The Community Environmental Council (CEC) has announced the addition of new staff members intended to bolster the council’s response to climate issues. The new staff members are:
Nicole Eads: Director of Development
Ms. Eads has more than 10 years of experience working in non-profit fundraising. Prior to working at CEC, she was the Director of Development for California State University, Northridge’s Nazarian College of Business. In her role at CEC, Ms. Eads is the lead for fundraising and networking opportunities. She received her bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from California State University Long Beach.
Elizabeth Fry: Accounting Manager
Ms. Fry has worked in finance and accounting for more than 20 years, primarily in the nonprofit sector. In her role at CEC, she is responsible for preparing financial statements and related variance analysis reports.She received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University.
Siena Hooper: Santa Barbara County Food Rescue Coordinator
Ms. Hooper 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. She received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California Santa Barbara.
Natalie McGuire: Executive Assistant and Board Liaison
Ms. McGuire 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. Ms. McGuire says is excited about being a part of CEC because the work aligns with her personal passions as a nature advocate. She received her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.
Molly Taylor: Climate Smart Agriculture Program Manager
Ms. Taylor 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. Ms. Taylor is an ecological monitor and enjoys watching landscapes change as they respond to careful management. She studied Urban Planning at New York University.
Alexis Rizo: Climate Policy Assistant
Ms. Rizo has worked in city government and interned for Sen. 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. Ms. Rizo received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from California Lutheran University.
Naomi Newman: Climate Leadership Intern
Ms. Newman 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. Ms. Newman is currently working on a master’s degree in Public Policy at Pepperdine University, with hopes of working in the field of environmental policy.
