Tis’ the season for new steering committee members! We’re excited to introduce you to our new batch of volunteer steering committee members who will be working hard to bring more clean energy projects into their regions across Minnesota.
Before all that, though, we want to send out a special heart-felt THANK YOU to the stellar folks who are stepping off of our steering committee after years of volunteer service. They have been a real wind in the sails of CERTs and are all clean energy champions within their own communities. A big CERTs thanks to: Don Graves, John Baumgartner, Lola Schoenrich, Abby Finis, Neely Crane-Smith, Cheryal Lee Hills, Robert McLean, Dawn Hegland, Norm Erickson, Roger Warehime, Holli Arp, Jack Potter, Tom Warmka, Kevin Vickerman, Brian Christiansen, Steve Davis and John Oeljenbruns (Brian, Steve and John’s terms end in September, 2013).
And now, without further ado…Our new steering committee members!
Central Region
- Quinn Swanson, Sustainability Programs Coordinator, Happy Dancing Turtle/Hunt Utilities Group on the Hunt Utilities Group Resilient Living Campus, Pine River, MN. “I’m a strong supporter and advocate for sustainable living and feel that clean energy is an integral part of our regional resilience. CERTs work has had a powerful impact on our region and state – one that I’d like to continue to be involved in and act as a channel to the Campus.”
- Diomy Zamora is an Extension Educator/Associate Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota. As an Extension Educator in Forestry, Diomy is involved in delivering programs related to the use of biomass for energy which also includes understanding of the environmental impacts of biomass harvesting and utilization. “I am interested in expanding the use of biomass for energy in Minnesota and in the Central region and how to produce them sustainably using agroforestry systems among others to provide economic profitability to the community.”
- Andrea Lauer is the mayor for the City of Royalton and serve on the Region 5 Development Commission. She has led Royalton’s efforts to re-lamp city buildings, change traffic lights from incandescent to LED, install solar PV on the roof of city hall, and receive the GreenStep City designation. Andrea serves on the policy committee for the Renewable Energy Proof of Concept Center project. “CERTs does great work and it’s always fun to see the projects that cities/business/schools are doing.”
Metro Region
- Michelle Gransee-Bowman is the Deployment Services Supervisor of the MN State Energy Office within the Department of Commerce. Michelle just celebrated her fourth anniversary with the State where she oversees energy experts that promote the implementation of energy efficiency and use of renewable energy by providing sound, unbiased energy information, education, and technical assistance to a wide variety of stakeholders throughout Minnesota. “The Department of Commerce has been a core partner of the Clean Energy Resource Teams since its inception. We love working with the CERT staff and appreciate their ability to facilitate team-based grassroots clean energy initiatives.”
- Stacy Boots Camp has worked at Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) on their residential home energy programs for four years. She started out in the field as a home energy auditor and now heads up the recruitment and outreach for CEE’s residential programs. Before her time at CEE, Stacy worked on helping advocate for green jobs with the Sierra Club and Blue Green Alliance. She has a degree in English and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, where she got her start in community organizing over 10 years ago, when she started a U-Pass and Safe Ride program for UW-L that is still up and running!
Northeast Region
- Ashley Phoenix works at the Natural Harvest Food Co-op in Virginia. “In general I have an interest as a community member towards improving energy efficiency, and helping make efficiency options more accessible for the everyday person.”
- Mindy Granley is the Sustainability Coordinator at University of Minnesota, Duluth. “I work at UMD to both promote energy conservation and share our progress about energy-efficiency in campus buildings and operations. I give tours regularly on campus that talk about both energy efficiency in our buildings and the renewable energy generated from our solar panel arrays. Working with UMD students has assured me that future generations are concerned and motivated to solve energy and other sustainability issues.”
- Wayne Johnson is the board chair of the Alternative and Distributed Energy Committee for the University of Minnesota’s Northeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships. “As a facility manager for various organizations I have spent a significant portion of my career pursuing energy efficient operational strategies and sustainable practices.”
Northwest Region
- Diana Kuklinski is a registered environmental health specialist, retired (May 1 this year) officer of the US Public Health Service. She was assigned to Indian Health Service (IHS) for 20 years, the last 12 as a program director for a 3-state region providing services to 34 tribes. “I designed and had a passive solar/net zero energy home built about 5 years ago; I have been involved with the Bemidji Sustainability Committee since its inception. I appreciate the opportunity to be considered for the CERTs Steering Committee. It’s the sort of environmental sustainability activity and interaction I was hoping to have when I retired!”
Southeast Region
- Jared Hendricks is the Marketing/Energy Conservation Manager at Owatonna Public Utilities. He was born and raised in Owatonna and is a 2010 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Crookston, where he graduated with a B.S. in Business Management with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship/Small Business Management and an emphasis in Marketing.
West Central Region
- Leroy Petersen is the Agriculture and Renewable Energy Specialist, with the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission; he is also a board member of the Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership. “I am a lifelong business owner as well, with 26 years owning and operating a diversified, commercial grain, specialty crop, and livestock farm. Along with that, I have had many years of trying to be more energy efficient and maximizing the resources that I had.”
- Kristi Fernholz is from the rural Appleton area and lives on an organic farm with her husband Brad and two children. Kristi has spent a lot of time with renewable energy systems and has had the opportunity to work with the Upper Sioux Community on their energy plan (2012) and with the Swift County Blue Ribbon Commission (2007). She and her husband just put in a geothermal system in late 2011 and would love to utilize other renewable energy systems on their farm. She is a Senior Planner with the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.
- Scott Randall is a member of the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society (MRES), Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association (MnSEIA), Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), and the Sierra Club. He teaches solar classes at both the Saint Cloud Technical and Community College and Century College and owns his own my own solar and energy consulting business. “I am honored to be asked to serve on the committee. It will provide me with the opportunity to learn more about CERTs and spend time with people who are passionate about energy issues and the environment.”
