Delta Institute is pleased to welcome four new members have been elected to serve on our governing Board in addition to 13 other members being elected to serve on the Delta Emerging Leaders associate board for our fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.
New Governing Board 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.
Liz Alexander
Manager, Energy & Utilities; West Monroe
Liz joins the governing board after having volunteered on the Delta Emerging Leaders associate board for the past three years, including one term as DELs Co-Chair and another term as Outreach Committee Chair. She is a Manager in the Energy & Utilities practice at West Monroe, where—in addition to co-leading the firmwide Sustainability Team—she helps water and electric utilities across the country devise strategies and implement technologies to operate more efficiently and sustainably, enhance customer experience, and innovate with data. Liz has a special interest in the intersection of water and climate change but cares deeply about working on any project that has the potential to make the world a better place.
Madeline “Maddie” Demo
Senior EH&S Manager, Oldcastle Infrastructure
Please welcome Madeline “Maddie” Demo as one of Delta’s newest Board Directors! Maddie joins the governing board after having volunteered on the Delta Emerging Leaders associate board for the past three years, including one term as DELs Treasurer and another as our Green Soapbox Event Chair. She is an EHS&S leader for Oldcastle Infrastructure’s pipe & precast concrete manufacturing teams throughout the Midwest. Integrity, intensity, discipline, balance, inclusion, and excellence are at the heart of how she drives growth, value, and impact at work and through service.
Lottie Ferguson
Vice President, Development and Donor Services; Community Foundation of Greater Flint
Please welcome Lottie Ferguson as one of Delta’s newest Board Directors! Lottie currently serves as the VP of Development at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint after having served in multiple municipal/township roles and prior nonprofit executive experience. In more than three years as Chief Resilience Officer for the City of Flint, Lottie has worked to move the Flint community from survival toward thriving by facilitating the infusion of millions in local, regional, and federal grant funds for programs centered around equity, community engagement, public health, and environmental justice. Lottie has also collaborated with Delta Institute through our shared membership on the RISC Solutions network and also by participating in our most recent Green Soapbox panel discussion focused on regional infrastructure for climate and community impact.
Bradley Grams
Acting Division Director, US EPA
Brad dedicates a lot of their time to public policy and administration and is an Adjunct Lecturer for the Graduate Public Policy and Administration Program at Northwestern University. They also are involved in mentoring undergraduate and graduate students interested in environmental policy careers at Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. After beginning their career in the EPA as an enforcement officer in the Chicago Office, they earned several promotions at the Agency and are now the Acting Director of Planning in the EPA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer, where they lead the Agency’s Strategic Finance and Review, Enterprise Risk Management, and Evidence and Evaluation Teams.
New Delta Emerging Leaders
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. The DELs organize like Delta’s annual live, crowd-funding pitch competition for emerging entrepreneurs in sustainability called BOOST. The DELs organize Green Soapbox panel discussions each Spring, convening regional experts to discuss a pressing environmental topic in a virtual setting.
Lizbeth Carrazco
Associate, MUSE Community + Design
Lizbeth is a Chicago native passionate about helping communities build sustainable future. Throughout her life, Lizbeth was able to experience first-hand the benefits of City programs. Her experiences volunteering across the city has helped her shape her approach to boosting and amplifying communities’ voices and ideas. She ensures that everyone has a seat at the table and no viewpoint is overlooked. She is a firm believer that “la comunidad es siempre en el mente y en el frente” (the community is always in front and in mind). Prior to joining the team at MUSE, Lizbeth worked with the Steans Center where she researched security across Chicago. She’s also done work with the Greater Food Purchasing Program, Chicago Grows food, and helped develop projects that reimagined the industrial corridor in Pilsen. Lizbeth holds a Master of Arts in Sustainable Urban Development from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from the University of Illinois in Chicago.
Mackenzie Castle
Current 3L at Chicago-Kent College of Law
Mackenzie joined the Delta Emerging Leaders because she wanted to be a part of a community and a movement that works to create and establish solutions to environmental and sustainability problems. She has lived in urban areas like Detroit and Chicago but has also spent a significant amount of time in rural areas like the middle of Michigan and understands the different struggles and challenges that different types of communities are currently facing. Mackenzie is completing her third year of law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law; she holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Central Michigan University. Her past experience includes working as a law clerk with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and at the Greater Chicago Legal Clinic.
Stephen Dynako
Impact Partner, Raise Green
Stephen joined the DELs because he wants to merge his deep professional background with his desire to be of service. He feels a sense of urgency to contribute to the programs, projects, organizations, and companies that are actively addressing the climate crisis, and to him, it is obvious that Delta Institute is one of the right places where this critical work is being done, and he wants to help further our mission. Stephen holds a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Loyola University Chicago.
Paige Graham
Senior Vice President, Social Impact & Sustainability; Edelman
Paige joined the DELs to be inspired, challenged in her current way of thinking, pushed to broaden her perspectives, and engage more closely with the Chicago impact community from a sustainable/regenerative agriculture, food security, and food systems transformation standpoint. She is fortunate to come from an agricultural background (her family has a farm in Southern Indiana) and work on food systems opportunities with companies and organizations of all sizes along the food value chain. Paige is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Natural Resources from Virginia Tech University and holds a B.A. in Communication with a minor in Creative Writing from Purdue University.
Maya Kelly
Business Operations Manager, Urban Rivers
Throughout her many roles in the environmental industry, Maya has always been drawn to holistic approaches to solving environmental problems. She believes that it is difficult to make change when not accounting for how human communities engage with or are affected by communal environmental challenges. She joined the DELs to meet like-minded individuals, sharing resources, connecting communities with collective action, and making good friends. Maya holds Bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and in Environmental Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
Delaney Klundt
Project Manager, Choose Chicago
Delaney joined the DELs because she hopes to learn more about sustainable development and connect with like-minded individuals in similar fields. In her role as Choose Chicago, she works on sustainable economic/community development, placemaking, data, and other various topics. Delaney holds a Master of Arts in Sustainable Development and a Bachelor of Arts in Geography, GIS & Geotechnology from DePaul University.
Haroula Kyriacou
Engagement Lead, Spaulding Ridge
Haroula joined the DELs because she wants to devote her time to an organization that puts the planet and our environment first. Before joining Spaulding Ridge, Haroula worked as the Director, Revenue and Customer Operations for Persefoni and in technology consulting with Accenture. She enjoys traveling, getting outdoors (walking/biking), and all things Greek. She holds a Master’s and Bacheor’s degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from UCLA.
Phuong Le
Intersectional Environmentalist
As a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant first-generation woman, Phuong has always been curious to learn about what makes people who they are, and that’s why she uses her privilege to advocate for others. A personal philosophy she lives by is “a clean environment benefits everyone.” That’s why it’s a personal mission of her to develop and implement impactful sustainability projects to advocate the importance of environmental justice. In the past, she has served as the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Lead for Volunteering Untapped Chicago. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and also recently completed a climate fellowship with Terra.do.
Gabby Petrelli
Program Coordinator; FishChoice, Inc.
Gabby is a dedicated and enthusiastic environmentalist who loves helping people, communities, and businesses meet their sustainability goals. Whether helping a restaurant find sustainable seafood or guiding volunteers on a beach clean-up, she believes that smart, everyday choices and strong political advocacy can add up to make a big impact. She has particular expertise in plastic pollution, circular economy, and sustainable food systems. In the past, she has served as the Coordinator, Conservation Action for the Shedd Aquarium and as the Volunteer Coordinator for Active Transportation Alliance. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science from Northwestern University.
Tess Teodoro
Manager of Green Chemistry
Tess was first introduced to Delta’s work as an undergraduate at UChicago on an environmental science-focused trek, though she later decided that she wanted to start her career working on chemistry research in laboratories, she was impressed by the passion she felt at Delta’s office and she has remained invested in its mission. In addition to her role at Cyclopure, Tess co-founded Phoenix Farms NFP as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization during her undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Engineering. She has earned several academic awards and recognitions, including being named for a Fulbright Open Research Award and earning a Jeff Metcalf Undergraduate Professional Fellowship.
Ashvin Vegliandla
Lead Data Analyst (Business Intelligence and Data Science), Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Ashvin is an Agilist with excellent leadership, interpersonal, strategic planning, business process improvement, relationship management, project management, technical and domain skills with an emphasis on value-added delivery honed over the past 18 years looking to contribute towards a successful organization. He is a seasoned portfolio and program manager responsible for supervising a large account consisting of 135 resources generating an annual revenue of $4.5 million. Ashvin is currently pursuing an MBA in Entrepreneurial Studies from University of Chicago and holds a Bachelor’s in Electronics & Communication from Visvesvaraya Technological University.
Jack Whalen
Adjunct faculty, Harold Washington College
Jack joined the DELs in the hopes of making a significant difference in communities of need while also fostering new relationships with those that share his passion for the environment. He has ten years of teaching experience as well as a growing understanding of environmental law and policy and hopes to support Delta by using this experience. Jack is currently pursuing a Master of Science of Environmental Sustainability with a concentration in Law and Policy from Loyola University Chicago; he also currently holds a Master of Arts in History from Loyola. He holds Bachelor degrees of Arts in Art History and in History from DePaul University.
Micaela Wu
Strategic Communications Coordinator, The Global FoodBanking Network
Micaela joined the DELs in 2023 and is excited to support environmental protection and sustainability in the Midwest while working alongside an inspiring cohort of emerging leaders. She hopes to make meaningful contributions to Delta’s work with her interest in sustainable food systems, background in marketing and communications, event planning, and program development, and identity as an Asian American. Micaela holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition (Dietetics) with additional coursework in Agriculture from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. In her free time, you can find her rock climbing, exploring art galleries, practicing mindfulness, and volunteering at her local community garden.
If you or someone you know might be interested in making a difference by joining Delta’s Board of Directors, please consider emailing us for more information. Or if you know of an emerging professional who would be interested in joining the Delta Emerging Leaders Associate Board, you can click here to learn more.