We Have a BIG Announcement!
Join us in celebrating TCI’s 2nd Executive Director, Leia Lowery!
Three years ago.
Rewind three years from today, and the small, 5-person TCI team was sitting around a table in Kennebunkport, Maine. Our founding team member, and programs-lead Leia Lowery had an idea to expand our early core climate education and empowerment programming across the country. It was a big vision. This idea had led to the funding and creation of The Climate Initiative a year earlier. Three years ago, we had just hired our first executive director, Jono Anzalone. Jono was a 20+ year veteran of the Red Cross, who had decided to put his professional passion and expertise into the preventative side of disaster resilience, versus disaster response. Over the next three years Jono led TCI, navigating through a global pandemic, a rapidly-expanding national staff, and setting up the systems necessary to ensure smooth growth as TCI programs expanded to incredible levels with positive responses and accolades from both youth and educators.
Today.
Now our team of 14 sits around a table, looking towards our 2025 goal of empowering 1 million youth for climate action and reflecting on all of the work that has made that goal a reachable reality. Our team has grown and changed over these three years, and one exciting change we’d like to announce is our new leader to guide TCI into its next growth chapter. Please join us in our excitement as we announce that Leia Lowery, current Deputy Director, Head of Programming and Partnerships, and TCI co-founder is going to be stepping into The Climate Initiative’s Executive Director position, starting January 1. Jono will be transitioning from his role as Executive Director to the Board of Directors of The Climate Initiative in 2024.
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the inaugural Executive Director of TCI, with our initial years focused on establishing the foundational systems that will enable our organization to continue its mission of empowering voices for climate action. I am thrilled to announce the promotion of Leia Lowery to the position of Executive Director. As many know, Leia’s programming was the founding vision for our organization. It is a true honor to see her take on this new role. Her dedication and commitment to our mission of empowering youth voices for climate action have been instrumental in our success, and we are excited to see her lead us into the future.”
Our staff is forever grateful to Jono for his leadership, generosity of spirit, and guidance in the early years of our organization’s history. We look forward to continuing our work of growing our mission’s impact under Leia’s vision and leadership as our new Executive Director.
Giving Tuesday
We are kicking off our end of year fundraising campaign tomorrow. Please consider TCI this Giving Season and our mission of empowering youth voices for climate action. Learn more about our three-year impact here.
Visit our Giving Tuesday Campaign Page
Celebrate our Executive Leadership transition with us!
The full TCI team is hosting an end of year gathering in Portland, Maine on Tuesday, December 12th to celebrate TCI’s third birthday, share in our accomplishments and recognize our leadership transition.