Rachel Doughty

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.

Steve Kallan

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.

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.

Neill Yelverton

Neill has an MBA from Western Carolina University with an independent study in Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability in Business. He is an Investment Advisor and Partner at Krull & Company, a socially and environmentally responsible investment and financial planning firm in Asheville, NC. Neill spends his free time with his wife and son (and their border collie) in Pisgah National Forest or on the Blue Ridge Parkway on a hike or a picnic, picking blueberries, catching salamanders, and just breathing clean air!

John “The Baker” Beal

John grew up in rural New England, wandering the woods, climbing trees, tracking animals and spying on copperheads sunning on rocks. In his first activist experiences with the Civil Rights and Peace movements, he saw the destructive forces of poverty and racism while learning there is tremendous power in joining together to take action. People are not powerless to affect major change. He later discovered Dogwood Alliance hosting a booth at a music festival in Atlanta. For several years, John has organized events supporting the work of Dogwood. This is his second term on the board, and John is excited to be working with the “brilliant staff and dynamic board.”

Brandy Hall

Brandy has spent her life in the forests, rivers and lakes of the Southeast and works every day to protect them. She founded Shades of Green Permaculture Design, Inc. in 2004, teaching whole-systems perspectives, empowering individuals, businesses and communities with practical tools to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Brandy completed her Master’s Degree in Contemplative Education from Naropa University and reconnects folks to the beauty around them, encouraging them to engage with the world in a healing and responsible way. She lives outside of Atlanta in a tiny urban town called Pine Lake with her husband, Aaron, and their drooly pup, Peanut Butter.

Jean-Paul Lausell

Jean-Paul is the CEO and President of Groupdini, a technology startup in Asheville, NC that transforms the way organizations communicate and engage with their communities. Before that, Jean-Paul was CFO at Leapfactor in Miami, FL, overseeing fundraising and pricing strategy. At Terremark Worldwide, he was VP of Corporate Finance, focused on special project financing and acquisitions. Jean-Paul holds an MBA from Yale School of Management. When not at work, Jean-Paul is either in the kitchen whipping up his next gourmet, all-local-produce meal while drinking a local brew or building furniture out of recycled pallets in his garage.

Lynne Young

Lynne works at the intersection the environment, environmental health, environmental justice, community resilience and equity within the context of climate change. She holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and worked for over 25 years in the engineering consulting industry. She currently works with environmentally-focused nonprofits, small businesses and faith-based institutions providing program and fund development assistance. She lives in Georgia where she enjoys learning about permaculture, growing food in a community garden, and African dance.

Ulla Reeves

Ulla is a career non-profit professional and passionate environmentalist with expertise on clean air, climate, energy issues and campaigns. She currently serves as Clean Air Campaign Manager for National Parks Conservation Association. Previously, Ulla worked for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy overseeing southeast regional utility campaigns to clean up and shut down coal-fired power plants. Ulla holds a Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and lives in Asheville, NC.

Jason Totoiu

Jason is the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Everglades Law Center in Winter Haven, Florida. He oversees the firm’s operations and legal programs and represents environmental organizations in a variety of environmental and land use matters. He also writes and speaks on a wide-range of wildlife, public lands and wetland protection issues. He is passionate about working to protect the South’s natural wonders.

Elise Nabors

Elise has spent the last decade working on environmental & progressive issues. She is currently the social media specialist for National Nurses United, the largest union of registered nurses, based in San Francisco. Elise also served as a digital campaigner at Rainforest Action Network and as the frontline campaign specialist at Greenpeace USA. A native of western North Carolina, Elise grew up with a love of Southern forests that led her to begin her environmental career as an intern for Dogwood Alliance in 2006. Elise loves quilting, playing pinball, and caring for her cat, Mildred.

Morgan Rowden, Youth Board Member

A graduate of Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science, Morgan first got involved with Dogwood in 2016 when she worked as the Community Organizer in Laurens County, SC, joining the movement to stop the construction of an Enviva wood pellet facility. Now Morgan is an Environmental Monitor Technician in Columbia, SC. From the time she hunted and fished with her father when she was a young girl, Morgan has always loved the outdoors. Now she likes to spend her time hiking and camping with friends.