Who We Are
Our Team
Our Staff
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
Development Committee Chair
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
Board Vice Chair; Governance and Nominating Committee Chair
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
Governing Board Liaison to the DELs
Senior EH&S Manager, Oldcastle Infrastructure
Lottie Ferguson
Vice President, Development and Donor Services, Community Foundation of Greater Flint
David Fording, CFA
Board Treasurer; Finance Committee Chair
Partner and Portfolio Manager – US All Cap Growth and US Equity Sustainability Strategies, William Blair
Paige Graham
Senior Vice President, Social Impact & Sustainability; Edelman
Bradley Grams
Regional Environmental Protection Specialist, Federal Aviation Administration
Niharika Hanglem
Program Director, Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship at Illinois Institute of Technology
Mike Harrington, LEED GA
Board Secretary
Director at The Tishman Environment and Design Center, New School
Kevin Kalus
Market Executive – Illinois Middle Market, JPMorgan Chase
Vanessa Roanhorse
Board Chair
CEO, Roanhorse Consulting LLC
Tyler Strom
Managing Director, Illinois Agri-Food Alliance
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 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.
Lucia Bosacoma
Strategy Analyst, Growth Marketing; GoHealth
Lizbeth Carrazco
BOOST Committee Chair and DEL Liaison to the Development Committee
Associate, MUSE Community + Design
Mackenzie Castle
Environmental Lawyer
Jessica Chen
Sustainability Associate, CC Industries
Paige Curson
Supply Chain Manager, Cyclopure
Linda Derhak
Environmental Justice Research Assistant, University of Illinois Extension
Maya Kelly
Green Soapbox Committee Chair and DEL Liaison to the Development Committee
Business Operations Manager, Urban Rivers
Delaney Klundt
Director, Grant Programs & Compliance; Choose Chicago
Haroula Kyriacou
Outreach Committee Chair and DEL Liaison to the Governance & Nominating Committee
Manager, Revenue Excellence; Spaulding Ridge
Phuong Le
DELs Co-Chair
Sustainability Analyst, Ferrera
Joey McDarrah
Senior Associate, Investment Management – Proxy; William Blair
Humble Mohammed
Project Manager – Data Platform, Sunrun
Molly Needelman
Staff User Experience Researcher & Strategist, Google
Gabby Petrelli
Deputy Program Manager, FishChoice
John Prisby
Energy & Utilities Consultant, West Monroe
Conner Rettig
Illinois Shines Equity Eligible Contractors Sector Strategist
Manju Rupani
Principal Consultant, R Impact Consulting
Anya Salnikova
Independent consultant (strategy, sustainability, operations)
Anusha Shaktawat
Graduate of the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy
Becca Sita
Sustainability professional
Grace Snider
DELs Co-Chair
Business Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
Ashvin Veligandla
DELs Treasurer and Liaison to the Finance Committee
Lead Data Analyst (Business Intelligence and Data Science), Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
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.
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.
Associate, Programs
There are currently no internshipSpecialist, Programs – Nature-Based Climate Solutions
Lead, Programs Strategy
Support Us
Create a thriving Midwest for tomorrow by supporting Delta today.