Climate Leadership > CEC’s Climate Stewards Certification Program > Current Participants and Alumni

CEC’s Climate Stewards Current Participants and Alumni

To date, the Community Environmental Council has trained 150+ Climate Stewards – and many graduates are already taking bold climate action in their communities. Read on for individual stories and testimonials and consider joining our corps of grassroots climate leaders.  

Explore Alumni Profiles

Climate Stewards Alumni Profiles
Ron Skinner, Researcher
Ron Skinner, Researcher

Ron’s Stewardship Project utilized resources provided by the course to help strengthen and test his teaching methodology for UCSB undergraduates.

Read More →
Dylan Otte
Dylan Otte

As the Volunteer Coordinator at Santa Barbara Sea Center, located on Stearns Wharf, Dylan Otte recruits and trains volunteers to help develop their visitor stewardship and science communication skills.

Read More →
Jamie Collins, Nonprofit Director
Jamie Collins, Nonprofit Director

Jamie Collins, Executive Director of Girls Inc. of Carpinteria, enrolled in CEC’s Climate Stewards certification program to gain a deeper understanding of how climate change is impacting our region, how to communicate about these impacts, and how to take action.

Read More →
Tracey Singh, Activist
Tracey Singh, Activist

Tracey Singh is a community activist who took CEC’s Climate Stewards course to strengthen her connections with other activists and grassroots organizations.

Read More →
Arya Natarajan, Digital Engagement Professional
Arya Natarajan, Digital Engagement Professional

Arya Natarajan is a science communicator who joined CEC’s Climate Stewards course to learn more about local efforts to boost community climate resilience, and to connect with like-minded people.

Read More →
Julie Schneiderman, Entrepreneur
Julie Schneiderman, Entrepreneur

Through CEC’s Climate Stewards course, alumnus Julie Schneiderman, founder and CEO of local company EcoStiks, became fascinated with climate stories and collective environmental action.

Read More →
Jasmin Tupy, Nonprofit Manager
Jasmin Tupy, Nonprofit Manager

Climate Steward alum Jasmin Tupy, inspired by her work with Santa Barbara-based nonprofit Heal the Ocean, created the Santa Barbara Resource Guide for her Stewardship Project.

Read More →
Jessica Prichard, Museum Educator
Jessica Prichard, Museum Educator

After taking CEC’s Climate Stewards course in 2023, Jessica Prichard, senior manager of school and community programs at Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, launched a field-trip program called “Champions for Change: Environmental Stewards Unite!”

Read More →
Emiliano Campobello & Claire Fackler, Artist & Ocean Educator
Emiliano Campobello & Claire Fackler, Artist & Ocean Educator

CEC Climate Steward alumni Emiliano Campobello, a professional artist, and Claire Fackler, National Education Liaison for the National Ocean Atmospheric Association (NOAA), are collaborating on a forty-foot-long mural depicting the Central California coastline, to be displayed at Adams Elementary School.

Read More →
Laurie Mohning, Community Activist
Laurie Mohning, Community Activist

Climate Steward alum and Lompoc resident Laurie Mohning is teaching people how to take small “bites” out of “the elephant in the room”: plastic waste. Her Stewardship Project evolved into a podcast called The Plastic Elephant, designed to provide tips for people on how to reduce the amount of plastic that they put into the waste stream.

Read More →
Dass Richardson, Art Teacher
Dass Richardson, Art Teacher

Dass Richardson, a Climate Steward since spring 2022, used the principles she learned from the course to spread awareness about the importance of native pollinators.

Read More →
Christina Hernandez, Councilmember
Christina Hernandez, Councilmember

Christina is a member of the Guadalupe City Council, member of the Santa Barbara County Equity Advisory and Outreach Committee, board member at Los Amigos de Guadalupe, and Community Outreach Coordinator at the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center.

Read More →
Johnny Alonzo, Ecologist
Johnny Alonzo, Ecologist

Johnny Alonzo, a restoration ecologist at UCSB, participated in CEC’s first-ever cohort of Climate Stewards.

Read More →
Lisa Murphy Rivas
Lisa Murphy Rivas

A busy mother of two, Lisa’s career was centered on community outreach and government relations for the natural resources industry.

Read More →

Alumni

  • Sasha Albitt, Albitt’s Fine Cleaners & Launderers (Winter 2023)

  • Veronica Arciga, Vision y Compromiso (Winter 2024)

  • Johnny Alonzo, UC Santa Barbara (Winter 2021)

  • Melody Alvarez, LAWCOPY,LLC (Summer 2021)

  • Celeste Andersen, Mission Home Health (Fall 2022)

  • Heather Bailey, Patagonia Great Pacific Child Development Center (Winter 2022)

  • Jeff Baker, UA Local 114 Plumber & Pipefitters Union (Winter 2024)

  • Noah Banez (Spring 2022)

  • Olivia Banez, Guam Coral Reef Initiative (Spring 2022)

  • Bette Bardeen, Retired Attorney (Winter 2021)

  • Stephen Barley, Retired from UCSB (Fall 2023)

  • Halee Bernard, Producer & Advocate (Winter 2023)

  • Jannett Bidwell (Winter 2021)

  • Elizabeth Blair, Teacher (Winter 2022)

  • Michael Bliss, Student (Fall 2024)

  • Cole Brandr, Teacher (Spring 2022)

  • Randy Brantley (Winter 2023)

  • Catherine Brozowski, Audacious Foundation (Fall 2023)

  • Michelle Bruner, Psychologist (Winter 2022)

  • Sarah Bryant, Educator (Fall 2024)

  • Anne Burdette, Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council (Winter 2024)

  • Nicole Bury (Fall 2023)

  • Donna Cairns, Nurse (Spring 2024)

  • Emiliano Campobello, Santa Barbara Standing Rock Coalition (Winter 2022)

  • Katherine Carmichael, Environmental Staffer, Office of State Senator Monique Limón (Spring 2023)

  • Baljot Chahal, UC Santa Barbara Environmental Studies Graduate (Fall 2022)

  • Kate Christensen, Activist (Fall 2022)

  • Elsa Cisneros (Winter 2023)

  • Philip Clarke, Resident at Valle Verde and Santa Barbara Sierra Club (Spring 2024)

  • Geraldine (Gerri) Clemens (Spring 2023)

  • Jamie Collins, Girls Inc. of Carpinteria (Fall 2023)

  • Irene Cooke, Society of Fearless Grandmothers (Fall 2022)

  • Caitlyn Corrao (Winter 2023)

  • Estephanie Cortes, Volunteer at Central California Environmental Justice (Spring 2024)

  • Melissa Cronshaw, Melissa’s Bees (Fall 2024)

  • Anne Crowe, Santa Barbara Garden Club (Winter 2021)

  • Yesenia Cruz, (Spring 2024)

  • John Cunningham, Marin Benefits (Fall 2022)

  • Dr. Maria Felice Cunningham, Ecopsychologist Blue Island Consulting (Winter 2023)

  • Torrie Cutbirth, El Gato Channel Foundation (Winter 2022)

  • Rosalia D’Acquisto, Student (Fall 2024)

  • Jenna Davis, Santa Barbara Musuem of Natural History (Fall 2023)

  • Jennifer Dass Richardson, Retired Teacher (Spring 2022)

  • Patrick Daugherty (Spring 2023)

  • Barbara Delaune-Warren, Community volunteer (Fall 2024)

  • Marisol Diaz, Ecology Action (Spring 2024)

  • Sandy Diaz, Retired Teacher (Fall 2022)

  • Alhan Diaz-Correa, Community Environmental Council (Winter 2021)

  • William Doering (Spring 2024)

  • Jane Dow, Volunteer at Trinity Garden (Spring 2024)

  • Xinyi Duan (Fall 2023)

  • Camille Dupuis, Seminalia Truffles (Summer 2021)

  • Sandra Eacret (Winter 2023)

  • Louis Effron, Student (Fall 2024)

  • Larry Eichel, Sustainability Professional (Fall 2024)

  • Maureen Ellenberger, Society of Fearless Grandmothers (Winter 2022)

  • Debra Eve (Spring 2023)

  • Claire Fackler, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Summer 2021)

  • Elizabeth Farnum, Get Oil Out!, Attorney (Fall 2022)

  • Callie Fausey, Santa Barbara Independent (Winter 2024)

  • Sareen Fiaz, UC Santa Barbara Morrissey Lab (Winter 2021)

  • Erin Finnegan, Santa Barbara Middle School (Winter 2024)

  • Kelly Fisher, SLO Climate Coalition (Winter 2022)

  • Tisha Ford, Community Volunteer (Winter 2021)

  • Erik Fruth, Food Blogger (Summer 2021)

  • Marco Fuentes, CommUnify (Spring 2024)

  • Freida Galindo, (Winter 2022)

  • Gabriela Gamez, Good Farms / Buenaventura Ranch (Fall 2023)

  • Rosalia Garcia, California State University Northridge (Fall 2023)

  • Brett Garrett, Community Volunteer (Winter 2022)

  • Gray Gautereaux, Program Manager, County of San Luis Obispo Planning & Building Department (Energy Section) and Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) (Spring 2022)

  • Vincent Gentile, Seminalia Truffles (Summer 2021)

  • Laura Gonzalez (Spring 2023)

  • Mary Graham, CivicSpark Fellow (Winter 2022)

  • Sandra Grasso-Boyd, League of Women Voters (Summer 2021)

  • Thomas Gratz, Hitachi Zosen Inova (Fall 2022)

  • Dwight Gray, NAACP Santa Maria Lompoc Branch (Spring 2024)

  • Sarah Grewe (Winter 2024)

  • Donna Grossman, Volunteer at AIA SB Deconstruction & Advocacy committees (Spring 2024)

  • Serena Gu, CivicSpark Fellow, Tri-County Regional Energy Network (3C-REN) (Spring 2022)

  • Ali Hanson (Winter 2024)

  • Heidi Harmon, Let's Green CA! (Winter 2022)

  • Farani Haynes, Comscore (Fall 2022)

  • Daren Hillebrandt, Entrepreneur / Curamus Co (Winter 2023)

  • Lee Heller, Independent Philanthropy Professional (Spring 2022)

  • Ilan Henzler, UC Santa Barbara Student (Fall 2022)

  • Christina Hernandez, Guadalupe City Council (Spring 2022)

  • Nohemi Hernandez, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County (Fall 2023)

  • Olivia Hernandez Harnish, Community Volunteer (Winter 2022)

  • Sarah Hibble, Caterer (Fall 2022)

  • Jennifer Hollywood, City of Santa Barbara (Fall 2024)

  • Stephanie Holmes, CivicSpark Fellow, City of Goleta (Spring 2022)

  • Terence Honikman, CEC Member (Winter 2024)

  • Angela Hsu, (Spring 2022)

  • Duncan Jepson (Fall 2023)

  • Nova Jesswein, Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (Spring 2023)

  • Gabrielle Johnson, NOAA - International Marine Protected Area Capacity Building Team (Winter 2024)

  • Lauri Kamiel (Spring 2023)

  • Deepti Kannapan (Spring 2023)

  • Navneet Kaur, Yoga instructor (Spring 2024)

  • Iris Kelly, Community Volunteer (Summer 2021)

  • Patty Kelly, Community Volunteer (Winter 2023)

  • Aimee Kielborn, Community member & Educator (Spring 2024)

  • Aaron Kriesberg, Staff Ecologist, Channel Islands Restoration (Winter 2023)

  • Laurie Ladd, Retired Teacher (Spring 2022)

  • Gunnar Langenhuizen (Fall 2023)

  • Denis Letourneau, Raistone, Inc. (Summer 2021)

  • Mel Liu, (Spring 2022)

  • Stephanie Lopez Lozano, City of Santa Barbara (Fall 2024)

  • Ilan MacAdam-Somer, Environmental Consultant (Winter 2023)

  • Ed Marples, Locanabio (Fall 2022)

  • Tais Martins (Winter 2023)

  • Monica Matthews, Ventura County Resource Conservation District (Winter 2024)

  • Bella McGowan, Retired School Psychologist, Master Gardener (Fall 2022)

  • Gary Mendez, Meditation Teacher (Spring 2022)

  • Alissa Millar, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County (Fall 2023)

  • Lindsay Miller, UC Santa Barbara (Fall 2023)

  • Laurie Mohning, Human Resources Administrator (Fall 2022)

  • Megan “Moe” Morelock, Local Orange County Volunteer (Spring 2023)

  • Shara Morris, Neon Hum Media (Winter 2022)

  • Jenifer Muir, Tech entrepreneur (Fall 2024)

  • Lisa Murphy Rivas, LMR Consulting (Winter 2021)

  • Arya Natarajan, California Academy of Sciences (Fall 2023)

  • George Naugles, Founder of Balance2thrive, VCC, CRP, CAC (Winter 2024)

  • Naomi Newman, (Fall 2022)

  • Dylan Otte, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (Winter 2024)

  • Angela Ouellette, Explore Ecology (Winter 2021)

  • Calleen Pardinas, Ventura County Community Foundation (Winter 2021)

  • Heidi Parker, Arts & Healing Initiative (Winter 2024)

  • Vicky Phan, (Winter 2023)

  • Geerte Piening, Producer / Horticulturalist (Winter 2023)

  • Michelle Pineiro, Sustainable Ventura (Spring 2024)

  • Jessica Prichard, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (Winter 2023)

  • Jan Quilantang, Oxnard High School (Fall 2023)

  • Rosheil Ramirez, Community Environmental Council, Climate Education & Leadership Associate (Winter 2023)

  • Ana Rico, Community Environmental Council (Winter 2022)

  • Alexis Rizo, Clean Power Alliance (Summer 2021)

  • Angie Rose, Santa Barbara Middle School (Winter 2023)

  • Stephanie Roberson, Surfrider, Santa Barbara Foundation (Fall 2022)

  • Katherine Robinson (Fall 2022)

  • Joao Ruiz, City of Santa Barbara (Fall 2024)

  • Maureen Russell, MKR Communications (Winter 2021)

  • Jill Santos (Fall 2023)

  • Julie Schneiderman, EcoStiks (Fall 2023)

  • Michael Seabaugh, Clinical Psychologist (Fall 2022)

  • Sarah Siedschlag, UC Santa Barbara (Winter 2021)

  • Mark Silbernagel, Ojai Land Conservancy (Spring 2023)

  • Tracey Singh (Fall 2023)

  • Ron Skinner, Educator (Fall 2024)

  • Lonnie Smith, The Balay Ko Foundation, Veggie Rescue (Winter 2024)

  • Peter Smith, Retired Engineer (Fall 2022)

  • Velia Soto, Pacifica High School, Oxnard (Winter 2023)

  • Jessica Spaw (Winter 2023)

  • Lauren Stoops, Community Volunteer (Winter 2022)

  • Logan Strait, BarrierEnergy, Inc. (Fall 2023)

  • Allinta Tadesse, UCSB Sustainability (Winter 2023)

  • David Telleen-Lawton, UC Santa Barbara (Fall 2022)

  • Sabina Thomas, (Spring 2022)

  • Jamie Throgmorton, Retired Attorney (Winter 2021)

  • Jenna Tosh, Planned Parenthood California Central Coast (Winter 2022)

  • Lian Mae Tualla, CivicSpark Fellow (Winter 2022)

  • Maureen Tunney, Film Professional (Fall 2022)

  • Jasmin Tupy, Heal the Ocean (Spring 2023)

  • Mike Uhl (Spring 2024)

  • Ash Valenti, Isla Vista Food Forest (Summer 2021)

  • Vivian Valentin (Fall 2023)

  • Staci Valentine, Clear Communication Academy (Fall 2022)

  • Niki Weber, SunMonsters (Spring 2023)

  • Caroline Webster, CivicSpark Fellow (Spring 2022)

  • Michelle Weinman, Fauver, Large, Archbald & Spray, LLP (Winter 2022)

  • Patricia Winans, UC Santa Barbara Bren School (Spring 2022)

  • Meghan Woodbury, Photographer (Spring 2022)

  • Tracy York, HG Insights (Fall 2023)

  • Erika Zollett, UC Santa Barbara Environmental Leadership Incubator (Winter 2021)