ECOAMERICA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Founder and CEO, Christensen Global
Alan Chung was most recently the Chief Executive Officer of Perka, Inc. Alan is a Serial Entrepreneur with thirty years of experience creating software companies. Mr Chung is also an active angel investor and startup mentor. He served as the CEO of Zenbe, an email suite that reinvented web-based email. Zenbe was acquired by Facebook. Prior to Zenbe, he founded iAmaze a pioneering developer of cutting edge Javascript applications. iAmaze was acquired by AOL in 2000. Before that, he co-founded Lighthouse Design and spent seven years leading that company's engineering development of innovative personal productivity application software. Mr Chung and his wife Buffy Redsecker are both very active environmental conservationists. He also serves as a board member for WildAid, a wildlife conservation group. Mr. Chung has dual degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- President & CEO, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Job Titles:
- Director, Network Activation
As the Director of Network Activation and Events for ecoAmerica, Ashley plays a pivotal role in mobilizing and expanding the reach of the organization's initiatives and Ambassador program. Beyond her efforts in network activation, her expertise as an Events Director is crucial in orchestrating impactful gatherings and forums that bring together thought leaders, policymakers, and activists to foster dialogue and drive collective action towards climate solutions. With a keen focus on fostering collaborations and engaging diverse communities, Ashley spearheads strategies to inspire action and support among stakeholders for sustainable and impactful environmental change. Ashley is an avid nature enthusiast who cherishes her time camping, paddleboarding, biking, spending quality moments with her dog, and exploring the majestic redwoods and rugged northern coast of California.
Job Titles:
- Director, Climate for Health
Ben Fulgencio-Turner leads the Climate for Health program, a national initiative to build climate leadership and action in the health sector, advancing solutions that protect personal and community health.
Ben started his career as a community organizer in New Orleans, supporting neighborhood leaders and building power in communities recovering from Hurricane Katrina. He has studied and worked within systems of safety-net health care for over fourteen years, developing cross-sector partnerships to address root causes of health inequities. He received a BA from Tulane University and a MPP from Georgetown University.
Ben lives in Maryland with his wife, daughter, and two dogs where they all enjoy camping, finding hidden gems in their community, and figuring-out new recipes together.
Job Titles:
- Founder
- Member of the Board
- President
Bob Perkowitz is president and founder of ecoAmerica, a non-profit that empowers national health, faith, and community organizations in effective climate action and advocacy. Bob has served on the boards of the Sierra Club Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, and ClearPath Foundation. In his business career, he has been CEO of Cornerstone Brands, Home Fashions, Inc., Smith+Noble, and a director of SNAP A/V and SRAM, Inc. Bob received a B.S. from Lake Forest College and an M.B.A. from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Founder, Philanthropic Ventures
Job Titles:
- Communities Program Director
- the Communities Program Director
Brett is the Communities Program Director and leads ecoAmerica's work to engage and activate America's communities in climate action, advocacy and collective action. His work is concerned with helping cities, counties, states, and community-based national organizations address the country's most pressing environmental challenges. His work is guided by the priorities of people whose voices are too often neglected or ignored within environmental decision-making.
Brett is an educator and researcher by training, and holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Edinburgh. He previously held a career in academia and has worked closely with the United Nations on a range of climate and environment-related programming. He speaks English, Lithuanian, and a bit of Spanish. His hobbies include SCUBA diving, bicycle building, cycling, being outdoors, and watching European basketball. Brett has lived in four countries and visited many more.
Job Titles:
- Fellow, Climate for Health
- Health Physician
Bruce Bekkar is a women's health physician and international keynote speaker engaged with the climate crisis since 2007. He Chairs the Public Health Advisory Council in San Diego and is a member of ecoAmerica's Leadership Circle. Bruce has spoken to audiences ranging from the American Meteorological Society to Genentech, England's Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and members of the California State Senate and the US House of Representatives. He is the lead author of the first large-scale review of birth impacts and climate change in the US, published in JAMA in June 2020.
Job Titles:
- Director of Blessed Tomorrow
Rev. Carol L Devine is the Director of Blessed Tomorrow, a coalition of diverse religious partners united as faithful stewards of creation. She is an ordained pastor in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She has pastored congregations in Kentucky and has been part of Disciples' regional staff. She has recently worked at Lexington Theological seminary where she earned her MDiv. She also has a M.S. from University of Kentucky and a B.A. from Transylvania University. Carol founded and directs Creation Care for the denomination as the Minister for Green Chalice and has partnered with ecoAmerica through Blessed Tomorrow since 2015. Carol has three young adult children (Benjamin, Elijah, and Sarah) and one old dog. She loves to hike, kayak, cycle, garden, and read.
Job Titles:
- Conservation Philanthropy Professional
Chip Giller is a social entrepreneur working at the intersection of media, culture, community, and emerging technology. He believes in a planet that doesn't burn and a future that doesn't suck. His current focus is on the transformative opportunities opened up by new immersive technologies, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, to build relationships, foster empathy, and shape culture.
Giller has been an innovator in the climate movement and media field for more than 25 years, leading creative storytelling teams and partnering with nonprofits, companies, philanthropists, activists, and other leaders to accelerate progress to a better, more just world. In 1999, he founded one of the first digital news organizations and first nonprofit newsrooms, Grist, intent on using a new type of journalism to engage the next generation on environmental issues. Over more than two decades, Grist has helped to introduce climate into the mainstream, held power to account across our threatened democracy, and inspired millions to get engaged, take action, and even shift careers to focus their lives on the climate crisis. The organization has also played a vital role in training a new, diverse generation of journalists who are now reporting for some of the country's most influential media outlets. Grist has been recognized in many ways for its impact, including as the 2021 recipient of a General Excellence Award from the Online Journalism Association.
In 2017, Giller launched Fix, Grist's solutions lab. Fix explores the world of what's possible, identifying and celebrating a diverse array of climate solutions leaders; connecting them to each other through creative events to deepen their impact; and telling unexpected stories about justice and progress, including through an award-winning climate-fiction contest.
Giller is dedicating his time now to preparing mission-driven storytellers for extended reality (XR), which he believes will be the next platform for communications, community engagement, and organizing. He continues to sit on the Grist Board and also co-directs a philanthropic fund that supports social-justice leaders.
Among other honors, Giller has received a Heinz Award for founding the country's most influential green media platform, and been named a TIME magazine "Hero of the Environment." He has been featured for his work in such outlets as Vanity Fair and Outside, and appeared on broadcast programs such as NBC's Today show. Before launching Grist, Giller was editor of Greenwire, the first environmental news daily. He and his family live on Vashon Island, near Seattle.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Fenton Communications
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- President, National Audobon Society
Job Titles:
- Chief Administrative Officer
Dirk Kincannon is responsible for finance, human resources, systems, and operations. Prior to ecoAmerica Dirk was the Chief Operating Officer at Vivaterra where he oversaw finance, operations, and administration. Before Vivaterra he held positions in financial management as Director of Finance at Napastyle and as Controller of eGain Communications (EGAN), where he helped lead the company through its IPO in 1999. Dirk began his finance career at Velocity, Inc. and served as accounting manager there and later at WhoWhere?-now part of Lycos, Inc. Dirk received his BA from the University of California, Berkeley and his MBA from Golden Gate University. He was a volunteer English teacher in West Sumatra, Indonesia with Volunteers in Asia and also taught in Hungary. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and daughter. He enjoys playing piano (especially duets with his daughter) and loves to cycle and swim.
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chairman of the Board
- President of Resources for the Future
Dr. Phil Sharp became president of Resources for the Future in 2005. He served as director of Harvard's Institute of Politics from 1995 to 1998 and again from 2004 until 2005. He also was a senior research fellow in Harvard's Environmental and Natural Resources Program from 2001 to 2003. He served 10 terms as a U.S. Congress member from Indiana, from 1975 to 1995. Following his decision not to seek an 11th consecutive term in the House, Phil joined Harvard's Kennedy School, where he was a lecturer in Public Policy from 1995 to 2001. Earlier, he taught political science at Ball State University, from 1969 to 1974.
Phil earned a B.A. from Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the Department of Government, also at Georgetown.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Executive Office & Campaign Manager
Emily Hilton is the Executive Office & Campaign Manager. Prior to joining ecoAmerica, she worked as a contributing executive assistant to the editorial director at the Hollywood Reporter, an entertainment trade magazine.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in English and East Asian studies from Wesleyan University, she attended the Columbia Publishing Course at Oxford University. Originally from Seattle, Emily is new to DC but very excited to be back on the East Coast. She is an avid reader and can usually be found at the farmers market on the weekends.
Eric was born in Monterrey, Mexico and moved to Washington D.C. at a young age. Eric graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Policy. Throughout his education and work experience, Eric has approached environmental, economic, and social issues with a multicultural perspective. Most importantly, Eric has long kept a driven focus on promoting climate progress and championing sustainable practices.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Managing Director, Valence Life Sciences
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Venture Partner, Technology Crossover Ventures
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Secretary of State for Global Affairs
Frank Loy was Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs from 1998 to January 2001. His portfolio included human rights, the promotion of democracy, refugees and population issues, international law enforcement, the environment - and he served as chief U.S. climate negotiator. He was a senior official in the State Department in two earlier administrations. From 1981 to 1995 he was president of The German Marshall Fund of the U.S., an American foundation dealing with political, economic and environmental issues concerning the U.S. and Europe. From 1989 on much of GMF's program was focused on the Central and Eastern European nations that had been under Soviet domination. From 1970 to 1979 he was engaged in the business sector, first as Senior Vice President of Pan American Airways and then in the successful effort to bring the bankrupt Penn Central Railroad Corp., then the largest bankruptcy in U.S history, out of bankruptcy. He ended as president of the solvent, New York Stock Exchange-listed successor company. He has been chair of a number of non-profit boards, including the Environmental Defense Fund, the League of Conservation Voters, Resources for the Future, and PSI, a family planning and health organization operating in almost 60 developing countries (current chair). He remains currently on the boards of EDF, RFF, and PSI, and serves also on the boards of The Nature Conservancy and C2ES. He is a graduate of UCLA and the Harvard Law School. He is married to Dale Haven Loy, a painter, and has two children and four grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Ariadne Wealth Management
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder of GRC Advising
Geof Rochester is currently founder of GRC Advising focused on strategy development for non-profits and brands in the area of marketing and corporate social responsibility. He is a recognized thought-leader in corporate sustainability, CSR, philanthropy, marketing and social entrepreneurship. He brings distinctive and dynamic experience with the world's leading conservation NGO, media companies, and consumer goods brands.
Previously, Rochester served in a global roles as Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer of The Nature Conservancy, where he was responsible for steering the organization's marketing, membership and visibility strategies. At TNC Geof specifically pushed the organization to broaden support for the environment by going after mega brand partners and unusual collaborations with companies like Macy's, Subway, Harley Davidson, Univision, Globo and a host of other leading global organizations. Prior, he held the positions of Executive Vice President for Marketing at World Wrestling Entertainment, and Senior Vice President for Marketing at Showtime Networks. Earlier in his career, he served in senior marketing positions with Comcast Communications, Radisson Hotels International, and Proctor and Gamble. Born in Barbados and raised in Brooklyn, he earned his bachelor's from Georgetown University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Rochester is highly sought for his opinions and insights, guidance and inspiration, and heart. He serves on several boards and consults with nonprofit organizations to help advance missions through strategic marketing communications efforts. He speaks regularly on the topics of brand purpose and sustainability.
Job Titles:
- American Climate Leadership Awards Program Director
Gibbs Rehlen has 20 years of experience in strategic corporate social responsibility, international development, project coordination, and communications. She leads the American Climate Leadership Awards Program, managing stakeholder engagement and steering the program as it progresses into its third year.
Gibbs provided a number of key roles at ecoAmerica, including overseeing the Network Department as Senior Network Director and serving on the Executive Management Team. Before joining ecoAmerica she worked in a special advisor role to the CEO of Pact, an international development organization. At Pact, she managed the organization's rebrand, oversaw two signature initiatives on small-scale mining and an international development collaborative for all the major organizations. In addition, she supported corporate engagement and the due diligence program to engage prospective partners more responsibly.
A fluent Italian speaker, Gibbs spent ten years living and working in Italy on social responsibility in the legal sector. She has also spent time living and working in Costa Rica, India, Kenya, and South Sudan. Gibbs received her BA in Comparative Religion from the University of Vermont and an MS in Nonprofit Management from the School for International Training Graduate Institute. She and her husband live in Georgetown, DC with their two daughters and a son.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Secretary of the Board
- Lawyer at Vedder Price P.C. in Chicago
Guy E. Snyder is a lawyer at Vedder Price P.C. in Chicago, Illinois and is a member of the firm's Corporate Practice Area. Guy concentrates his practice in the areas of business, corporate and securities law. He works extensively in mergers and acquisitions, financings and general business matters. Guy acts as outside general counsel to a variety of middle market and upper middle market companies including several foreign-based multinational companies operating in the U.S. and abroad. Guy is a member of the Board of Trustees of the John G. Shedd Aquarium and serves on the Board of Directors of ecoAmerica. He is also active in numerous other business and social organizations, including the Association for Corporate Growth, The Economic Club of Chicago, and the Chicago chapter of The Entrepreneurship Institute. He has also been retained to provide expert witness testimony on corporate securities issues. Guy has been recognized by his peers in Illinois Super Lawyers. Guy is a 1976 graduate from Marquette University and received his law degree from Loyola University in 1979. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Job Titles:
- Independent Law Practice Professional
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Executive Vice President, Foundation for the Carolinas
Job Titles:
- Marketing Communications Specialist
Jacob serves as the Marketing Communications Specialist. Jacob was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from San José State University, receiving his B.A. in Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing. Prior to joining ecoAmerica, Jacob implemented and coordinated marketing campaigns, newsletters, social media platforms, and special projects while working for the Associated Students of San José State University. Jacob works within the marketing team to promote and deliver ecoAmerica's resources while managing the organization's digital and social media content. Jacob lives in the Bay Area and enjoys his free time by singing, playing guitar, and attending live music events.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Co - Founder and Chairman, Kohlberg & Company, LLC
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Marketing
Jennifer Giordano is responsible for the development and implementation of ecoAmerica's marketing programs and our strategic partnership initiatives. Jennifer has a strong background directing diverse marketing, public relations and promotional events for leading global brands and nonprofit organizations. She has a combination of creative, analytical, and consultative skills that help her create marketing strategies and compelling content. Jennifer finds it deeply gratifying to work collaboratively with team members to create innovative marketing solutions. Jennifer is a nature lover. When not at her desk, she can be found hiking Marin's spectacular Mount Tamalpais or exploring West Marin's rugged coastline. Jennifer loves to travel and is an active member of SFMOMA and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Job Titles:
- Network Engagement Manager
Jess Gray is the Network Engagement Manager at ecoAmerica. She works across the organization supporting the Climate Ambassador Program, the annual American Climate Leadership Summits, and managing the weekly Let's Talk Climate webcasts. She has a passion for implementing climate solutions and creating a more just and equitable society. Previously at the US Climate Action Network (USCAN), she managed onboarding new network members as well as communications and annual events for USCAN's diverse network members. In her free time, she can be found enjoying nature and hiking D.C.'s trails or with her nose in a book.
Job Titles:
- Partner, One Better Ventures, LLC
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Chairman, Ashlin Management Company
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and Managing Partner of Orient Point Partners
Joseph Gatto is the Founder and Managing Partner of Orient Point Partners, which is engaged in strategic advisory services and investments.
Prior to Orient Point, Mr. Gatto served in a number of investment banking leadership roles: Partner at Perella Weinberg from 2012 to 2018, Chairman of Investment Banking and Co-Head of Corporate Finance at Barclays Americas from 2008 to 2011, and Co-Head of Corporate Finance and Vice Chairman at Lehman Brothers from 2005 to 2008. Prior to 2005, he spent over two decades at Goldman Sachs, becoming a Partner in 1994, leading the Firm's Strategic Advisory Group and then serving as Global Chairman of Consumer Products Banking.
Mr. Gatto was an Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard University in 2018, where his work inspired him to focus on promoting environmental and mental health. He is President of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Connecticut and a member of the Board of ecoAmerica. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School where he also serves on the Board of Overseers.
Mr. Gatto earned his BA from Princeton University, his MBA from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, and his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Prior to joining ecoAmerica, Kaitlin spent a year and half as a graphic designer for a clothing boutique/studio, where she worked on projects from social media graphics, infographics, and creating an entire magazine from ideation to completed publication. At ecoAmerica, Kaitlin works closely with the marketing team to help create visual tools for climate change engagement. Born and raised in California, Kaitlin attended San Francisco State University where she received a B.S. in Visual Communication Design. She currently lives in the East Bay where you can find her testing out new cooking/baking recipes, planning her next getaway, or just hanging out with her loved ones.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Co - Chair )
Job Titles:
- Trustee, Hartfield Foundation
Job Titles:
- Development Manager
- Manager for EcoAmerica 's Development
Lori O'Neill is the manager for ecoAmerica's Development team. She supports the team in research and management.
Prior to joining ecoAmerica, Lori worked with several NGOs, including the World Resources Institute, the Environmental Defense Fund and Ashoka Global. Additionally, while pursuing her MSc degree, Lori worked as an Energy Advisor at Viridian Housing in London, England.
Lori holds a MSc in Environmental Economics from the London School of Economics and a BS in Energy Policy from The Pennsylvania State University.
Job Titles:
- President, Chi - Box, Inc
Mandy was the senior accountant at CompassPoint Nonprofit Services for 18 years. Prior joining CompassPoint, she was the accountant at Swords to Plowshares, a nonprofit organization for homeless veterans. Mandy received her BS in Accounting at San Francisco State University. Originally from China, she now lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Research and Marketing Specialist
Marryam received her MPA from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs, focusing on Economic and Political Development. While at Columbia, Marryam served as the Graduate Consultant to The UN Resident Coordinator Office in Mongolia, where she worked on building sustainable business cases to advance renewable energy transition in Mongolia. Marryam also worked as a Reports and Partnerships Specialist at Columbia's Communities Speak Project to mainstream community voices in policymaking. Her previous professional experiences include a corporate market research role before transitioning to data and research roles with the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government and UNESCO. Originally from Pakistan, Marryam currently lives in New York. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Asian recipes, catching Broadway shows, and spending time with her loved ones.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Board
Meighen is ecoAmerica's Executive Director, and has helped the organization achieve its mission since 2008. Before joining ecoAmerica, Meighen was the Brand Director for (RED). She was integral to the conception, launch and continued growth of the (RED) brand, and led collaboration with partners (Gap, Hallmark, Windows and more) on all consumer-facing expressions of their (PRODUCT) RED partnership. Meighen also worked at Mattel, Inc. where she held roles in brand and marketing for their consumer products division with over 1,000 worldwide licensees of the Barbie other Mattel brands. Her early career was in financial services, working in strategic and online marketing for American Express and as VP Marketing for Robertson Stephens Investment Bank. Meighen lives in San Francisco with her husband and two children.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- CEO, BusinessUS
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Co - Founder and CEO of Unety
Parker White is the co-founder and CEO of Unety, a marketplace that connects small commercial properties to the largest network of sustainable capital providers in the U.S., ensuring that even the smallest businesses can afford clean power. Prior to Unety, Parker was the Director of the Commercial Real Estate investment team at Hannon Armstrong Capital, one of the nation's oldest and largest principal capital providers exclusively focused on environmentally positive project finance.
Additionally, Parker has advised many of the world's largest companies and cities on how to partner, procure, or build solutions that improve building environmental performance, most notably at Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. (JLL) as Vice President of Intelligent Building Solutions for the Americas and as head of the Energy and Sustainability Services group for Greater China.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Parker is originally from Nashville. He completed his graduate studies at Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, China, where he lived for seven years.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Founder, Witt - Thomas Productions and Coast Ridge Films
Peggy Knudson was recently appointed Vice President of Development at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the official nonprofit partner to the National Marine Sanctuary System, where she oversees and manages the Foundation's fundraising strategy, development, and execution.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Board Co - President, AHA!
Job Titles:
- Executive Director Emeritus, Christian Connections for International Health
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Author, Journalist, and Speaker
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair ), Board Member, the Stimson Center
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
Robbianne Mackin is the Chief Development Officer at ecoAmerica. Robbianne has over 20 years of high-level fundraising experience in education, social science and physical and life sciences, working for private and non-profit organizations such as NPC Research, The Nature Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, and National Audubon Society. Robbianne has also been an independent consultant working directly with organizations and individuals needing assistance, counseling and consulting in program evaluation, strategic planning and fundraising. She has presented at the American Evaluation Association's national conferences on both social science research and evaluation and environmental program evaluation projects. Prior to joining ecoAmerica, Robbianne was Senior Vice President, Principal Gifts at The New York Academy of Sciences.
Job Titles:
- Investor
- Member of the Board
Sarah Finnie is an investor in large-scale climate solutions and the Founding Director of The 51 Percent Project, which identifies efficacious communications strategies, messaging, and modalities to effectively address climate change with ambition - in time to avoid the worst extreme-weather scenarios predicted by scientists. The 51 Percent Project is based at Boston University's Institute for Sustainable Energy, where Robinson is a Senior Fellow. She is appointed to BU's College of Communication as Adjunct Clinical Professor. Robinson is currently collaborating on three research projects, including the Rapid Switch Corporate inquiry at Princeton University's Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment.
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Clinical Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern School of Business
Job Titles:
- Emeritus Director
- Head of Sustainability, JetBlue Airways
Job Titles:
- Network Engagement Manager
Prior to joining ecoAmerica, Sydney spent three years doing volunteer development at Girl Scouts Nation's Capital supporting the training program for new volunteers and overseeing recognition and retention efforts through planning events, developing communications, and leading workshops. As the Network Engagement Manager at ecoAmerica, Sydney works with the ambassador program and the learning management system to support the Blessed Tomorrow, Climate for Health, and Path to Positive programs. Sydney received a B.S. in Political Science at Florida State University and is completing a graduate program in Nonprofit Management at the University of Central Florida. As a Florida native, Sydney loves spending time outdoors, especially at the beach. Since moving to the D.C. area, she has gotten involved in the community through volunteering with Free Minds Book Club.
Job Titles:
- Volunteer / Philanthropist
Job Titles:
- Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Terra Alpha Investments LLC
Job Titles:
- Executive Chairman, Tiri Group Limited