Community Environmental Council Increases Impact With New Staff

Individual photos for this release can be found here https://cec.pub/New-Staff-11-21

Staff growth reflects pursuit of CEC's strategic plan to double down on regional climate action 

December 23, 2021 SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Community Environmental Council (CEC) is pleased to announce the addition of new staff members who are meeting this urgent moment in the climate crisis. Each new member represents strengthened resilience within the organization and in the climate work at hand.

Welcoming New CEC Team Members

Staff

Nicole Eads: Director of Development

Nicole has over 10 years of experience working in non-profit fundraising. Prior to working at CEC, Nicole was the Director of Development for California State University, Northridge's Nazarian College of Business. In her role at CEC, she is the lead for fundraising and networking opportunities. She is passionate about the outdoors, specifically gardening, and enjoys spending her free time with her husband and children. Nicole received her bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from California State University Long Beach.

Elizabeth Fry: Accounting Manager

Elizabeth has worked in finance and accounting for over 20 years, primarily in the nonprofit sector. In her role at CEC, she is responsible for preparing financial statements and related variance analysis reports. Elizabeth grew up in El Salvador and, because of this, travel is a big part of her life. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cooking, and crocheting. She received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University.

Siena Hooper: Santa Barbara County Food Rescue Coordinator

Siena has experience in a wide range of volunteer programs including the Isla Vista Compost Collective and UC Santa Barbara's Global Environmental Justice Project. In her role at CEC, she conducts outreach to new food donor and recipient agencies, coordinates donations, and tracks food donation data to help maximize food recovery. Siena is passionate about food justice, food waste reduction, sustainable fashion, marine conservation, and environmental and social justice. She received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California Santa Barbara.

Natalie McGuire: Executive Assistant and Board Liaison

Natalie has experience as an Executive Assistant at a tech start-up. In her role at CEC, she supports the CEO and helps facilitate close ties with CEC’s Board members. Natalie is excited about being a part of CEC because the work aligns with her personal passions as a nature advocate. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outside hiking, cycling, and camping with her son and dog. Natalie received her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.

Molly Taylor: Climate Smart Agriculture Program Manager

Molly most recently managed a ranching operation in Northern California and worked with producers to transition to climate-smart agricultural practices. In her role at CEC, she bridges the gap between the agriculture industry and environmentalists to help local farmers turn their land into carbon sinks while turning a profit. Molly is an ecological monitor and enjoys watching landscapes change as they respond to careful management. Molly studied Urban Planning at New York University.

Alexis Rizo: Climate Policy Assistant

Alexis has worked in city government and interned for Senator Dianne Feinstein researching environmental legislation. In her role at CEC, she helps move forward local climate policy goals, including some she became familiar with as an intern at CEC and through taking CEC's new UC Climate Stewards certification course. Passionate about environmental justice, she is particularly interested in the effects of pesticide exposure on farmworkers in her hometown of Oxnard, CA. She enjoys traveling, yoga, and watching sunsets on the beach. Alexis received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California Lutheran University.

Interns

Naomi Newman: Climate Leadership Intern

Naomi found her passion in the environment and reducing human impact on the planet after researching the lack of policy for climate refugees. In her role at CEC, she supports efforts to build climate leadership and also to reduce waste and plastic. She enjoys going on beach walks with her dog and is a passionate animal rights advocate. Naomi is currently working on a master’s degree in Public Policy at Pepperdine University, with hopes of working in the field of environmental policy.

Meet CEC's full staff at https://cec.pub/OurStaff.