Members of the OEC’s Board of Directors are volunteers from across Ohio committed to defending and protecting Ohio’s natural environment. They each serve as individuals and their work affiliations are for informational purposes only. They are all voting and independent members of the Board.

 

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Rich Shank

Board President
Columbus, Ohio

“I have been involved with the OEC for about 40 years, including a stint on the board. I have watched their ups and downs during that time and have developed an appreciation for their ability to influence environmental policy in Ohio. Despite changes in leadership, the staff at OEC has always remained high quality and committed to the environmental quality of Ohio. With new leadership and the formation of the OEC Action Fund, this organization’s potential is now more potent than ever!”

 

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Aparna Bole, MD, FAAP

Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, CWRU School of Medicine
Cleveland, Ohio

Aparna Bole, MD, FAAP is Division Chief of General Academic Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine and Medical Director of the Rainbow Ambulatory Practice at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. She is also Rainbow’s Medical Director of Community Integration, in which capacity she leads efforts to build close partnerships with community organizations and stakeholders to enhance the well-being of patients and families at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s and MacDonald Women’s Hospitals, and supports innovation in women’s and pediatric primary care delivery. She is particularly interested in the intersection between environmental sustainability and pediatric public health. She has devoted her career to protecting child health through advocacy around issues such as climate action, clean air, sustainable and inclusive urban development, safer chemicals policies, sustainable food systems, and environmental justice. In addition to the Ohio Environmental Council board, she also serves on the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health Executive Committee, and the boards of Healthcare Without Harm, Practice Greenhealth, and Midtown Cleveland, Inc.

 

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Al Compaan, PhD

UT Professor of Physics, Emeritus; President, Lucintech Inc.
Holland, Ohio

“Toledo’s water crisis due to Lake Erie’s ongoing cyanobacteria blooms is a stunning wake-up call on the environment. On the other hand, advances in photovoltaic solar energy led by Northwest Ohio entrepreneurs and scientists are creating huge opportunities for transitioning to clean energy. I am convinced that the OEC is the organization with the integrity and muscle to lead our citizens in adopting sustainable practices and technology for a future with cleaner air and water.”

 

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Jade Davis

Vice President of External Affairs, Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority (Port of Cleveland)
Cleveland, Ohio

As Vice President of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, Jade manages legislative, regulatory and government affairs, communicates programming, engagees community stakeholders, and develops strategic communications initiatives. Prior to his role at the Port of Cleveland, he served as the Senior Director of State Affairs and Outreach at the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) in Washington DC.

 

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Marianne Eppig

Trustee, Sears-Swetland Foundation
Cleveland, Ohio

“It is truly a privilege to serve on the Board of the Ohio Environmental Council, which is the most effective statewide, independent and non-partisan organization advocating for Ohio’s natural resources, and thus our health and economy. We are facing a unique moment in history in which our actions and policies will have a tremendous impact on the environment for generations to come. Now is our time to act, to speak, and to support these vital efforts protecting our water, land, and air.”

 

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Peter R. Griesinger

Producer/Director, Griesinger Films
Gates Mills, Ohio

“The opportunity to work with such a motivated group of people who are bringing well-researched, innovative solutions to so many of Ohio’s most intractable environmental challenges, is a real joy, if not a welcome relief. Our magnificent natural capital assets are in good hands when OEC gets involved and it is a real honor to be part of such an inspiring and effective team.”

 

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Andy Jones, MS, CPM

Board Member, Athens Hocking Recycling Center
Rockbridge, Ohio

Andy Jones is a longtime advocate for water quality and solar power initiatives in Southeast Ohio. She spent the early half of her career as a Public Health Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian for the Ohio Department of Health. Later she worked in Public Health Care Policy for the Ohio Department of Medicaid . She holds a BS in human nutrition from Ohio State University and an MS in human nutrition from Ohio University. Now retired, she serves as a volunteer for a wealth of organizations including the Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists, Athens-Hocking Recycling Center, Hocking Hills Tourism Association, Bishop Educational Gardens, and the OSU Extension (Hocking County).

 

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William Katzin, MD, PhD

Pathologist, AmeriPath
Cleveland, Ohio

Willie Katzin is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pathology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine where he also received his MD and a PhD in Biochemistry. He recently retired from a practice of surgical pathology at the Ameripath Cleveland Laboratory where he served as the laboratory medical director. His medical interests and expertise focus on gastrointestinal pathology and hematopathology. He continues to teach at the CWRU School of Medicine. For many years Willie has been an advocate for environmental health, recognizing the important connections between a healthy environment and human health and wellness. He has served on the board of directors of the Ohio Environmental Council since 2005 and is currently the chair of the board finance committee and treasurer of the organization.

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Carol Kauffman Nowlin

Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility, Scotts Miracle-Gro
Columbus, Ohio

Carol Kauffman Nowlin has devoted her career to environmental and social responsibility with a special focus on water quality and equity of access. From 2013 to 2017 she was based in Cambodia, designing pro-poor development projects, helping businesses develop more responsible practices, and responding to natural disasters in the region. A native of Central Ohio, Carol now works for Scotts Miracle-Gro as Manager for Corporate Social Responsibility. In this role she liaises with external stakeholders on environmental issues, communicates and reports out on company achievements and commitments, and leads the company’s environmental nonprofit partnerships in the areas of water protection and conservation and pollinator protection. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Taylor University and Eastern University.

 

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Krista Magaw, MS

Executive Director, Tecumseh Land Trust
Yellow Springs, Ohio

With a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Duke University, Magaw’s work for Tecumseh Land Trust is a great fit with her values and interests, as well as skills. Exploring potential preservation projects and monitoring of priorities with conservation easements give her a chance to get out on the land and learn from land owners and naturalists, as well as TLT’s experienced board and staff. Historic preservation and restoration has long been an avocation for Krista and her husband, a history professor.

 

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Graham Mitchell, MES

Chief, Office of Federal Facilities Oversight, Ohio EPA (Retired)

“I’m honored to be part of this organization with an outstanding staff and leadership. I am particularly impressed with OEC’s efforts to work with industry and the public to craft win-win solutions to Ohio’s environmental challenges. Showing that protecting our environment and resources is also good business over the long term is many times forgotten.”

 

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William M. Ondrey Gruber

Attorney, Director of Law, City of Shaker Heights
Shaker Heights, Ohio

An attorney-at-law who has served as in-house counsel for the City of Shaker Heights since 2002, and as Director of Law since 2012. He previously served as an attorney for the City of Cleveland for 16 years, including as Chief of the Environment, Health and Regulatory Compliance Section. Bill has also served as legal counsel to a variety of non-profit organizations such as the Ohio Environmental Council, AARP, Edgemont Neighborhood Coalition (Dayton, Ohio), and Citizen Power, Inc., in utility and energy matters before the PUCO, U.S. Department of Energy and Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He has helped several cities form electric or natural gas aggregation programs. He also has served in extensive grassroots organizing and leadership roles with non-profit neighborhood, environmental and waterfront planning organizations. For the past 16 years he has volunteered with the grassroots Dike 14 Nature Preserve Committee in Cleveland. Previously he served as a member of the Cleveland Industrial Air Pollution Advisory Committee and the Neighborhood Environmental Coalition, as a board member of the non-profit Cleveland Recycling Center, Inc., and as an Executive Committee member of both the Ohio and Northeast Ohio Group of the Sierra Club. He was also a prior member of the Task Force for Lake Erie Coastal Zone Management sponsored by the Ohio Coastal Resource Management Project.

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Jennifer Sconyers

President and Founder of Abundance Leadership Consulting, LLC

 

 

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Stephen Sedam

OEC Executive Director Emeritus

“Having served as OEC Executive Director from 1977 – 1990, it is an honor to return to the organization as a Board member. The OEC is a common sense, rational, forward-looking, problem-solving force acting in defense of those natural resources all Ohioans depend upon for their well-being.  While the need for the OEC has been constant since its creation in 1969, this is a particularly vital time to be a part of its growth and development.

 

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Mike Shelton

Associate Director, Office of Energy and Environment, The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio

“Ohio has so many places of diverse natural beauty, yet so many other areas in need of care and restoration. Fortunately, OEC is leading efforts to continue the protection of Ohio’s natural gems and clean up our damaged landscapes to make Ohio a great place to work and live.”

 

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Andrew Watterson

Senior Vice President and Head of Sustainability, KeyBank

Andrew is Senior Vice President and Head of Sustainability for KeyBank, a $135 billion financial institution that operates across 15 states in the U.S. Andrew uses his sustainability and organizational change expertise to lead the bank in the development and execution of a sustainability strategy that positions the bank for growth. In his role, he works with the corporate responsibility team and bank leadership to balance margin and mission to achieve dependable results. Prior to his position at KeyBank, Andrew was senior consultant at BrownFlynn, served at the City of Cleveland’s first Chief of Sustainability, and led the coordination of Sustainable Cleveland 2019, an action plan to create an economic engine to empower a green city on a blue lake.

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Tom Winston, PE

Consultant, Longenecker & Associates
West Chester

“The OEC has an outstanding staff with the technical expertise to fully research issues and develop practical solutions and consensus positions. It is a vibrant force in the debate about the kind of Ohio environment we want for ourselves and future generations. It is a true asset and a resource for anyone who cares about Ohio’s environment.”