Adventure Seekers

As the Volunteer Program Specialist for Ecology Action, Adriana oversees all the recruiting, training, retaining of existing volunteers and selection of individuals who demonstrate a commitment to the unique mission and values of Ecology Action.

Adriana graduated from CSUS with a BS in Environmental Studies. Adriana enjoys spending time outdoors and being adventurous.

As the lead for Ecology Action’s Planning team, Amelia works in partnership with public agencies to produce Active Transportation Plans and Safe Routes to Schools Plans, which include recommendations for new infrastructure and programs to make it easier and safer to walk and ride bicycles for daily trips. As of 2022 Amelia had completed five plans for jurisdictions in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. Amelia is a graduate of the University of Washington and holds a BA in Community, Environment, and Planning.

As a program coordinator for youth programs, Stassya schedules, coordinates, and implements the Bike and Walk Smart programs in schools across Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa Clara Counties. She loves to teach youth how to navigate their communities by bike and on foot safely. Stassya is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Environmental Studies and a BA in Anthropology.

As a Program Coordinator and Youth Educator for Ecology Action’s youth programs, Callie plans and implements pedestrian and bicycle safety education as well as environmental education. Callie enjoys giving presentations, running Bike Rodeos, and collaborating with other community program staff. Callie is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and holds a BA in Psychology and Education. She commutes to work on her bike and enjoys gardening, rollerblading, and making jewelry in her free time.

As Applications Analyst & Assoc. Developer of Ecology Action’s Salesforce-based data management platform, Courtney Faulkner ensures that we track and report accurate, up to date information on energy program performance. Courtney draws upon exceptional skills in database management, technical reporting, and project management to support forecasting and reporting for our energy programs.

As a Program Specialist, Emily engages Central Coast residents with household actions they can take to reduce carbon emissions and increase community resilience to climate change, and she manages a regional action-tracking web platform. Emily graduated from Oberlin college with a BA in studio art, and from Scripps Institution of Oceanography with a masters in marine biodiversity and conservation.

As the Grants and Development Specialist, Emily supports fundraising for the Community Programs teams which advance climate solutions for individuals and communities in sustainable transportation, water conservation and climate action. Emily focuses on securing grants and expanding the individual donor base to ensure Ecology Action’s initiatives have the long-term funds to continue making a positive impact. Emily is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a BA in Global Studies with an Economic Development emphasis.

As Community Programs Operations Director, Jamie supports the health and wellbeing of the Community Programs leadership and teams in our collective work to provide positive and impactful climate action pathways for our region’s communities while supporting the team’s strategic vision to expand program services and areas served. His portfolio includes planning, electric vehicles, water conservation, adult bike programming, youth programming, and the Community Action Campaign. Jamie holds a graduate degree in Marine, Estuarine & Environmental Sciences with an emphasis in ethology.

As Community Activation Program Specialist, Jasmine manages, plans and implements community programs for Alisal in Salinas and Green Valley Road in Watsonville. This is all made possible by Ecology Action’s new Clean California Grant which works to help residents of each community build pride and ownership in their communities and allow residents to live a healthier lifestyle. Some of the Clean California projects include Community Walking Groups, Walking School Busses and Family Fun Events. Jasmine is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz and holds a BA in Environmental Studies.

As the Advanced Accounts Payable Coordinator, Jennifer will be helping the Finance team wrangle expense reports, invoices and credit card receipts as well as getting all those payments out to vendors.

As a Program Specialist for Ecology Action’s Safe Routes to School team, Juan leads program coordinators, oversees the implementation of youth programming for Santa Cruz County, and is the lead organizer for the county’s Bike and Walk to School Days. Juan graduated from UC Davis, majoring in Neurobiology with an Education minor. After graduating, he moved back to his hometown Santa Cruz and loves that he can make a difference in his community through education and encouragement programs.

As a Program Manager for Ecology Action’s Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) Program, Kira works closely with EA’s Development staff on strategic development and planning, ensures successful implementation of grant program deliverables, partners with the SRTS Program Staff Manager, prepares financial analysis and quarterly reports, and maintains relationships with key community partners. Kira graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a BA in Environmental Studies.

Kirsten Liske directs the development, fundraising and implementation of Ecology Action’s community programs. Since joining the organization in 1999, Kirsten has propelled Ecology Action to become the go-to-partner for environmental programs serving communities across California. Prior to joining Ecology Action in 1999, she was a leader in the development of household hazardous waste (HHW) programs across the State of California. Driven by her personal mission to make California’s communities healthier and more sustainable places to live and work, Kirsten is dedicated to creating programs that help communities thrive. Kirsten earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies with Honors from UC Santa Cruz.

As a Construction Project Manager in the Construction Services Division of Taper, Koralie manages subcontractor scopes and schedules to implement energy saving work in grocery stores throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. This work includes refrigeration case modifications such as component cleaning, modification, and the addition of case doors to drastically reduce the electrical load and carbon impact. Prior to joining Ecology Action and Taper, Koralie worked for 17 years in the Solar Industry and brings her construction management and technical expertise to the team.

As a Program Coordinator for Ecology Action’s youth programs team, Lucy provides bike and walk to school safety education to students and families across Santa Cruz County. They love creating community and building confidence in youth through teaching active transportation. Lucy graduated from Western Washington University with a BS in Community Health and a minor in Spanish.

Mahlon Aldridge heads Ecology Action’s strategic road-mapping and product development initiatives. He also leads development of strategic partnerships with top firms from across the energy and finance industries as well as with public agencies and foundations. With Ecology Action since 1993, Mahlon founded Ecology Action’s energy efficiency consulting practice and led the team through its start-up and early rapid growth stages, building to a team of 35 professionals and $6M in revenue per year in three years. Prior to working with Ecology Action, Mahlon ran an independent consulting practice designing and establishing multiple community-based initiatives focusing on ocean protection and solid/hazardous waste reduction. Mahlon earned a BA in Environmental Policy from UC Santa Cruz, and sits on the Board of the California Energy Efficiency Industry Council.

As part of the Human Resources team, Matty supports EA by partnering with the Taper team to ensure efficient operations and aims to provide an outstanding employee experience. This includes recruitment, onboarding, learning and development, process improvement, HR compliance, DEI initiatives, culture initiatives, performance management, and strategy.

As a Program Coordinator for Ecology Action’s youth programs team, McKenna conducts school outreach to bring pedestrian and bike safety education to schools throughout Santa Cruz, Monterey, and the Bay Area. She loves teaching kids how to ride a bike and explore their communities through active transportation. McKenna holds a BA in Urban and Environmental Policy with a minor in Public Health.

Mimi is proud to support her local community with the Monterey County Team for our community programs as a school coordinator and Program Coordinator II. Mimi works as an educator for both the Bike and Walk Smart programs, teaching 5th graders bike safety rules and skills and 2nd graders how to walk safely on our streets. These programs aim to reduce emissions by preparing our youth to find alternative modes of transportation for a healthier future. Mimi is an alumni of CSU Long Beach and holds a BA in Communication Studies.

Rachel is a Midwest native with a West Coast vibe. She comes to Ecology Action with a depth of marketing experience and brings her skills for storytelling and social media to the marketing team. As the Digital Marketing Manager, Rachel is tasked with bringing the mission of Ecology Action alive on the web and in all communication efforts. Rachel finds her inspiration on two feet and is always searching for the best roads or trails to run.

Scott coordinates with clients, utilities, and partners to develop innovative efficiency solutions that combine best-available project funding opportunities with expert installation, material sourcing, incentive administration and project management. Scott is a LEED Accredited Professional and a graduate of Humboldt State University with a BS in Natural Resources Planning & Design and a minor in Appropriate Technology.