THE ELP FELLOWSHIP CLASS OF 2004-2005

Carlos Alicea, Executive Director, For a Better Bronx
Carlos Alicea is the executive director of For a Better Bronx (FABB), a non-profit community based organization that is dedicated to the struggle for environmental and social justice for the people of the Bronx. FABB is undertaking the task of education, policy intervention, community organizing, and environmental and social issues in the Bronx. Carlos helps facilitate community based research that emphasizes community knowledge in understanding challenges and designing solutions. Carlos also is working towards his doctoral degree in environmental management and policy at Rutgers University.

John Anderson, Director of Education, New England Aquarium
John Anderson is the director of education at the New England Aquarium, where he develops programs to engage the public in learning about connections between people and aquatic ecosystems, with the goal of helping individuals make choices and take action. His recent projects include development of an exhibit about mercury pollution and pollution prevention and an exhibit about electricity choices. John also coordinates the New England Science Center Collaborative's Meet the Scientists program, that brings together scientists and educators to focus on climate change issues. John is the co-chair of the Boston Climate Action Network, a local citizens group that works to encourage municipal policies to reduce emissions of climate changing gases.

Bridget Bergquist, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Michigan
Bridget Bergquist is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. Her recently completed her doctorate in chemical oceanography at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program, where she studied the iron cycle in the ocean. Previously, Bridget worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory, researching transport of nuclear contaminants in the environment from atmospheric fallout, nuclear reprocessing plants, and local disposal sites. Bridget also is active in environmental education and activities focusing on increasing women's participation in science.

Cameron Brooks, Vice President of Resource Development, Renewable Choice Energy
Cameron Brooks is a renewable energy executive and strategic advisor working with institutional, corporate and philanthropic investors motivated to address climate change and energy innovation opportunities through capital investing. Mr. Brooks serves as the Vice President of Resource Development for Renewable Choice Energy, a leading marketer of renewable energy credits working with Fortune 500 companies, institutions, universities, regional businesses and residential customers. In this capacity, he is responsible for structuring long-term purchase agreements and leverage investments in new projects.

Kai Chan, Assistant Professor, University of British Columbia
As a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) at the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, Kai is a transdisciplinary scholar of biodiversity conservation and associated human needs and responsibilities. He recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University after receiving his PhD and a certificate in public policy from Princeton University. Kai's work spans and links the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. He investigates the ecology and evolution that underpin ecosystem resilience to species invasions and infestations; he fosters better decision making for the multiple benefits that humanity derives from nature, including resilience (collectively, ecosystem services); and he examines the structure and substance of our duties to non-human organisms and future human generations. Kai is deeply committed to extending his research into practice through civic engagement. He works closely with the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, and other conservation organizations to foster the integration of science into conservation planning and action. He is an active associate of the Natural Capital Project. He has championed environmental sustainability as coordinator of Greening Princeton, effective use of science in policymaking as a senior fellow of Science in Policy, and a strong, inclusive environmental movement as a fellow of the Environmental Leadership Program. He has won awards from the Heinz Foundation, the Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, and many others. Kai writes frequently in the popular press, and speaks in public and for policymakers on pressing environmental issues

Antoinette Dendtler, Executive Director, Environment Community Opportunity (ECO) Charter School
Antoinette Dendtler is the founding executive director of Camden, New Jersey's proposed ECO Charter School, where she seeks to create a new "ecology of the school." An educator for the past nine years, Antoinette has taught and held a variety of administrative positions within private and public school communities in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Through her recent academic and volunteer work with urban young people, Antointette has worked to explore the ways in which an interdisciplinary, environmentally-focused course of study can improve urban students' academic achievement, inspire environmental stewardship and initiate community development.

Alex Hanafi, Staff Attorney, Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, U.S.
Alex Hanafi is a staff attorney at the U.S. office of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, where he provides legal analysis and strategic policy advice to a global network of public interest environmental lawyers and scientists from over 60 countries. His recent work has focused on outreach to environmental lawyers serving disadvantaged communities in South and Southeast Asia. Previously, Alex worked as a Luce Scholar in Bangkok, Thailand on a project to reform Thailand's economic and environmental laws. He has authored "Joint Implementation: Legal and Institutional Issues for an Effective International Program to Combat Climate Change," for the Harvard Environmental Law Review.

Andrew Hanson, Attorney, Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc.
Andrew Hanson is an attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates, Inc., a nonprofit environmental law firm. Andrew provides legal, organizing, and technical assistance to rural Wisconsin communities disproportionately impacted by pollution from large animal feeding operations and other sources. Previously, Andrew worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Water in Washington, D.C. Andrew also is a member of the Board of Directors of Habitat Education Center, a nonprofit, non-membership organization that educates, organizes, and litigates to protect Wisconsin's wildlife and natural resources.

Scott Herron, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Ferris State University
Scott Herron is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Ferris State University in Michigan, where he teaches Biology and Microbial Ecology. His current research projects include a Wild Rice restoration project with the Muskegon River Watershed Assembly; field work on the plant uses of the American Indian communities of the Great Lakes region; and use of the traditional ecological knowledge of the Anishinaabek as a template for habitat and cultural restoration in the Great Lakes ecosystem. Scott also teaches ethnobotany at the University of Michigan's Biological Station. He currently serves as chair to the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee, and formerly served on the Student Advisory Committee for the Society for Economic Botany.

Shawna Larson, Community Outreach Coordinator & Environmental Justice Coordinator, Alaska Community Action on Toxics & Indigenous Environmental Network
Shawna Larson is the community outreach coordinator and environmental justice coordinator at the Alaska Community Action on Toxics & Indigenous Environmental Network, where she works to reduce the impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants on the subsistence resources and cultural rights of Alaska Natives and other Indigenous Peoples. She travels to Alaska Native villages to raise awareness around the impacts of dioxin and pesticide use on traditional food rights, cultures and way of life. Shawna is a member of the Chickaloon Village Traditional Council.

Sabrina McCormick, Professor, Michigan State University
Sabrina McCormick is a professor in Department of Sociology and the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Michigan State University. She received her doctoral in Sociology at Brown University, and was a Henry Luce Foundation Environmental Fellow at the Watson Institute of International Studies. She has traveled and conducted extensive field research on conflicts over hydroelectric dams in Brazil, and is currently producing a documentary video on the anti-dam movement and energy policy in Brazil. Her academic study also includes research on health and the environment with a long-term focus on the environmental causes of breast cancer. Sabrina has worked with the Silent Spring Institute in Massachusetts, and has been published in books, the popular press and academic journals on these issues.

Jessica Mistak, Senior Fisheries Biologist, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Jessica Mistak is a senior fisheries biologist for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, where she is responsible for initiatives concerning conservation, protection, and management of aquatic habitat. Jessica's work involves providing technical, legal, and policy assistance to the Department on a variety of aquatic habitat related issues, including dam removal, fish passage, and participation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula hydropower licensing proceedings under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Jessica has held various positions including research assistant at Michigan State studying the effects of dam removal, park ranger, and technician at a remote salmon hatchery in Alaska. Jessica is also Past-President of the Michigan Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

Bruce Morton, Executive Director, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
Bruce Morton is the executive director of the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance where he coordinates community groups and youth to address air, water, and land management issues in west Atlanta. He is also the communications manager at the Atlanta City Council, where he serves as a liaison for many stakeholders in improving quality of life in Atlanta, GA. Since 1995 he has been instrumental in preserving over 200 acres of openspace for habitat, education, and recreation. Bruce is a certified League of American Cyclist, Effective Cycling Instructor, and a youth cycling mentor. He has worked with the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign and Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association.

Anne Rolfes, Executive Director, Louisiana Bucket Brigade
Anne Rolfes is the founding executive director of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, a nonprofit environmental health and justice organization that gives communities near oil refineries and chemical plants the tools to document air pollution. Anne teaches residents near Louisiana's numerous petrochemical facilities how to use air samplers to document pollution incidents in their neighborhoods. Previously, Anne was a member of the negotiating team for the agreement between Shell Motiva and the Concerned Citizens of Norco that resulted in the buy out of contaminated residential properties. She has authored several reports on the effects of petrochemical production on communities in Louisiana, and has authored Shell Shocked Refugees, a report about Nigeria's Ogoni refugees and their struggle with Shell oil.

Bhavna Shamasunder, Ph.D Student, University of California, Berkeley
Bhavna Shamasunder is a Ph.D student at the Universiy of California, Berkeley. Previously, she was the coordinator of the Environmental Health and Justice Program at Urban Habitat, where she worked in partnership with low-income communities and communities of color in the San Francisco Bay Area to address the disproportionate negative effects of social, environmental, and economic policies, through strategies that include community outreach, strategic research, regional coalition-building, policy, and advocacy. Bhavna researched corporate financial ties and conflicts of interest at the Institute for Health Policy Studies at the University of California, San Francisco, and taught courses on environmental justice at San Francisco State University. She published "Financial Ties and Conflict of Interest Between Pharmaceutical and Tobacco Companies" in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Bhavna has a Masters degree in Environmental Studies from Yale University. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Science and Environmental Health Network and Breast Cancer Action..

Rahul Shendure, Independant Consulant
Rahul Shendure is an independant clean technologies consultant. Previously, he was manager of product planning and strategy for Ballard Power Systems, a leading developer of proton exchange membrane fuel cells for transportation and power generation applications. Rahul also worked as a product manager for Ballard's first commercially available fuel cell product, the Nexa(TM) Power Module. Previously, Rahul was an environmental engineer and internal management consultant with G eneral Electric, and served as a volunteer with Plenty International in rural Belize, where he worked on the development of ecological education and recycling centers. Rahul co-founded the Harvard Business School Sustainable Development Society.

Jessica Strauss, Senior Sustainability Consultant, Arup
Jessica has experience in sustainable practices, project management and architectural design. She has extensive expertise working with clients to increase value by implementing sustainability solutions. Jessica has used feasibility models to maximize values based on investment and recapture time. She has experience in evaluating building systems including environmental considerations, circulation patterns, and spatial programming. Jessica has led the sustainability assessments for the Fulton Street Transit Center, the Massena and Champlain border crossings and the Middlebury College Master Plan.

Helen Wagenvoord, San Francisco Program Director, Resource Media
Helen Wagenvoord is the San Francisco Program Director at Resource Media, a nonprofit organization that specializes in strategic communications and media outreach designed to improve coverage of environmental and public health issues. Previously, Helen was the program director for WildSpaces, a foundation that provides both strategic and financial support to activists and organizations working to protect wildlands throughout California. Helen also worked with the National Parks Conservation Association, and as a campaign consultant, leading several coalition-based campaigns and projects to protect parks and wildernesses in southern California. Helen also is a freelance writer and has written articles on natural history and land conservation issues for several magazines including California Wild and National Parks.

Jalonne White-Newsome, Environmental Specialist, Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance
Jalonne White-Newsome is the environmental specialist at Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance, a joint venture company between DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai and Mitsubishi. Jalonne manages all compliance issues, ISO 14001, recycling and other challenges during the facility start-up, which will start producing engines for sale in September of 2005. Previously, she was the public health engineer at the Maryland Department of the Environment where she designed programs to promote and introduce alternative fueled vehicles and technology in Maryland, and assisted with the review of new regulations regarding Mobile Sources to improve overall air quality. She volunteered with various projects for the State of Maryland's Environmental Justice program, and served on the Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities.

Mario Yanez, Resource Development, Miami Dade College
Mario Yanez is a Resource Development Officer at Miami Dade College; He also is founder of Earth Learning, a learning community devoted to a mutually-enhancing human-Earth relationship. Concurrently, he is pursuing his master's degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies/Environment at Florida International University, where he is researching the Cienaga de Zapata, a vital wetland ecosystem in Cuba, from a bioregional perspective. Previously, Mario was chief financial officer at Regis House, a social service nonprofit. Mario also serves on the Treemendous Miami volunteer board, a vigorous tree-planting organization.

Shelley Zimmer, Senior Manager of Footwear Sustainability, Nike Co.
Shelley Zimmer is the senior manager of Footwear Sustainability at Nike. Her projects include improving Nike's footwear packaging, gathering consumer insights related to sustainability, and prospecting future opportunities for sustainability initiatives at Nike. Previously, Shelley worked at Hewlett-Packard Corporation and at NatureMark Potatoes in marketing and environmental marketing roles. Shelley currently serves on the Steering Committee for the Portland professional chapter of Net Impact, a network of emerging business leaders committed to using the power of business to create a better world.