Our Team

"Growing up in Michigan, we spent a lot of time in the Upper Peninsula on the shores of Lake Superior. When I was a child, it seemed so vast and unchanging. Today, we know that this lake is vulnerable to pollution, invasive species, and climate change. I love that Lake Superior is a unifying factor between the state where I grew up, and the state I call home today. I want my two children to grow up in a world with clean air, clean water, and a stable climate. I want them to grow up in a world where Lake Superior and all lakes and rivers are honored and protected as the life-sustaining systems that they are."

Kathryn graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2006 magna cum laude, and earned a Masters in Public Policy from the Humphrey Institute at the same time. After working in complex litigation in Zelle LLP in Minneapolis for four years, she joined MCEA as a staff attorney in 2010. She stepped into the CEO role in 2017, and she is proud of the way the organization has grown and changed since then. She has worked as adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Law School, and is also a former Chair of the Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. Kathryn celebrated 10 years at MCEA in 2020.

"I've been lucky enough to spend a lot of time exploring some of the world's most incredible places: hiking in the Talkeetna and Wrangell-St. Elias ranges in Alaska, the Andes in South America, and the Rockies in the U.S. and canoeing through Nunavut, Manitoba, Ontario, and our own Boundary Waters. This exposure sparked a passion to protect our planet's beautiful places. That passion has evolved to include an understanding of how incredibly privileged I've been and continue to be in contrast to so many others. I want everyone to be able to not only enjoy wild places, but to have access to basic needs like clean air, clean water, and homes that are safe from and resilient to climate disasters. I am excited and honored to be able to help MCEA continue to use litigation as a tool to help everyone achieve these basic needs, and to continue to protect the beautiful places that I'm not done exploring."

Leigh Currie has a B.S. in environmental science and biology from Tufts University and an M.S. in conservation biology from the University of Minnesota. Leigh graduated salutatorian in 2006 with a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. In addition to her time at MCEA, Leigh has also clerked for the Minnesota Court of Appeals, practiced environmental law at a private firm, worked as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School, and had an appointment (through the New York University School of Law State Impact Center) as a Special Assistant Attorney General at the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.

"When I was in elementary school, I did a book report on Love Canal, which had surged into the news even here in the Midwest. When I learned that a chemical company had dumped their toxic waste into an old canal, and then given the land to build a school and a neighborhood on, I was angry. How could they do that? And how could I stop them? From an early age, I've been passionate about standing up to bullies and defending people whose lives have been threatened by pollution. At MCEA, I'm thrilled to be able to do that every day."

Aaron holds two Masters degrees, one in Communications, the other in Advocacy and Political Leadership. He has over a decade of experience teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in policy and communications. Prior to working at MCEA, Aaron was the Advocacy Director at Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.

"My seven year old will tell you that I work to save the planet for him and his friends. He’s right. At my core, I am driven by a love of children and the desire to help create the world they deserve. I love my job at MCEA, every day I get to give people the opportunity to change the world by investing in work that is improving the world for our kiddos. "

Chris began as a reluctant fundraiser nearly twenty years ago because to get paid to do the work she believed in, she had to raise the money. Now, she is clear that all of us are hungry for opportunities to change the world and she provides Minnesotans that opportunity by investing in the powerful work of her colleagues at MCEA. A lifelong Minnesotan, Chris is proud to have raised tens of millions of dollars that fueled work that has concretely improved Minnesota.

"Growing up, I experienced a lot of injustice in my society and around the world, especially social injustice and for the past 15 years I have worked mostly with marginalized communities to fight to restore social and environmental justice. We have won some battles, but the war is not over yet. The war will only be over when environmental burdens will be evenly distributed in all communities and not just in predominantly low income and communities of color."

Eric Ini graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon with an LL.M in Environmental Law and policy. Eric has had the opportunity to work, live and/or study in four continents. He worked as a senior campaigner for Greenpeace where he was based in the Congo Basin but travelled regularly to other countries around the world fighting for environmental and climate justice. Before joining MCEA, Eric worked as the director of environmental justice at Michigan United- the largest statewide grassroot organization in Michigan. Eric speaks multiple languages and enjoys playing tennis when he is not at work.

"My earliest memories involve a fully alive connection to the ecology and community of our family's subsistence homestead. It was never called "sustainable" or "regenerative," but it was. Through spending many hours within our small forest, prairie, and pond, I learned how the most prolific life happened through collaborative relationships. I learned that resilience and abundance happen in a symbiotic relationship with all things in nature, including our neighbors. I learned that collaborating and bartering with our neighbors created more "wealth" than trying to compete with our neighbors over material gain. We were resilient due to our relationships with neighbors and the land (and the full pantry, of course). I'm grateful that I've continued to learn and implement this knowledge through organizational development, community engagement, and land-based environmental work. The impact MCEA makes to protect and grow the healthy relationships with our environment and neighbors is important to me. I'm very grateful to be a part of this team."

Jake has been a Sustainability Manager working to remove pesticide use from 1000 acres of land, a Foundation Program Manager for community change work, a Facilitator for an Ecovillage development, a COO of a land restoration company, a Permaculture Designer, a Project Manager, a Program Manager leading educational programing for new organic farmers, and a professional Basketball Player in Europe. He earned a BA in Environmental Studies, and an Executive MBA.

"For me, environmental advocacy flows from a strong commitment to working collectively for the public good. As a lawyer, I realize I have training and advantages that many others don’t have. When I work with people from underprivileged communities, I can see the difference it makes that I know how to use the laws and the court system to protect people and the environment. I feel so fortunate to be able to dedicate my skills as an attorney to work with the team at MCEA to preserve a livable future for all of us."

Before joining MCEA, Joy was a shareholder at Minneapolis law firm Gray Plant Mooty, where she litigated cases and headed the firm’s pro bono program. Joy has provided more than 1,200 hours of pro bono service and was named a 2018 Minnesota Attorney of the Year for her work on a pro bono case. She earned her law degree at William Mitchell College of Law and her B.A. in English and print journalism from the University of St. Thomas.

"I have always been happiest exploring the curiosities of untamed landscapes. For me, the beautiful chaos of nature is the tonic for the inevitable maladies affecting modern life. Sadly, increasing threats to these wild places forecasts a future bereft of the wonder of unspoiled wilderness. Preventing a bleak tomorrow demands a vigorous and inspired response today. As an attorney with MCEA, I am committed to wielding my talent and experience as a skilled litigator in the fight for clean air, water, and soil."

Jay holds a B.A. in communication and biology from St. John’s University and a J.D. from Vermont Law School. Prior to joining MCEA, Jay litigated wage theft cases on behalf of employees striving for proper wages and clerked for Judge Ann D. Montgomery in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Jay serves on the board of SPAM FC - a local non-profit dedicated to offsetting rising college expenses - and co-owns an eco-tourism kayak guiding company on the Mississippi River.

"In the mid-1990s, I found myself litigating the science of climate change against coal industry witnesses who argued it was nothing to worry about.  I was an environmental attorney for the state of Minnesota who had always been fascinated by how humanity confronts its mega-problems. I quickly realized that climate change was the mega-problem that would define our era and my own career.  Since then I’ve worked in various ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, accelerate the transition to clean energy, and promote science-based decision-making.  I’m delighted to be working with MCEA on all these fronts."

Barbara earned a J.D. in 1986 from New York University School of Law (where she was a Root-Tilden scholar) and a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1982.  She spent a dozen years working in the Environmental Protection Division of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, mostly focusing on air quality.  Later, she represented a variety of nonprofit clients, working to promote climate protection policies and oppose coal plants, and spent three years as a coal policy analyst/advocate with the Union of Concerned Scientists.  She has also written two books, Coal: A Human History (2003) and Industrial-Strength Denial: Eight Stories of Corporations Defending the Indefensible, from the Slave Trade to Climate Change (2020). 

Growing up on Minnesota's Mesabi Iron Range meant living on the edge between heavy industry and boundless beauty. To this day I recall my awe at sun-warmed taconite pellets on the tracks, strawberries and blueberries in the wild, and the wonder of northern lakes. Now I hail from Duluth, where the "Big Lake" also provokes the imagination and sustains the community. Unfortunately, our sensitive landscape is under threat, and we have not adequately respected the treaty rights of native nations. At our best, Northern Minnesota instills in each of us a love of place and a deep understanding of what is required to protect it.

JT Haines joined MCEA in 2019. He has a JD from the University of Virginia, MPP from the University of Minnesota, and a BA from Northwestern University. He was formerly an attorney in Minneapolis and public-sector union representative in Duluth. JT is also the Co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group Duluth for Clean Water.

“I care about the environment in large part because I care about people. That's not the only reason. I also love the environment in its own right. I am an avid hiker and am well on my way to getting my plaque for visiting every Minnesota State Park. (Did you know you can get a plaque for visiting every Minnesota State Park?!) But my passion for environmental protection flows squarely through my passion for human and civil rights. When we destroy the planet in the name of profits, it’s people who suffer. And that suffering falls disproportionately on those who are already vulnerable in our society. I’ve dedicated my career to environmental protection because time is running out to save our planet. And we cannot have a just world if we don’t have a world.”

Abigail has a B.A. in International Studies/Human Rights and Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She received her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, where she focused on human rights. Prior to working at MCEA, Abigail completed a two-year fellowship at Gender Justice, where she litigated civil rights cases, and then litigated domestic violence cases at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid.

I grew up in Makato (a.k.a. Mankato, Minnesota), named for a place where the Dakota harvested "blue earth" used in adoption and reconciliation ceremonies. This special place on the bend of the Minnesota River became the site of the largest mass execution in U.S. history, with settlers cheering the death of 38 Dakota men. As a descendant of European immigrants, I ultimately benefited from mass land theft that led to horrific events in my hometown. Yet, I was privileged to witness reconciliation efforts between Dakota and non-Native Minnesotans, which continue to this day. My hope is that these lessons can be replicated on a larger scale. Our world increasingly needs common ground - perhaps it can be found beneath our feet. The land can divide us, but it can also connect us.



Mel holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and graduated summa cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law. Before joining MCEA, Mel clerked at all three levels of Minnesota's judicial system, represented tribal nations in complex federal litigation, and was an Indian law fellow at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. 

"What motivates me is the opportunity to be a counterweight to the influence of money and corporate interests in our democracy. I believe that most people really want policies that will drive down carbon emissions, eliminate toxic chemical pollution, and protect our ecosystems, but their voices are often disregarded and their requests dismissed as impractical. As an attorney for MCEA, I'm proud to amplify those voices and to be an advocate for science and ecological protection.

I've always felt a deep connection with wild places and with nature. As a kid, I spent hours lifting rocks in the yard to check in on the beetles and centipedes. And my early experiences camping, canoeing, and, one summer, canoe trekking in the Temagami in Ontario led me to dedicate my career as a lawyer to protecting the environment. I'm happiest when I'm outdoors, in the woods, and living simply. "

Evan holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Brandeis University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and an LL.M. in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.  Prior to working at MCEA, Evan was a Assistant Attorney General at the New Hampshire Department of Justice and served as Compliance Bureau Chief of the Air Resources Division at the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.

"I was lucky to spend summers on a lake in the woods "up north" as a kid, and that continued through college and my early twenties when I was a camp counselor taking students on canoe and camping trips and developing environmental programs. The Northwoods -- the smells, sounds, solitude -- have always offered a simple, calming gift. Years later I realized that I'd been experiencing what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku ('forest bathing'). It's a privilege for me to get to work for an organization dedicated to protecting these special places and resources."

Kevin joined MCEA in 2005. He has a B.A. from Concordia College - Moorhead (German/Political Science), an M.A. from UW - Madison (Political Science) and a J.D. from Harvard. Kevin has been adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota and Mitchell Hamline and in 2016 spent the year as a Fulbright Scholar at the Namibia University of Science and Technology in Windhoek, Namibia. Prior to joining MCEA, Kevin was a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis.

"My fifth grade science teacher showed our class a video about global warming. Before that, I had never heard of the greenhouse effect. Suddenly, I was ten years old and learning that if we failed to make big changes, the planet would be forever altered—in my lifetime. The issue was obvious, but surprisingly, the solution was too. I felt sorrow, but also, hope. I wondered, what were we waiting for? Decades later, I’ve made it my profession to keep asking."

Amelia holds a B.A. in English from Coe College and graduated magna cum laude from Valparaiso University School of Law. Prior to joining MCEA, Amelia worked on water policy and litigated factory farm and RCRA cases for the Hoosier Environmental Council.

"Growing up in Milwaukee there was a “green space” next to my elementary school. Once a week, each class got to walk across the parking lot, through a chain link gate, and into a birch copse next to the river. What I recall is that it was a privilege to hear the birds. The running water. To breathe air that smelled like green, growing things. But it shouldn’t be a privilege to have access to nature - or have clean air and water. When I was young, my school was next to the remnants of rust-belt industry, the greenspace downriver from drainage pipes. I live in East Phillips now, and experience the same cycles of environmental injustice. It doesn’t have to be that way. I’m proud that my work at MCEA supports an environmentally just world for everyone." 

Mair Allen is a writer and communications professional with a background in narrative-based marketing. Prior to joining MCEA they worked as a feature writer and assistant editor for Antioch University's marketing department. As a freelance writer, they enjoy person-first stories that show the impacts we can all make in the world. In 2021, they were an editorial intern at Coffeehouse Press. They hold a BA in Gender Studies from UMN and an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University.

"I’ve had the privilege of exploring public lands across the United States, backpacking under craggy peaks in the Wind River Range and skiing across mountain meadows in Yellowstone, trekking the canyons near Bears Ears, and canoeing on mountain lakes in the Adirondacks. I’ve lived among fragile ecosystems, carefully navigating the biological soil crust that holds together the Colorado Plateau, and I’ve choked on wildfire smoke while paddling in the Boundary Waters. Yet time spent in the wilderness helped teach me that ‘the environment’ is not just a bunch of inaccessible, far-away public lands. It is right outside our front doors every day. It is the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that grows our food. The environment can’t take polluters to court or tell state agencies how to protect it. It takes all of us to defend it. It's a privilege for me to work at an organization dedicated to protecting Minnesota’s precious lands, resources, and peoples."

Drew holds a B.A. in Government from Hamilton College. Before joining MCEA, he worked as a paralegal at a big law firm in Minneapolis, interned with Rep. Dean Phillips in Congress, and was an Assistant Director for the Adirondack Adventure Program and DC Program at Hamilton College. Drew loves to bike, ski, and run around the Twin Cities.

"Working at MCEA is such a homecoming for me – I was raised by an environmental studies professor and a political activist. (Yes, I was THAT kid.) All these years later I’m still trying to be a change agent, but now my toolkit includes deep fundraising experience, not just “stop acid rain” stickers. I’m thrilled to be an employee and donor at MCEA because I know that when we link arms together, the better world we all deserve is possible."

Debra deNoyelles has a BFA, an MA, and 20 years of experience raising resources for Minnesota nonprofits. Her recent accomplishments include working on the completed capital campaigns for the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis and the new Family Tree Clinic, and launching two amazing kids into civically-engaged adulthood.

“I have been interested in environmental issues since I was very young, when I wore out my copy of “50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth” from repeated readings. Frequent camping trips with my Girl Scout troop gave me an appreciation for nature. One of my favorite things about working for MCEA is the way it has expanded my understanding of environmentalism – it not just about preserving wild spaces, but encompasses the need to ensure that our planet is a healthy home for all people.”

Steph joined MCEA in August 2018 as Data Manager. Originally from Lancaster, PA, she is a graduate of Boston University with a B.A. in American History and Political Science. She spent more than 8 years with the Public Charities Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office before relocating to the Twin Cities in July 2016. Before coming to MCEA, she worked as the Fund Development Assistant at Aeon, a non-profit affordable housing provider based in Minneapolis.

"My passion for water protection comes out of the many ways I love to explore the beautiful lakes and rivers of the Upper Midwest: as an open water swimmer, on canoe trips, and on long hikes. Just as important to me is the water that we can't plan a trip to go see, like the water that comes out of the tap in our homes and the aquifers that lie below ground. The threats to our surface waters and groundwater range from industrial pollution, to agricultural runoff, to new contaminants that we have just begun to better understand. As a researcher, I am excited to work in an organization that connects subject-matter expertise on these issues with concrete action in the courts, at the legislature and with public agencies to ensure that our environmental laws are effective and responsive to new challenges."

Carly Griffith is a PhD Candidate in Geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she has conducted legal and policy research on water and mineral resources in the Upper Midwest and northern Great Plains. She holds a B.A. from Colby College and an M.A. from Brown University. Before she joined MCEA, she was a Ph.D. Fellow at Midwest Environmental Advocates, a nonprofit environmental law and advocacy center in Madison, Wisconsin. She also taught in the Legal Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was an editor for the Edge Effects magazine of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

"I love the outdoors: camping with family and friends, hiking through new terrain, jumping in lakes, marveling at the vastness of Lake Superior, paddling through morning mist in the Boundary Waters. I’ll never forget my first trip into the BWCA alongside my two sisters now almost a decade ago. There were unexpected beaver dams and rain and aching muscles and power-struggles over steering, but there were also unforgettable sunrises and towering trees reflecting off glass lakes and newfound grit and a kind of quiet none of us had known before. It was a life-changing experience, and one that cemented in my soul the need to preserve wild places and protect our increasingly threatened natural world. It’s a privilege to bring my storytelling and media background to an organization working to do that everyday."

Sarah has over 15 years of experience working as a journalist in Minnesota. She landed her first job in the field just out of college at a daily newspaper in Fergus Falls, Minn., where she covered all facets of life and government in a small town. From there, she moved to the Duluth News Tribune, where she fell madly in love with the North Shore while reporting on the city’s education system. Before joining MCEA, she spent a decade covering government, education, crime and legal affairs for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, which also happens to be her hometown paper. Sarah is a fierce believer in the vital role journalism plays in maintaining a healthy democracy and global community. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 2005 from Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.

"As a kid, I grew up next to 'the woods'. It was a wonderful place to play and observe nature. I was able to catch tadpoles and salamanders, watch muskrats swim across the pond, and watch the red winged blackbirds that made it their summer home. Nothing says summer to me more than hearing their song. Years later, I learned it was an abandoned city dump. The cars that were partially submerged in the pond should have been a clue, but the ducks didn't seem to mind. When I decided to pursue a legal education (after years as a cost-accountant and later pursuing a horticulture degree), I hoped I could make a difference somewhere. I was interviewed as a non-traditional paralegal student at Inver Hills Community College (as an adult learner) and was asked what type of law I was interested in, I could only think of two areas, Elder Law or Environmental Law. A cousin, who worked as a district attorney, gave me the following advice: Be careful of pursuing work in an area of law you have a passion for, you might end up working for the other side. I worked in complex litigation for 12 years and found it rewarding but joining MCEA feels like my dream has finally come true."

Eric joined MCEA in 2016. Previously a Complex Litigation Paralegal in the areas of Antitrust Class Actions, Securities Lending, Title Insurance, and Reinsurance. A graduate of Inver Hills Community College’s Paralegal Program which is American Bar Association approved and a member of that Program's Advisory Committee since 2003. Eric also holds an AS degree in Horticulture Business and a Certificate in Accounting.

"It’s always been important to me that the work I do has the potential to make a broad positive impact on society.  For many years I satisfied that itch conducting research to improve public health and optimize healthcare services, but that work began to feel relatively insignificant as I became more aware of the threats imposed by climate change. So a couple of years ago, pulled by a drive to do more to combat the climate crisis, I decided to back away from my health research roles in order to apply my skills and experience to advancing ambitious climate policy. I’m thrilled to join the talented and rigorous staff at MCEA in that effort."

Melissa graduated magna cum laude from the University of California-Santa Barbara with a BA in Sociology and has a MS in Epidemiology and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining MCEA, she provided independent research consulting for various environmental advocacy non-profits, including Fresh Energy, Sierra Club, and MN350.  She maintains a part-time position as Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota and worked for many years as an Investigator and Associate Director at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System’s Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research.

“I grew up in New Mexico, where the dire impacts of our already changing climate are impossible to ignore. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know about climate change--but I do remember realizing that communities around the world were organizing to do something about it, and that I could learn from and build power with them. Climate change is a symptom of rampant extraction, from the earth and from our communities. At MCEA, I’m grateful to be part of pushing back against the extractive corporate power that drives so many forms of injustice.”

Akilah has spent the last decade involved in regulatory proceedings and grassroots organizing to oppose tar sands oil in Minnesota. She has experience in non-profit operations, Public Utilities Commission advocacy, and youth-centered climate movement organizing, and has focused her work on building the organizing structures and technical analysis that can enable our movements to scale up and achieve big goals. Akilah holds a degree in environmental history from Macalester College, and enjoys spending time outdoors.

“I had the good luck of being born in one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. Deep in my roots I have DNA from Muisca, Quimabaya and Tairona indigenous groups. Because of this combination caring for the natural resources is imbedded in me. I love exploring the outdoors and have traveled extensively in North America, South America, and Europe, and Asia on a smaller scale. I’m passionate about different cultures and their foods. I have lived in the Midwest 20+ years and am happy to contribute to the preservation of Minnesota’s natural resources. It’s our moral duty to protect it for future generations.”

Nicolas Vargas graduated from Devry University in 2012 Summa Cum Laude. He has dedicated over 12 years to the non-profit sector. Prior to working at MCEA, Nicolas worked with organizations that assist individuals to age well and also to end gender-based violence. Nicolas is bilingual in Spanish and enjoys biking and photography.