THE ELP FELLOWSHIP CLASS OF 2003-2004

Omar Attum, Doctoral Candidate, University of Louisville
Omar Attum is a doctoral student in the Department of Biology at the University of Louisville, where he is completing a doctoral thesis on how pastoral practices affect biodiversity in Egypt. Omar presently is working with local communities in Egypt to conserve the endangered Egyptian tortoise. He serves as board member for TortoiseCare Egypt, and is a member of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group. Omar also is a freelance photographer whose work has appeared in a book and numerous magazines.

Cristina Balboa, Doctoral Candidate, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Cristina Balboa is a doctoral candidate at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where she is studying the role of international conservation non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in resource management and policymaking. Cristina's research examines the legitimacy of the new governance roles played by NGOs, in search of mechanisms to make them more accountable to resource-dependent communities. Previously, Cristina was a researcher at the World Resources Institute, where she worked on coastal and marine issues in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.

Marcelo Bonta
Marcelo Bonta is a consultant with environmental organizations and institutions on conservation, diversity, partnership, and outreach strategies. He has planned workshops and national conferences on diversity issues in the environmental field and has helped build non-traditional partnerships and outreach efforts. Previously, Marcelo was the conservation program associate for Defenders of Wildlife's Northwest office, where he worked on conservation policy and planning issues and habitat protection strategies. Prior to Defenders of Wildlife, Marcelo worked as a rare bird monitor and researcher for the Massachusetts Audubon Society and as a planner with the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program.

Kevin Bryan, Meridian Institute, Meridian Institute
Kevin Bryan is a Mediator at the Meridian Institute, where he works with other professionals to design, convene, and facilitate multi-party problem solving interactions to resolve public policy problems of mutual interest. Meridian's mediators and facilitators help parties identify critical issues, build relationships and trust, construct innovative solutions, and implement the results. Previously, Kevin was senior coordinator for the National Wind Coordinating Committee at RESOLVE, where he identified opportunities to work with individuals and stakeholder groups on wind energy issues. Prior to RESOLVE, Kevin worked with Environmental Defense, where he helped establish guidelines for stakeholder involvement in environmental decision making, and was project manager for energy markets research with the City of San Jose (CA).

Courtney Cuff, Pacific Regional Director, National Parks Conservation Association
Courtney Cuff is Pacific regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association. Courtney designs programs to protect National Parks in California and Hawaii from development, pollution and underfunding. She recently launched a "Defending the Desert" campaign to protect the biodiversity of the Southern Californian desert lands. Previously, Courtney was director of government affairs and of the Green Scissors Campaign at Friends of the Earth in Washington, D.C. Courtney also worked on a number of U.S. House and Senate political races, sat on the League of Conservation Voters Political Advisory Committee, and was a board member of the Safe Energy Communications Council.

Josh Donlan, Doctoral Candidate, Cornell University; and Research Ecologist, Island Conservation
Josh Donlan is a doctoral student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University, where his research involves terrestrial trophic interactions, biodiversity patterns, biogeography, impacts of exotic species on island ecosystems, and direct island conservation action; after completing his studies in early 2007, Josh will take on a research position in Tasmania, Australia. Concurrently, Josh is a research ecologist for Island Conservation, where he has helped execute a regional island conservation program in Northwest Mexico, as well participated in island ecology and conservation projects in Alaska, California, Galapagos, and Chile. He also is the director of the island conservation database project, a regional biodiversity database for the islands of California and Mexico. Previously, Josh was a research fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and a Switzer Foundation Conservation Fellow.

Joshua Feldmark, Executive Director, Center for Environmental Citizenship
Joshua Feldmark is executive director of the Center for Environmental Citizenship, where he works to educate, train, and organize a diverse, national network of young leaders to protect the environment. He also serves in local government as the Wilde Lake representative to the Columbia (MD) Council, representing over 6,500 residents. Previously, Joshua founded the Rutgers University Sierra Student Coalition, which was active in local wetlands preservation and the Anti-Shell Oil campaign. He later served a year in AmeriCorps as a Volunteer Maryland! Coordinator.

Kristen Fletcher, Director, Marine Affairs Institute and Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program, Roger Williams University School of Law
Kristen Fletcher is director of the Marine Affairs Institute, where she directs research and outreach on ocean, coastal and maritime issues to state and federal agencies, policy-makers, and coastal user groups in the New England region. Kristen teaches Coastal and Ocean Law, Fisheries Law and Natural Resources Law and assists students enrolled in the marine law program and the Joint Degree Program at the Law School and the University of Rhode Island Department of Marine Affairs. She is President-Elect of The Coastal Society and previously served as director of the Sea Grant Law Center and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program at the University of Mississippi.

Brian Gitt, Executive Director, Green Resource Center
Brian Gitt is the Executive Director for Green Resource Center, an organization that seeks to develop the market for green buildings by offering technical assistance and training while connecting consumers and professionals with all sectors of the green building industry. Previously Brian was a founder and chief technology officer of Biosystem Solutions, a company committed to converting waste into resources by designing and manufacturing new composting technology. Brian has done extensive product development, market analysis and educational outreach in the field of organic waste recycling. Previously, he was an outdoor educator leading groups of teenagers on extended wilderness expeditions throughout Alaska and the Southwestern U.S.

Jim Igoe, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado at Denver
Jim Igoe is an assistant professor in anthropology at the University of Colorado at Denver, where he studies the relationships between national parks and indigenous communities in various parts of the world. Jim also is organizing an new organization called Bridge for Indigenous Development and Grassroots Empowerment (BRIDGE), to facilitate networking between indigenous communities, scholars, and policy makers. BRIDGE also seeks to highlight indigenous conservation models and environmental knowledge. Previously, Jim's research examined the impacts of national parks indigenous resource management in the semi-arid savanna ecosystems of East Africa.

David Kirkpatrick, Director of Northwest Commercial Origination, GE Wind Energy
David Kirkpatrick is director of Northwest Commercial Origination for GE Wind Energy, where he negotiates wind farm deals involving sites or customers in the Northwest. Previously, David worked as a strategy consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, where he specialized in the energy industry. He also was a product manager at Amazon and a process consultant at Ernst & Young. While in school, David founded the Outdoor Emory Organization, lobbied for the Sierra Club, and co-founded the Harvard Business School Sustainable Development Society.

Susannah Lindberg, Program Director, Florida Clean Water Action
Susannah Lindberg is the Florida Program Director for Clean Water Action, a national citizens' organization working for clean, safe and affordable water, and the prevention of health-threatening pollution. Previously, Susannah was the executive director of the Wildlife Advocacy Project, an advocacy group affiliated with the public interest law firm, Meyer & Glitzenstein. Susannah coordinated grassroots outreach and media efforts for an eighteen-organization coalition effort. In addition, she recently founded a next-generation Florida environmental leadership coalition called "Green Behind the Ears," which she hopes will strengthen the effectiveness and clout of the Florida environmental community. Susannah has also worked for the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) on such campaigns as campaign finance reform, clean air, the National Forests Roadless Rule, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Susannah served as chair of the Florida PIRG board of directors for three years.

Jacqueline Liriano, Executive Director, Neighborhood Reinvestment
Jacqueline Liriano is executive director of Neighborhood Reinvestment, a U.S. nonprofit intermediary that works in community development. Previously, Jacqueline was executive director of Enersol, where she oversaw Enersol's solar and water initiative activities in the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Haiti, and led project planning, implementation and evaluation. Before that, working with a Massachusetts municipality, she conducted research on neighborhood land use and economic development that addressed residential, commercial, open space and traffic issues. Jacqueline also has worked with Tent City Corporation on housing and community development.

Ritu Primlani, Executive Director, Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education
Ritu Primlani is the founder and executive director of Thimmakka's Resources for Environmental Education, where she has implemented a program of environmental education for ethnic restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area. Greening South Asian Restaurants (GSAR) conducts outreach to Afghani, Burmese, Persian, Indian, Pakistani, Vietnamese, Thai and Ethiopian restaurants in 20 languages. GSAR has created a cost-effective strategy for communicating about environmental issues with non-English speaking minorities, while partnering with various city, county and regional environmental stakeholders. Ritu has held various positions including tech consultant, cartographer, GIS specialist, and teacher, and has written and spoken extensively on the environment and culture.

Carmelo Ruiz Marrero, director, Puerto Rico Project on Biosafety
Carmelo Ruiz-Marrero is the founder of the Puerto Rico Project on Biosafety and author of "Balada Transgénica", a book about the challenges of biotechnology and globalization. He is also a senior fellow at the Oakland Institute and a research associate at the Institute for Social Ecology. Carmelo has written freelance stories for the New York Daily News, Interpress Service, the Native Americas Journal, the IRC Americas Program, Corporate Watch, Alternet, Grist, E Magazine and the Earth Island Journal. He has hosted educational radio and television shows in Vermont and Puerto Rico.

Nancy Sockabasin, Toxics Release Inventory Coordinator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9
Nancy Sockabasin is the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Coordinator at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 9 in San Francisco, where she works to provide the public with information on releases of toxic chemicals in their communities. Since joining EPA, Nancy has worked in the Office of the Regional Administrator, the Waste Management Division, the Office of Civil Rights, the Indian Programs Office, and as the Senior Policy Advisor for the Cross Media Division. Nancy is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and previously worked as the Tribe's environmental planner. Nancy is currently on the Board of Directors of the Society of American Indian Government Employees.

Danielle Solomon Njoko, Principle, DKH Property Consultants
Danielle Solomon Njoko is a principle at DKH Property Consultants where she works on brownfield redevelopment. Previously, Danielle developed a Superfund/CERCLA advocacy campaign for a coalition of environmental groups including NRDC, National Environmental Trust, Sierra Club and US Public Interest Research Group. She also served as the Brownfields coordinator for the District of Columbia for four years. Prior to relocating to DC, Danielle was an assistant regional counsel with the EPA's Superfund Division in New York City. Danielle is a graduate of Vermont Law School.

Sara Spoonheim, Development Director, Faith in Place
Sara Spoonheim is the Program & Development Director for Faith in Place. Faith in Place gives religious people the tools to become good stewards of the earth. Since 1999, they have helped more than 200 Illinois congregations— Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Unitarian, and Zoroastrian--promote clean energy and sustainable farming. With the help of ELP’s Activity Fund, Sara created The Good Loaf, an organic bread line which earns income for Faith in Place while promoting its mission. With organic challah and communion bread (plus whole wheat farm bread, sour dough, multigrain and more), The Good Loaf builds support for sustainable farming within the religious community. Previously, Sara developed nationally-acclaimed sustainable housing for low-income Montana families at homeWORD. She has Masters degrees in theology and community development. She was instrumental in helping her church become the first church in Chicago to go solar.

John Taylor, Georgia Organizer, Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice
John Taylor is the Georgia organizer for the Southern Organizing Committee for Economic and Social Justice and Georgia's African American Environmental Justice Action Network. Over the last two years, John has worked as the associate director for the Georgia Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and as the state coordinator for Black Youth Vote Georgia. He currently serves as an executive board member of the Environmental Awareness Foundation and the Urban Thought Media Group. In addition, John is an advisor to Kids Against Pollution and a volunteer with the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda.

Elisheva White, Project Manager, Assif Strategies
Elisheva White recently joined Assif Strategies as a project manager. Assif-Strategies focuses on developing environmentally-sound, sustainable initiatives for businesses, government agencies and nonprofit organizations. She is working on projects related to the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. Previously, she was a product stewardship program manager at Agilent Technologies, where she worked to reduce the environmental impact of semiconductor and printed circuit board testing equipment.