350 Colorado Board of Directors

Katessia Robertson, Board of Directors, Co-Chair, Denver, CO

Katessia Robertson is a youth advocate and small business owner who grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. Katessia recently graduated from the University of Denver with a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Social Work with a concentration in Ecological Justice. In the future, Katessia wants to use their social work degree to fight against the harm the fast fashion industry causes to people and the earth. Their small business is called “The Clothing Cycle”, they sell secondhand clothes to help them avoid going to a landfill and work towards a regenerative future.

They spend their free time exploring Colorado, thrifting, playing board games, and spending time with friends.

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Irina Sedova, Board of Directors, Vice-Chair, Longmont, CO

Irina serves as Director at Principium Investments, an asset management firm specializing in environmentally and socially responsible investing. Prior to moving to Colorado, Irina managed poverty alleviation, economic development, and human rights programs in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.  In 2013, she experienced first-hand the devastating effects of intensifying storms as her residence, along with many others, was ravaged by floods in Lyons, CO. As a Colorado Master Gardener with a keen interest in permaculture, Irina is working with our Boulder chapter to promote local organic food and regenerative agriculture practices as climate change solutions.

“I am active in the 350 Colorado campaign to encourage individuals and institutions to divest from fossil fuels and reinvest in climate change solutions.  I focus my efforts on climate change because it is one of the most pressing and cross-cutting issues of our time.” – Irina Sedova

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Heron Lenz, Board of Directors, Secretary, Colorado Springs, CO

 

Heron grew up in Fort Collins, CO before moving to Evanston, IL to attend Northwestern University. After receiving a B.A. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from Northwestern, he served on the board of the Evanston Environmental Association, raising money to fund urban environmental education programs as well as conservation projects in the city. Heron has recently returned to Colorado to study for a Master’s degree in Ecology and Evolution from University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. As a new member of 350, he looks forward to continuing the work he loves in his home state. When he’s not rock climbing, hiking, or traveling, Heron works to generate ecological research that can inform future climate policy.

Jacob Sanchez, Board of Directors, Co-Treasurer, Denver, CO

Jacob Sanchez is a Colorado resident of 7 years, having lived in Fort Collins and now Denver. He can trace his passion for environmental  sustainability and the natural world to his summers spent outdoors with his family and in the Boy Scouts of America. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, San Diego, he joined up with HP Inc. to help the large corporation harness its power for the good of the planet. After some time spent working to make HP’s packaging more sustainable, recyclable, and renewable, he now spends his working hours leading the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at HP sites and the development of renewable energy projects around the world to push his company to 100% renewable electricity and carbon neutrality by 2025. He is especially passionate about the transition to clean energy, electrification, and environmental justice.

In his free time, Jacob enjoys exploring the great outdoor spaces of Colorado through skiing, fishing, hiking, and camping. He also spends time volunteering with his two favorite Denver non-profits – We Don’t Waste and Protect Our Rivers. He is also a member of Sierra Club’s Transportation Committee and was part of the Sierra Club team that helped push for the early retirement of Platte River Power Authority’s Rawhide Unit 1 coal plant.

Paul Culnan, Board of Directors, Co-Treasurer, Boulder, CO

Paul Culnan has been a “super-volunteer” with 350 colorado, supporting our organization in virtually every way a person can support us: from financial support to helping with policy analysis to participating in nonviolent direct actions at the Colorado state capitol. He is a prolific writer and has helped bring issues into public view. Beyond his sharp analytical intelligence and patient people skills, Paul doesn’t hesitate to say what needs to be said when testifying in decision-making venues. His willingness to speak truth to power in an intelligent yet unequivocally simple way has helped our elected officials and volunteers alike understand with clarity how we can solve this crisis. He passionately believes we must stop extracting, processing and burning fossil fuels and that political leaders are not doing the job we need them to do on the climate crisis. We, the people must encourage them, in every way possible, to lead the public to a clean prosperous future as quickly as possible. Paul is a retired computer program and enjoys hiking, biking and small boat sailing.

David Alley, Board of Directors, Denver, CO

David Alley co-founded a service business, Designs for Learning in 1992 and served as vice-president, president and CEO. He retired in  2021 and continues to chair the company’s Board of Directors. He has a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Memphis, with an emphasis in Adult and Higher Education. He served a small private college in Arkansas as director of institutional evaluation and planning, associate academic dean, and vice president for student services. David is actively engaged in social change efforts focused on racial justice and climate justice. He is a member of the Environmental Justice committee of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability & Resilience, The Denver Foundation’s reparations affinity group, Together Colorado’s Climate Justice Committee, Good Business Colorado, and First Unitarian Society of Denver where he is a Trustee. He enjoys running (Twin Cities Marathon 1992, 1994, 2014, 2015 and Boston Marathon 2016), mindful walking, reading, music, hiking, biking and non-technical mountain climbing (Long’s Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, six times 1978-2016).

“I want to grow and be helpful. My experience with Denver-based climate work includes XR, DSA Eco-socialists, Ecodharma retreats and practice (with “Fierce Vulnerability” NDA training), co-facilitating a new Climate Justice Project at First Unitarian Society of Denver, and moderating Together Colorado’s Climate Justice Committee. However, because 350 Colorado consistently going deep on climate policy and wide in terms of intersectional climate organizing and action, it is a unique place where I think I can be useful and help make a difference.”

Phoebe Dominguez, Board of Directors, Aurora, CO

Phoebe Dominguez is a youth speaker, organizer, and activist. They have lived in Colorado their entire life. They have been volunteering with 350 Colorado for over 3 years and is the co-chair of the Youth Action Committee. Phoebe has been a part of countless climate efforts and campaigns over the years fighting for a future worth living.

When they are not spending time volunteering, they enjoy playing volleyball, video games, and the cello. Phoebe is excited to start high school and help bring a younger perspective to the 350 Colorado executive board.

Charlea Howard, Board of Directors, Colorado Springs

Charlea has lived in Colorado Springs her entire life and values her community greatly. Her work in non-profits complements her passion for Sustainability. After over a year of serving as the 350 Colorado Springs Local Team Coordinator, she stepped away from the organization to finish her degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability at UCCS.

Now employed as the Food Access Coordinator at an equity-focused food rescue nonprofit in Colorado Springs, Charlea is thrilled to rejoin the team in a different capacity with important new insights. In her free time, Charlea enjoys embarking on alpine hikes, time with loved ones, and enjoying a good cup of coffee. She is excited to re-immerse herself into this work and make many more impactful connections through 350 Colorado as a board member.

Chris Herr, Board of Directors, Denver

Chris grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota before making his way out to Colorado in 2007 where he initially landed in Colorado Springs but has been in Denver since 2014. He earned a B.A. in History from UCCS and a Master’s of Pubic Administration from CU Denver. Chris has served as the Director of Sustainability for the Auraria Campus in Downtown Denver since 2017 and ran for the Denver District 2 City Council seat in 2023 to make environmental issues a greater focus for the City. With a two-year-old son and another one on the way in 2024, Chris is dedicated to forging a livable future for his family and yours.

When he’s not thinking about climate change and sustainability issues, Chris is spending time with his family and friends, playing music, watching football, and tinkering with several personal projects. As a new member of the 350 Colorado Board, he is excited to see what sort of progress he can make on our regional environmental issues and how to generally increase support for the great work this organization has been doing for the past decade.

Daniel Price, Board of Directors, Commerce City, CO

Daniel Price was born and raised in the Chicago-Metro region in a multi-racial, multi-faith family with a neurodivergent sibling. Politically active from a young age, he received his BA in History from the University of Rochester and spent seven years living and working in international development, teaching, and education in Ghana, India, the Republic of Georgia, Guyana, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Much of that time was spent living off-grid in villages with indigenous peoples. He Served in the United States Peace Corps as a Preventative Health Educator working to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS in the Amazon rainforest. He speaks an indigenous language and is an expert in tropical farming & permaculture. He received multiple awards from the US Department of State for spearheading school gardens in the Marshall Islands working with youth to combat chronic diseases while connecting to traditional land-use practices and foods, and rehabilitating soils and ecosystems. He is currently a project manager in local government managing operations for parks, trails, and open spaces in Commerce City and is pursuing a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado in Denver. Living just 2 miles north of the Suncor Oil Refinery as well as his experiences living and working in the Marshall Islands–ground zero for the US government’s 67 nuclear tests–were his “Aha” moments which inspire him in his fight for environmental justice, regenerative agriculture, and democracy.