President

Indiana

Sheila is the Executive Director of Pilgrim’s Progress Community Development Corporation. She is a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is very active in her community. She serves as the 1st District County Councilwoman, Vice Chair of the Allen County Democratic Party, and formerly was the President of the local NAACP Chapter and is currently serving as the Treasurer.

Sheila is currently employed with the Fort Wayne Urban League as a Facilitator of the Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition. She has been a member of the Pilgrim Baptist Church for 50 years, where she has been deeply involved in Our Healing Kitchen, PBC Victory Garden, PBC Summer Feeding Program, Leadership Team, Scholarship Committee, Library Committee, VBS Committee, and Youth Advisor Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE Fort Wayne) and the PBC Green Team. Outside of PBC, Sheila has served on many boards and planning committees over the years, most recently with the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State, Visit Fort Wayne, City of Fort Wayne Domestic Violence, and American Red Cross of NEI.

Treasurer

Missouri

Paula E.W. Carey-Moore currently serves as the Regional Vice President of Housing at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

Paula has been involved with groups across the St. Louis Metro area, including serving as the chair of the St. Louis Metro Housing Task Force, Membership Chair and Executive Board Member of the St. Louis County Continuum of Care, Board Member of the St. Louis Regional Financial Empowerment Coalition, and Steering Committee Member of the St. Louis Equal Housing and Community Reinvestment Alliance.

Secretary

Michigan

Leslie Tom is the Chief Sustainability Officer at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. She came to this position by way of Wayne State University’s Detroit Revitalization Fellowship in 2015.Originally from Tucson, Leslie has degrees in architecture and Information Management Systems from the University of Arizona and Information School at UC Berkeley, respectively. Leslie spent over 15 years in Research & Design in both architecture & software industries. She leverages this broad skillset towards implementing / messaging for both social and technical aspects of our Climate Crisis. In 2019, she led both The Wright Museum and Michigan Science Center to win the American Alliance of Museum’s (AAM) Sustainability Excellence Award. She currently Chairs AAM’s Environment & Climate: Knowledge Committee and the Detroit 2030 District Venues and Museums sub-committee. She participates locally as a Community Action Team member for the West Riverfront Conservancy, Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition (MAJIC) Narrative Working Group, and volunteers with the City of Detroit’s Green Task Force, USGBC’s Sustainability Forum Organizing Committee, and Detroit’s Water & Sewerage Department’s Stormwater Hub. Tom is leading The Wright Museum to envision itself as a Green Museum of the Future, to include People, Planet, Profit and Programs —through elevating narratives of the African diaspora art, humanities and history.

Member

Minnesota

LesLee Jackson is a Master’s student at Metro State University in Minnesota, studying Political and Advocacy Leadership. She is a member of the Minneapolis Northside Green Zone Task Force and sits on the CEAC Commissioner (Minneapolis Community Environmental Advisory Commission). These groups are active in lobbying against environmental injustices and policy changes. She is also a member of (APLS ) Advocacy, Political Leadership and Service Student Organization and the MAPL Student Representative for Cohort 35.

As a Black and Indigenous woman, her experience with injustice is exhaustive and exhausting. LesLee is passionate about representing her communities in a field that remains relatively inaccessible to people of color. As a native Minnesotan, this city, state, and people are very close to her heart.

Member

Missouri

Tanya Chiwara Growing up in Zimbabwe, where electricity and resources were often limited, I developed a profound appreciation for the value of energy and the impact it has on people’s lives. This experience ignited my passion for renewable energy and sustainable solutions. With a deep commitment to advancing the solar and renewable energy sectors, I have dedicated my career to finding innovative ways to harness clean energy and improve energy access for communities around the world. My journey has been fueled by a desire to create a more sustainable and equitable future, where everyone can benefit from reliable and affordable energy. As an Energy Engineer, I leverage my expertise in energy efficiency & sustainability to drive projects that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the renewable energy space. I am excited to connect with like-minded professionals and organizations who share my vision for a greener, more sustainable planet.

Member

Indiana

Eleanor Igwe is the Community Coordinator at Women Investing for a Sustainable Economy (WISE) where she facilitates event planning for a global network of women in sustainable and impact investing. She is also an environmental writer whose work covering the energy transition has been published by the Payne Institute for Public Policy.

Eleanor currently serves on the Indiana NOW Board, where she has helped secure grant funding for voter registration and GOTV initiatives, supporting the organization's broader mission of advancing gender equity and civic engagement. She previously served as Vice President and Grants & Fundraising Chair for Engineers for a Sustainable World in Northampton, MA where she managed technical projects as well as partnerships with businesses, community organizations, and local government. An alum of Northeast Indiana's AVOW program, she's passionate about helping fellow Hoosiers engage with climate and infrastructure development at the local level.

She holds a degree in Engineering & Comparative Literature from Smith College and will begin her MBA at the Bard Graduate Programs for Sustainability this fall.

Assistant Treasurer

Indiana

Tamesha is a Community Development Manager for MidWest America Federal Credit Union. Having worked in the financial services industry for nineteen years, she enjoys empowering people through financial wellness education. In 2019 she was awarded the Preston Lyons Freedom and Justice Award by the local NAACP branch in Fort Wayne for her work in Economic Empowerment. Her love for financial empowerment and helping those in her community are what inspire her daily, working to help others better themselves.

Tamesha has also been a member of several local non-profit organizations. She currently sits on the board of Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County, and Vincent Village. She is also a member of the finance committee for St. Joseph Missions Women’s Shelter. She has participated in Advancing Voices of Women (AVOW), former President of the Fort Wayne Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; and currently serves as Vice President of the Greater Fort Wayne National Pan Hellenic Council.

Tamesha was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington in 2004 in Public Financial Management. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Member

Michigan

Tim Skrotzki is currently the Associate Director - Partnerships at Elevate, where Tim leads business development and program design for Elevate's National Strategic Engagement Team. With a background in environmental management and renewable energy consulting, Tim has also held roles such as Senior Market Development Lead at Elevate, Community Energy Consultant at Michigan Energy Options, and Senior Project Manager at AKT Peerless. Their diverse experience includes managing renewable energy projects, conducting environmental due diligence, and supporting community energy programs. Tim holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Iowa and an MBA from Portland State University.

Member

Illinois

Stephan A. McBride is a community revitalization expert driven by a mission of sustainable development and innovative design. He holds a B.S. in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University and brings seven years of experience managing complex infrastructure projects at the Wayne County Airport Authority. This background has provided him with a unique combination of technical expertise and strategic project management skills. His dedication to urban renewal is further demonstrated by his continuous professional development through programs like the Sunshinerise Enterprise Business Academy and Elevate Energy Detroit. Mr. McBride is eager to partner with forward-thinking organizations to create vibrant and environmentally conscious communities. 

Member

Minnesota

Robert Blake (Ojibwe: Gizis-o-makwa) is the owner of Solar Bear, a solar development company, and Executive Director of the non-profit Native Sun Community Power Development, both in Minneapolis. A tribal citizen of the Red Lake Nation, Robert is dedicated to promoting renewable energy through communication and collaboration. He recently secured federal funding for electric school buses for the Red Lake Nation school system and launched the Solar Cub program to educate students on solar energy. Additionally, he helped the Red Lake Nation obtain a SMART grant for e-bikes, charging stations, and glow-in-the-dark bike pathways, inspired by a Polish initiative. Robert holds a Master of Advocacy and Political Leadership from Metro State University and completed the Carlson Executive Education program at the University of Minnesota.

Member

Iowa

Dr. Chad E. Heinzel, Professor of Geology in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). A specialist in geoarchaeology and environmental science, Dr. Heinzel is a prominent researcher investigating the complex interplay between human civilizations and their environments. As of 2026, he continues to direct the C.E. Heinzel Archaeometry Lab. His work integrates geology, geography, and archaeology to analyze the environmental factors that have influenced indigenous populations. Furthermore, Dr. Heinzel is a major contributor to Explore Iowa's Geology, a resource platform that offers inquiry-based lesson plans and materials about Iowa's landscape for K-12 educators and the general public.

Member

Wisconsin

Juan Meza is the CEO / Compliance Partner, Bridge Point Compliance (2024-Present): Juan leads Bridge Point Compliance, combining compliance expertise with business development. He provides hands-on guidance to small businesses and contractors, helping them navigate public and private projects throughout the Midwest. Juan is the Senior Project Manager, Elevate: In this role, Juan provides project management leadership and consultancy, overseeing program tracking, setting standards, and driving process improvement to maximize efficiencies. Juan has MBA Data Analytics Candidate, University of Wisconsin-Parkside (Expected 2026), a B.A., Advertising, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica (2018), Certified Compliance Administrator, American Contract Compliance Association (ACCA #19211, 2021) and has a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Project Management Institute.

Member

Michigan

LaTarro Traylor is a Detroit-based attorney with over ten years of experience in Urban Placemaking and narrative crafting for public perception campaigns. She is currently participating in a new program designed to prepare Black women for elected office. Ms. Traylor has extensive experience in utilizing Human-Centered Design methodology to enhance public engagement and end-user experience, successfully taking initiatives from concept through to implementation. Her skills include qualitative and quantitative data analytics and reporting, as well as working closely with diverse communities and geographically distributed teams. She also possesses expertise in social media management, content creation, and scheduling.