About

[She/Her/Hers]

Leia, The Climate Initiative’s Executive Director and Co-founder, has over 25 years of experience in education, curriculum development, and community engagement. She is committed to fostering dynamic educational experiences and specializes in cultivating critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and activated citizens. Leia’s innovative programs are the cornerstone of The Climate Initiative, shaping its programmatic approach and influencing youth impact.

Advocating for stronger communities, Leia believes in connecting people through their local landscape and shared history as a catalyst for inspiring action and building hope in the face of the climate crisis. A speaker and trainer at national conferences, her passion has spurred innovations in local programs, earning her the Gulf of Maine Council Visionary Award in 2019. Recognized by the National Land Trust Alliance magazine, Leia’s educational initiatives have gained national attention.

Leia holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science from Virginia Tech. With her husband Jamie and their three children, Leia cherishes a profound love for nature, from gardening and bird watching to summiting mountains, relishing all the outdoors has to offer.

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]

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, all marketing initiaitives, 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 mountain biking or hiking the conservation land in Kennebunkport and beyond with her family.

Julie Hudson is the Director of Development at The Climate Initiative, living in the beautiful hills of western Massachusetts. She has nearly three decades of experience fundraising and advocating for environmental issues from climate change to regenerative agriculture to land conservation. Julie has previously worked as a Development Director for Rainforest Foundation, Plastic Pollution Coalition, 350.org, and National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and she has advised many others. She has also done advocacy, legislative work, and grassroots organizing for Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society. She currently serves on the Board of Zero Foodprint. Julie has dual Bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Environmental Policy and a Master’s of Environmental Public Policy all from The George Washington University. In her free time, Julie enjoys gardening, ceramics, traveling, and pickleball.

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 and their daughters.  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 is TCI’s Youth Engagement Manager. Since 2018 she has dedicated herself to teaching and youth about climate change. 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.

Shilton joins The Climate Initiative as a Monitoring and Evaluation Fellow. In this role, he will support building data and learning systems to help TCI assess and improve the impact of their climate justice programs. 

Shilton brings over 7 years of experience managing and supporting impactful programs focused on community empowerment and social impact in Africa and the United States. He holds a BA in Library Science and Economics from the University of Zambia and is currently pursuing his MA in International Affairs at King’s College London. His academic studies and professional experience have sparked his interest in leveraging data and information to drive social impact and address the intersection of climate, development, and inequality through his work.

In his previous role as Data Manager, Shilton developed monitoring frameworks and data tools that strengthened oversight across 3 countries. He is skilled in project management, data analysis, workshop facilitation, and building relationships with diverse stakeholders. 

Shilton is inspired by TCI’s mission to engage and empower communities on the frontlines of climate change. Outside of work, he enjoys mentoring youth, volunteering, and developing his leadership in international development. In his free time, Shilton enjoys traveling, staying up-to-date on technology trends, cooking, and spending quality time with friends.

Originally from New Jersey, Alexa received her BA in Peace & Justice Studies and Political Science from Pace University and her M.A. In Global Sustainability from the University of South Florida. 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. One of her primary interests 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.

[She/Her/Hers]

Amanda grew up in Saco, Maine where she spent as much of her childhood by the ocean as possible. She knew she wanted to be in the climate space when her high school, Thornton Academy, did an assembly presentation on the impacts of climate change and was inspired by efforts to mitigate sea level rise.

She joins the team with several years of nonprofit management and fundraising experience, with a focus on organizations that work in the climate and education access space. She holds an MPA from Cornell University, as well as Bachelors in Political Science and Business Administration from Hartwick College.

In her spare time she can often be found exploring bookstores, going on nature walks, hanging out with her fluffy orange cat, rewatching Grey’s Anatomy for the upteenth time or designing candles for her sustainable candle studio, Isle & Wild.

Hi everyone! I’m Hannah and I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but I am currently attending the University of Maine in Orono, Maine. I’m studying Environmental Horticulture but I also have a minor in Human Dimensions of Climate Change. I’m 19. Since moving from an urban to rural community I am interested in learning from community members around me and learning how to support those affected by the changing climate. I’m a new YAC member.

Hello, everyone. I am delighted to be a part of your team. So, let me introduce myself. I am from Uzbekistan, it is located in Central Asia. I am currently studying International Economics and Management at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy. I am 18. I have been interested in the climate space since I saw the changes with my own eyes  which is heartbreaking. Since then I have been trying to have my impact on our community to reduce the negative effects of climate change.

Bruce, dubbed the “Father of Cause Marketing,” is renowned for crafting the most successful cross-sector promotional and fundraising campaign in March of Dimes’ history.

He elevated public affairs for Marriott Corporation and revolutionized public relations for the family entertainment business during his tenure with the United States Olympic Committee. Additionally, Bruce made significant contributions to the American Red Cross Bay Area, leading groundbreaking campaigns like Prepare Bay Area.

He remains passionate about empowering youth through initiatives like the Youth Poster Contest, providing a platform for students to voice their concerns. Recognized for his exemplary work, Bruce has received accolades from the United States Congress, the California State Legislature, and other esteemed institutions.

Full Bio

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.

Full Bio

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.

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.

Full Bio

Joan Lombardi is a senior scholar and Adjunct Professor at the Center for Child and Human Development and a co-founder and senior fellow with the Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues at Georgetown University. Over the past five decades, Joan has made significant contributions in the areas of child and family policy as an innovative leader and policy advisor to national and international organizations and foundations and as a public servant. Joan is a longtime champion of children, families and communities, and a friend of TCI.

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.

Full Bio

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.

Full Bio

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.

Full Bio

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.

[He/Him/His]

Jono joins TCI’s Board after serving as the organization’s Executive Director for three years. 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 serving 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.

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.

Dabreon holds STEM certifications from the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at Cornell University and a dual bachelor’s degree in environmental studies & sciences and geology from Bucknell University, where he earned the George R. Faint Prize for excellent academic performance and leadership. He is currently an Associate in the Chase Associate Program (CAP) at JP Morgan Chase in Chicago.

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Dabreon hopes to continue combining his passion for the environment and equity with business, and for a Buffalo Bills Super Bowl win.

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.

Louisa McCovey is an Indigenous artist and member of the Yurok tribe in Klamath, CA. She is the Yurok Tribe’s Environmental Program Director, has a BS in Environmental Science from Humbold State University along with minors in Art Studio and Native American Studies.

Louisa’s art is inspired by her Yurok, Hupa, and Karuk culture, as well as guided by her mother’s background as a skilled basket weaver and mixed-media artist. Louisa lives with her husband and four strong children. Her work as an artist and an environmentalist honors the past, present, and future, while also respecting the necessity of using both the logical and the creative sides of her brain.

Fiona McRaith is the director of The Climate Pledge at Global Optimism. The Climate Pledge is a commitment taken by corporations to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, which was co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019. It brings together the world’s top companies to accelerate joint action, cross-sector collaboration, and responsible change.

McRaith has worked in the climate sector for nearly 15 years, since she was in high school and co-founded a nonprofit selling reusable water bottles. 

She previously served as the advisor and special assistant to the President and CEO at the Bezos Earth Fund, where she helped develop and implement strategy from the early days. She has also held roles at the World Resources Institute, the White House, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, and Action for the Climate Emergency. In addition to Counterpart, McRaith is also a member of the board of directors at The Climate Initiative.

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.

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.

Mary Clare J. Maxwell is a Climate, Environmental & Credit Risk Lead at Northern Trust (NT).

She is working with others across the organization to quantify and qualitatively assess NT’s impact on climate change as well as potential impacts, risks, and opportunities that climate change presents to NT. She previously worked as an Environmental Credit Risk Director for a large financial institution evaluating environmental risks associated with borrowers and their commercial real estate. The most satisfying aspect of that work was helping the bank (and by extension the firm’s clients) quantify risk associated with real estate secured transactions. Other fascinating aspects of the work touched on international transactions, reputational risk exposure and equity transactions.

Mary Clare holds Bachelor and Masters of Science degrees in Geology from the University of Iowa. In addition, she has completed significant course work toward a Master of Business Administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Stuart School of Business.

Mary Clare enjoys cheering for the Hawkeyes, listening to live music, enjoying the outdoors (hiking, biking, kayaking), travelling the world, and spending time with her husband and daughters.

Gavin McKay (he/him) is currently a junior at the University of Florida and a Future Leader Climate Fellow at the Aspen Institute, where he most recently interned in the Future Leaders Climate Initiative and Energy & Environment Program. Gavin is passionate about sustainable cities, biodiversity conservation, environmental justice, and environmental media. He has previously volunteered for climate justice, healthcare, science advocacy, and voter registration nonprofits. In January 2023, Gavin was selected to join the Clinton Global Initiative University in partnership with Vanderbilt University for his work at the intersection of gender equity, sustainable cities, and plastic pollution.