Congress with the Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies (APAICS). In both capacities, Javan drafted legislation on a variety of topics including renewable energy, agricultural protections, and indigenous fishing rights. 

In his off time, Javan volunteers as an editor for a youth-led Asian American and Pacific Islander newsletter called the Yappie. He also enjoys learning how to make Pacific Islander desserts and playing Pokémon with friends.

[She/Her/Hers]

Maria Claudia grew up exploring the beautiful natural landscapes of Miami, Florida—this is where her passion for ecological stewardship first began. While in college, she double-majored in Cultural Anthropology and Latinx, Latin American, and Caribbean Studies with a concentration in Social Justice Studies. She relocated to Miami after spending a year teaching at The Island School, an experiential-learning semester program for high school students. Throughout her time there, Maria Claudia taught a course on ‘Climate Artivism’ and Waste Management.

Over the past year she developed and taught an Environmental Justice course as part of Barry University’s after school CHAMPS program. Throughout this experience Maria Claudia was able to focus on a place-based and interdisciplinary approach, propelling students to explore the impacts of climate change in Miami through different lenses. Maria Claudia joins TCI as a Regional Coordinator and is excited to continue connecting with passionate youth.

Madison Barfoot was born and raised in North Louisiana, and currently serves TCI as a Community Conversation Fellow. She graduates in 2023 with a bachelors degree in toxicology, and hopes to continue professional work in environmental toxicology by mitigating toxic pollution in her home state. Madison believes environmentalism is for everyone, but loves speaking to Louisianans about the many ways our culture intersects a love of nature—and how to protect that. In her free time, she can be found enjoying time outdoors through gardening, long walks, or just enjoying the sunshine.

Cristian joined the TCI Team as a Community Conversations Policy Fellow in February and brings with him his passion for community service. He recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University with his Bachelor’s degrees in political science and psychology and plans on pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration later this year. Raised in South Florida, Cristian has seen the firsthand effects of climate change within his community. Enrolling in a course on Environmental Policies and Politics made him more aware of the actions he could take to ensure sustainability became a priority in the policy process. Seeing other pressing issues like poverty and educational disparities affecting his community, he began volunteering with the non-profit organization New Hope Charities at the age of thirteen. Since then, he has been guided by his passion for community service and assisting the community in its needs. With his community in need of effective climate solutions, Cristian was inspired to join TCI as a Policy Fellow to research the policy solutions that will work best for communities like his. As an MPA student, Cristian plans on further developing his skills in policy analysis and non-profit management so that he can continue to be a productive member of his community and lead the way in devising community-based solutions.

Cadence Housmans is the Texas Gulf South Fellow for The Climate Initiative. She currently attends Texas A&M University at Galveston and is studying Coastal Environmental Science and Society. After school she hopes to work with an environmental non-profit on environmental education outreach.

Stella is a junior at Tulane University studying Political Science and Social Policy with a minor in Environmental Studies! She was born and raised in Chicago, but now calls New Orleans home. Some of Stella’s hobbies include gardening, reading crime thrillers, and testing out vegetarian recipes on her meat-eating friends! (She has a very high success rate).

Sofia has 5+ years of experience advocating in the zero waste and climate change movements. Their experience is grounded in grassroots work as they started at a local Miami nonprofit, Sofia managed their zero waste curriculum and coordinated zero waste projects and events across local businesses and community spaces. Sofia also managed a coalition of activists working on environmental impact and resource management projects and launched a free resource redistribution thrift swap at the University of Miami. Recently Sofia interned at the Post Landfill Action Network, campaigning for more transparency and corporate accountability in contracts between soda companies and institutions, and is now working at Break Free From Plastic as an Operations Assistant for the US team. Sofia received their B.A. in English and Ecosystem Science and Policy from the University of Miami. Sofia speaks English and Spanish.

Originally from central Wisconsin amongst the corn and cows, Hajna (she/her/hers) grew up and went to school all over central Maine, north of TCI’s headquarters. Growing up, she always loved being outside and knew she wanted her career to involve two things at least: working with youth and something to do with the outdoors. It wasn’t until college, however – where she got her BA from Bowdoin College in Environmental Studies and Government/Policy, with a minor in Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies – that she was able to start exploring her home state and pursuing this path. Since this discovery, Hajna has dedicated her professional life to environmental education, policy, and advocacy – including work at the Nature Conservancy, JustME for JustUS, Defenders of Wildlife, the Maine People’s Alliance, and as Head of Outdoor Education at a local Maine summer camp. Hajna’s biggest passion and goal is to increase access to and encourage participation in the outdoors and environmental world for all youth, especially those who have historically been underrepresented in this space. She fully believes in the power exposure to nature and proper support can have in sparking a desire to get involved in climate action – as it did for her. Lucky for her, this is TCI’s specialty! Hajna looks forward to getting more diverse youth involved in climate action and spreading opportunities and education to all – as we need voices now more than ever to enact change. When she’s not working (and sometimes even while she is), Hajna can be found enjoying Maine’s beautiful outdoors in any capacity: hammocking, hiking, swimming, skiing, kayaking, reading, or generally adventuring with friends and as many dogs as possible.

Born and raised in Dallas, TX, Chris joined the TCI team as a Community Conversation fellow in January 2023. Since his time both in North Texas & Gulf South, he’s experienced firsthand the extremes of climate change and witnessed the direct impacts on vulnerable communities. After working for the USDA Forest Service in the California Central Valley, he witnessed the devastating effects of severe wildfires. Chris returned to North TX in 2021 with a new goal to be involved in the fight against climate change and to connect with his local community.”

Lucy was born in Houston, Texas and is now working towards her Bachelor of Social Work at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. While living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during high school, she had the opportunity to collaborate on sustainable development projects, starting her passion for environmental and social justice. Lucy hopes to continue her education by getting her master’s degree in international development, so she can advocate for communities impacted by climate-related disasters and assist in creating equitable policies. Throughout her academic journey, she has had the opportunity to engage in research projects related to climate change education and policy. Before joining the TCI team, she worked with a grassroots organization in Austin, Texas to kickstart their solar equity campaign and engage the Austin community in policy through discussion-based workshops. Lucy is passionate about addressing climate change through a social justice lens and is excited to use that passion to empower youth climate advocates! In her free time, Lucy enjoys spending time at the San Marcos River, going on hikes, and baking!

Riley Stevenson is a Maine Fellow at TCI. She grew up in Waldoboro, Maine, and has worked on local and statewide climate initiatives in the spheres of advocacy, activism, and policy change within the state. She is most interested in the social and economic impacts of the climate crisis on Maine’s communities, and in narrowing the gap between those creating environmental policy and those impacted by it. Riley took a gap year after high school, during which time she interned for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, traveled to Chile for three months, and led sea kayaking trips on the Maine coast. She is now studying at Brown University, and when not in Rhode Island can be found on an outdoor adventure in the woods or waters of Maine.

Bruce served as Public Affairs Manager for Marriott Corporation and Public Relations Director for the United States Olympic Committee. When leaving Marriott to join the Olympic Committee, Amusement Business hailed Bruce for “bringing a new level of professionalism to the role of public relations for the family entertainment business.”

Bruce held a special assignment to the President of Xerox Global Services, founded Burtch Barone Inc., a product design and marketing company, and was CEO of The William Bentley Agency.
Bruce also served as Director of Marketing & Communications for the American Red Cross Bay Area. He designed the marketing promotion of the unprecedented Prepare Bay Area campaign, which trained over 1 million San Francisco Bay Area residents in American Red Cross emergency preparedness.

The National Association of Community Leadership awarded Bruce the Distinguished Leadership Award for spearheading the development of the Tenderloin After-School Program in San Francisco’s crime-ridden Tenderloin District.

While an undergraduate at Ohio University, Bruce conceived the unique, degree-granting Honors Tutorial College, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.
Bruce created and produced, pro bono, the Youth Poster Contest, an unprecedented platform for students to stand up and speak out about issues important to them.
Bruce has received the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress, the Certificate of Recognition from the California State Legislature, and many other honors. Bruce has served on the Board of Directors or Advisory Boards of eighteen nonprofit organizations.

Anne Giblin is the Senior Scientist and Interim Director of Ecosystems Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory, at Woods Hole. Her research focuses on the effects of climate change and sea-level rise on salt marshes. She is committed to bringing science to youth and youth to science.

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Katharine Hayhoe is an accomplished atmospheric scientist who studies climate change and why it matters to us here and now. She is also a remarkable communicator who has received the American Geophysical Union’s climate communication prize, the Stephen Schneider Climate Communication award, the United Nations Champion of the Earth award, and been named to a number of lists including Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Thinkers, and FORTUNE magazine’s World’s Greatest Leaders.

Katharine is currently the Political Science Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law and co-directs the Climate Center at Texas Tech University. She has a B.Sc. in Physics from the University of Toronto and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science from the University of Illinois, and has been awarded honorary doctorates from Colgate University and Victoria University at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Somya Joshi is an Associate Professor in Governance and Sustainability at Stockholm University, whilst currently holding the position of Head of Division at Stockholm Environment Institute. At the latter she leads a dynamic team of experts on intersecting thematic areas such as SDGs, Climate Adaptation & Mitigation, Data complexity in global supply chains as well as Energy & Industry Transitions. Somya’s academic career has traversed the fields of technology innovation and disruption, with regard to societal and ecosystem transitions. She is particularly interested in how local grassroots engagement can be designed into decision making processes within the context of earth system governance.

Mike Judge is a high school AP Environmental Science teacher. He is passionate about helping students to understand the beauty of the world around them and approaching climate change from a local perspective before connecting to global issues. Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Harvard University, in his home state of Massachusetts.

Houston Kraft is a professional speaker, leadership consultant, and kindness advocate who speaks at schools, conferences, and events internationally. Houston is also the co-founder of CharacterStrong.

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James Manyika is a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, chairman of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), and a member of McKinsey’s board of directors. Manyika leads research on global economic and technology trends and serves many of the world’s leading high tech companies on growth, innovation, and strategy.

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Veerabhadran Ramanathan is the Edward A. Frieman Endowed Presidential Chair in Climate Sustainability and editor of “Bending the Curve: Climate Change Solutions” at the University of California at San Diego.

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Ambassador Francis Rooney represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. He is the Republican co-chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus and a member of the bi-partisan Everglades and Estuary caucuses, which focus on restoring Florida’s ecosystems.

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John D. Sterman is the Jay W. Forrester Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Professor in the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society. He is also the Director of the MIT System Dynamics Group and the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative.

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Kathryn has over twenty years of experience leading sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, and entrepreneurship projects around the world. She recently moved to Boulder, CO where she serves on the TCI Advisory Council.

Prior to living in Boulder, Kathryn was the Director of Program Delivery at Stanford University’s Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies (Stanford Seed), where she was responsible for managing core operations that support the organization’s innovation centers in Africa and India. Kathryn was previously a Global Social Performance Advisor at Chevron Corporation, where she managed corporate social responsibility and community engagement initiatives around the world.

Earlier in her career, Kathryn was a Sustainable Development Specialist at the World Bank, Program Manager at the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA), Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador, and Microloan Officer at Accion. Kathryn holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, an MA in Cultural Anthropology from Yale, and a BA with honors from Dartmouth College.

Tom Bradbury has served as the President, and now Executive Director, for the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, since 1978. In Tom’s time at the trust, the organization has protected nearly 2,400 acres of land on which over 20 miles of trails have been built. Tom’s conservation efforts were recognized when he became the first recipient of the American Land Conservation Award, becoming the leading citizen conservationist in the United States. Tom was also recognized in 2004 with the U.S. EPA New England Region “Lifetime Achievement” award.

Harold Brooks served over 40 years as an executive of the American Red Cross – including as Senior Vice President, International Operations and Chief Executive Officer American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter, Headquartered in San Francisco Chapter, and many other positions – domestic and global – beginning in 1975.

He currently serves as Chief Resilience Officer at the Global Community Resilience Institute where he strives to help community leaders save, restore, and grow the lives of their residents in the face of disruptions, changing conditions, and pressing global and local community issues. Harold also works as a Consultant to the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent.

He is a Senior Distinguished Fellow at Northeastern University – Global Resilience Institute and volunteers with Resilient Fruitvale Program in the Latin-X community of Oakland, California. Harold is an alumni of Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles.

Alejandra Carrasco is a Dartmouth Student from Lima, Peru. She is a Sociology and education major. Alejandra is involved with Magnuson Student Leadership Board, DartUP (Social Entrepreneurship club), Chess Club, Global Issues Scholars, and Senator at the Student Assembly at Dartmouth. She is also part of the FYSEP community and King Scholars. Before joining Dartmouth, she was former CEO–now Ambassador and CO-Founder of Wawa Laptop, the first eco-friendly laptop made in Peru. Also, she Co-found the ngo AEPEX (Peruvian student’s abroad association) to democratize the information for low-income students about the application process to colleges’ in the US.

Originally from the east coast, Monica has recently relocated to California after nearly a decade in Europe and Asia. After earning her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania, Monica practiced law in Philadelphia for several years prior to moving abroad. Currently a stay-at-home mom in the Bay Area, Monica has graciously volunteered her time and energy into management of TCI initiatives such as The Tidal Shift Art Award, in partnership with The Portland Museum of Art and now resides on our Board of Directors.

General Russel Honoré is a decorated 37-year army veteran and a global authority on leadership, disaster management, and climate preparedness. At the request of the Speaker of the House, the General led Task Force 1-6 Capitol Security Review to improve Capitol security following the attacks on January 6, 2021. As the commander of Joint Task Force Katrina, he became known as the “Category 5 General” for his leadership in coordinating military relief efforts in post-hurricane New Orleans.

General Honoré knows that the future of our national security depends on protecting our environment, and he’s fighting for a brighter future for us all. A Louisiana native, he founded the GreenARMY, a coalition of environmental experts and advocates, to protect against pollution while fighting climate change and the natural disasters it causes.

During his military career, General Honoré held numerous commands, including Vice Director for Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commander of the Standing Joint Force Headquarters-Homeland Security.

Fiona is the Engagement and Delivery Manager for the Bezos Earth Fund. In this role, she works closely with the President & CEO to advance the Fund’s strategic priorities and initiatives. Before joining the Earth Fund, she spent four years at the World Resources Institute curating the research and engagements of the President & CEO.

‍Fiona has previously held roles with the White House Office of Management and Budget during the Obama Administration, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, and Action for the Climate Emergency. Fiona holds a B.A. in International Development and Environment from McGill University.

Dr. Pamela Morgan is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. She teaches courses in conservation, ecological monitoring, wetlands, women and the environment, introductory environmental issues and more. She is dedicated to engaging students in field-based learning whenever possible. Her research focuses on coastal and freshwater wetlands, where she investigates how wetlands are affected by climate change and how they can help mitigate climate change. She also develops and assesses programs designed to connect young people with the natural world.

Andreata Muforo is a Partner at TLcom Capital based in Kenya. She is passionate about entrepreneurship and economic development and leads VC investments in early to growth stage tech-enabled businesses in Sub Saharan Africa. She is actively engaged in local partnerships with entrepreneurs, accelerators, and the Endeavor network for mentoring and deal flow generation.

Prior to joining TLcom, Andreata worked on capital raising and mergers and acquisitions mandates for projects and Funds across Africa and has a strong network among entrepreneurs and financiers. Andreata holds an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and graduated Phi Beta Kappa in Economics from Grinnell College in Iowa, USA.

Amelie Panaccione is from Boulder, CO. She brings the youth voice to TCI and has experience in fundraising over $50,000 through lemonade stands for World Bicycle Relief. Amelie has been involved with TCI since 2020, advocating for wildfire prevention strategies, inclusivity, and equitable solutions, and creating numerous ways for youth to get involved with TCI. She enjoys creating projects and events for donors and youth to connect in her role as a Board member.

Amelie is a member of her school newspaper has won a couple of writing accolades and also directs the donor-advised fund she founded for youth. She is a ski bum and tries to go up and shred the slopes at least once a week during the winter. In the summer, you will find Amelie going on an outdoor adventure either hiking up to an alpine lake to fish or deciding to summit all of her town’s surrounding mountains in one day.

Billy Shore is the founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength, the parent organization for the No Kid Hungry campaign. Since co-founding Share Our Strength in 1984, Billy has led the organization in raising more than $700 million to fight hunger and poverty and has won the support of national leaders in business, government, health, and education, sports and entertainment. Shore is the author of four books focused on social change and was named one of America’s Best Leaders by U.S. News & World Report.

Amy Tchao is Drummond Woodsum’s Practice Group Leader for Municipal Law. For the past two decades, Amy has focused her practice on general municipal law, land use law, and education law.

Based on her experience as a town attorney for several towns along Maine’s coast, and in its lakes regions, Amy has specialized in resolving complex problems arising from shorefront development, access, and permitting issues.

Amy is listed in Best Lawyers in America, a guide to leading lawyers in the country, in the categories of Municipal Law, Litigation-Municipal Law and Education Law and was selected by Best Lawyers as Maine’s 2014 “Lawyer of the Year” in the category of Municipal Litigation. Best Lawyers also named her Maine’s 2012 Education “Lawyer of the Year.”

Angela Zhong is a first-generation Asian-American Harvard sophomore. She is studying economics with a secondary in environmental science public policy and a citation in Mandarin. Hailing from Houston, Angela has felt the impacts of natural disasters and climate change first-hand. Though she is currently on a gap year, she previously served as her school’s first-ever Minister for Climate and Sustainability on the Undergraduate Council Executive Cabinet. Learn more about her at: angelazhong.com.