Eva Hernandez, Chair
After graduating from University of Kansas with a BS in Environmental Policy, Eva worked with GreenCorps and several electoral campaigns before going to work full time for Dogwood Alliance as Organizing Director, working to build a grassroots base to protect Southern forests. Currently, Eva is a Field Organizing Manager for Sierra Club based in Austin, Texas. She also serves on the Environmental Advisory Board for City of Austin, and on the board of directors for Environment Texas.
Steve Kallan, Vice Chair
Steve is an operations, finance and organization development professional with over thirty-five years experience in businesses, non-profits and higher education. He has led program design and evaluation, planning, board governance, fundraising and marketing, finance, human resources and information systems. He believes that a foundation of basic business principles and sound planning are keys to success in the non-profit sector. Steve has held senior operations, finance and human resources roles and has served on the boards of non-profit organizations and businesses. He holds a Masters degree in finance and labor relations.
Dr. Dan Abel, Program Chair
A native of the South Carolina lowcountry, Dan is founding director of the Sustainability Initiative and a marine scientist at Coastal Carolina University, as well as Senior Fellow with the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development. He is the author of two environmental science textbooks, and writes an environmental column for the Myrtle Beach Sun News.
Rachel Doughty, Development Chair
Rachel is an attorney in San Francisco who focuses her practice on public lands and natural resources management. She is a Tennessee native who has worked or lived in several Southern states, and through that experience, she has cultivated a passion for Southern forests. Rachel first heard about Dogwood Alliance back in the 1990′s as a student at the University of Tennessee, and she is thrilled to be on Dogwood’s board.
Germane James
Germane is a native northeasterner, who found her way to North Carolina by way of the Colorado Rockies. She currently works as the Development & Outreach Director at the Haw River Assembly, a non-profit citizens’ group working to restore and protect the Haw River and Jordan Lake. She attended Eugene Lang College – The New School University of Liberal Arts in New York City where she studied literature and writing but moved on to complete her degree in Management at the Art Institute of Colorado. She enjoys spending time with her playful dog Bud, exploring the natural and urban highlights of Durham, NC.
Bob Cabin
Bob Cabin is an Assistant Professor of Ecology & Environmental Science as well as Coordinator of the Environmental Studies Major. After graduate school he lived and worked in Hawaii for five years as a research ecologist. Before coming to Brevard, NC in 2005, he was a professor at Kenyon College and The State University of New York at Plattsburgh. His professional interests include ecology, environmental science, and conservation biology. He is actively involved in promoting more sustainable practices within and beyond the greater Brevard College community.
Ryan Black
Ryan is the Energy & Climate Project manager at Coastal Conservation League. He holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Prior to graduate school, he gained professional experience working in finance, real estate development, and low-income housing policy. Ryan also holds a BA in Political Science and Political Economy from Princeton University and has lived and worked in Japan. He enjoys hiking, bicycling, and playing beach volleyball.
Peter Kelley
Peter has led communications for four national environmental groups and currently runs the public affairs department at the American Wind Energy Association. He has been active on climate change solutions since staffing the 1997 treaty talks in Kyoto, Japan. He first got involved with Dogwood as a consultant on the current five-year plan. He enjoys getting outdoors with his son, who attends UNC Asheville.
Sybil Cypress
Sybil was born in Philadelphia, PA and grew up in Fredericksburg, VA. She graduated from college with a BS in Business Information Systems from Virginia State University and served in the U.S. Army. Sybil is the Assistant Director of the Georgia Chapter Sierra Club. She is a mother of two and a dog-lover. Her philosophy: As evolved humans, we must use logic along with a strong sense of a higher-good to steward our earth in harmony with natural order.
Laura Floyd, Treasurer & Financial Chair
Laura is a native coastal South Carolinian and a lifelong outdoor enthusiast. She has held leadership positions and participated in environmental advocacy for over thirty years. She has a degree in Physical Education and Recreation, taught at the high school level and coached championship teams. She has owned as well as managed a bookkeeping and business consulting firm since 1982.
Lori Leech, Fundraising Chair
Growing up on blues, BBQ, and backwoods exploring in Mississippi, Lori moved to Atlanta 7 years ago to passionately teach AP/IB Environmental Science and sustainability projects to 11th and 12th graders. Holding a BA in Biology, Lori is moving to Charleston this year to attend graduate school. Travelling around this beautiful planet to witness the wonders of nature, spoiling her dogs, gardening, and enjoying a good pint with her fiancé are some of Lori’s favorite things. She is currently thrilled to serve as the new Fundraising Chair and is honored to be a part of Dogwood’s noble mission.
Gary Cook
A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Gary has worked on climate change and renewable energy policy since 1994 along with governments and corporations to support effective solutions to climate change at internationally, nationally, and locally. Gary leads the evaluation of the environmental performance of major IT companies for Greenpeace International to ensure these rapidly growing companies are committed to powering their growth with renewable energy. Gary holds a J.D. from the University of Alabama and currently calls San Francisco his home but makes regular trips back to the Southeast and to his second “hometown” of New Orleans.
Jeff Hix
Jeff is Founder and Creative Director of HistoriVision, an entertainment/media production company producing content for film, television, and internet. For over 20 years, Jeff helped businesses reduce their environmental footprint, specializing in sourcing alternative business products from soy ink toner cartridges to sugarcane paper. This is Jeff’s second term serving on Dogwood Alliance’s board – in 2008, Jeff served as Acting Executive Director for 6 months. When he’s not playing piano and guitar as the front man for a rock band (Jeff Hix & the Heretics), he enjoys flyfishing in Montana with his wife and two children.
Stephanie Powell
photo coming soon
As the Executive Director of the Southern Energy Network, Stephanie spends her days working with Southern youth to combat climate change, advance renewable energy, and promote a smart, just energy economy. Stephanie first became involved with the Dogwood Alliance volunteering on the Staples, OfficeMax, and Victoria’s Dirty Secret campaigns when she was a student at the University of Georgia. Stephanie also serves on the Energy Action Coalition Steering Committee.
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