Who We Are

Our Team

Our Staff

Mélina Blanc

Lead, Nature-Based Climate Solutions

Natalie Brown, AICP

Senior Specialist

Mackenzie Manley Buchek

Senior Specialist, Finance and Operations

Lucas Chamberlain

Senior Associate, Programs

Claire Costelloe, LEED Green Associate

Senior Associate, Programs

Sidney (Sid) Freitag-Fey, CFRE

Chief Development Officer

Helen M. Hardy

Chief Financial Officer

Maha Issa, PhD

Specialist, Programs

Chris Jeske

Associate, Development and Communications

Malcolm Mossman, AICP

Lead, Programs

Patrick T. Murphy

Director of Donor Stewardship

Jenny B. Par

Associate, Programs

Katherine Schultz

Senior Lead, Finance and Operations

Board of Directors

Delta Institute’s governing Board of Directors provides oversight and management of Delta Institute. Board Directors serve up to two terms of three years each (for six years total) and participate in at least one of our three standing Committees: Development; Finance; and Governance and Nominating. Our Board adheres to best practices in nonprofit governance and signs an annual participation agreement outlining their roles and responsibilities to Delta Institute, as well as identifying any conflicts of interest that may impact their service.

Jaré Akchin

Vice President for Jewish Community Impact, Third Plateau

Liz Alexander

Manager, Energy & Utilities, West Monroe

Karl Analo, J.D.

Counsel, Labor & Employment; Abbott Laboratories

Ashley Bakelmun

Managing Director; RW Ventures, LLC

Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda

Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Jessie Deelo

Founder, Deelo Consulting Services

Madeline (Maddie) Demo, MBA, MPH, GSP

Senior EH&S Manager, Oldcastle Infrastructure

Lottie Ferguson

Vice President, Development and Donor Services, Community Foundation of Greater Flint

David Fording, CFA

Partner and Portfolio Manager – US All Cap Growth and US Equity Sustainability Strategies, William Blair

Bradley Grams

Regional Environmental Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration

Niharika Hanglem

Development Committee Co-Chair
Program Director, Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship at Illinois Institute of Technology

Mike Harrington, LEED GA

Director at The Tishman Environment and Design Center, New School

Kevin Kalus

Board Treasurer
Market Executive – Illinois Middle Market, JPMorgan Chase

Vanessa Roanhorse

Board Vice Chair; Governance and Nominating Committee Chair
CEO, Roanhorse Consulting LLC

Sanjiv Sinha, PE, PHD

Board Chair
CEO, Corvias Infrastructure Solutions, LLC

David South

Clean Energy/Sustainability Advisor, South Ventures, LLC

Lindsey Sullivan, JD

Board Secretary
Director – Legal Affairs and Financials Operations at 57 Stars, LLC

Join Our Board

Delta Institute’s Board of Directors provides a balanced approach to governance and oversight while actively managing and guiding all organizational facets. Board meetings occur quarterly, with Board-led committee meetings also occurring quarterly in adjacent months. All Directors sign membership agreements that cover governance and philanthropic requirements. In return, Delta Institute provides personal and professional fulfillment, networking, and the opportunity to help shape a dynamic regional nonprofit.

Delta Institute's 2023 Annual Retreat

Delta Emerging Leaders Associate Board

The Delta Emerging Leaders (DELs) serve as the official associate board of Delta Institute and advance Delta’s mission by expanding its network of supporters, donors, and partners through events and initiatives that engage new and diverse audiences. Every year, the DELs host a live, crowd-funding pitch competition called BOOST for sustainable start-up businesses that help make Chicago a thriving, environmentally conscientious city to live and work in.

Nitesh Bajaj

DELs Treasurer and Liaison to the Finance Committee
Asset Manager, Amp Americas

Carol Brobeck, AICP

DELs Outreach Committee Chair and Liaison to the Governance and Nominating Committee
Senior Associate; Teska Associates, Inc.

Lizbeth Carrazco

Associate, MUSE Community + Design

Mackenzie Castle

Current 3L at Chicago-Kent College of Law

Diana De La Torre

Project Manager, Municipal Technical Assistance and Consulting; Elevate

Cécile Dick-Calmès

Inbound Marketing Manager, Daifuku Wynright

Stephen Dynako

Impact Partner, Raise Green

Hunter Federle-McCabe, MBA, MS

Supply Chain & Delivery Supervisor, McMaster-Carr

Paige Graham

Senior Vice President, Social Impact & Sustainability; Edelman

Maya Kelly

Business Operations Manager, Urban Rivers

Erin Kenney

BOOST Committee Chair
Senior Associate, Mass Economics

Delaney Klundt

Project Manager, Choose Chicago

Haroula Kyriacou

DELs Co-Chair
Engagement Lead, Spaulding Ridge

Phuong Le

Intersectional Environmentalist

Kasia Machaj

DELs Secretary
Senior Market Solutions and Education Associate

Gabby Petrelli

Program Coordinator; FishChoice, Inc.

Conner Rettig

Illinois Shines Equity Eligible Contractors Sector Strategist

Grace Snider

DELs Co-Chair
Business Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Tess Teodoro

Manager of Green Chemistry

Ashvin Vegliandla

Lead Data Analyst (Business Intelligence and Data Science), Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Jack Whalen

Adjunct faculty, Harold Washington College

Micaela Wu

Strategic Communications Coordinator, The Global FoodBanking Network

Become a Delta Emerging Leader

Delta Institute recruits emerging professionals to volunteer on our associate board, the Delta Emerging Leaders (DELs). The associate board, composed of up to 25 professionals from a wide array of sectors, collaboratively work to advance Delta’s mission by expanding our network of supporters, donors, and partners through events and initiatives that engage new and diverse audiences. The DELs’ recruitment cycle takes place each spring for one-year, renewable terms beginning July 1.

DELs volunteer with EcoShip at Reuse-a-Palooza

Careers and Internships

Full-time & part-time

Internships

Delta Institute is undertaking a fundamental incorporation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in all recruitment efforts for staff, as well as for our governing and associate boards. We welcome learning more about organizational leaders who have diverse experience and a keen focus on equity and inclusion in their leadership. Please read more about our commitment to DEI.

RFP: Feasibility Study Consultant for Stormwater Wetland Treatment Project

Delta Institute is seeking a Consultant to conduct Feasibility Assessment for Stormwater Treatment Wetlands site planning at the IIPD.

Specialist, Environmental Finance Center (EFC)

The EFC Specialist will assist with the overall implementation and coordination for Delta’s U.S. EPA Region 5 Regional Water Infrastructure Environmental Finance Center. The position will provide strategic, technical, programmatic and analytical support. The Specialist will coordinate with the EFC Administrator and provide support for the successful oversight and management to Delta’s staff and partners assisting with the implementation of direct technical assistance to communities across US E.P.A. Region 5 in planning for, applying for, and implementing Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) projects. The Specialist will work directly with communities and provide drinking water and wastewater infrastructure technical assistance.

Support Us

Create a thriving Midwest for tomorrow by supporting Delta today.