Delta Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization formed in 1998 that envisions a region in which all communities and landscapes thrive through an integrated approach to environmental, economic, and social challenges. Working with our partners, we identify opportunities for environmental solutions and design, test, and share solutions that yield social, environmental, and economic benefits for communities.
Delta is committed to full integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into all internal processes and structures for our board and staff, and external processes and structures for engaging with our partners, communities, stakeholders, and supporters. Learn more about our DEI commitment, DEI committee’s executive summary, and more by visiting the link below.
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
Karl Analo, J.D.
Senior Associate, FordHarrison LLP
ASHLEY BAKELMUN
Managing Director; RW Ventures, LLC
Jon Cheffings
Development Committee Co-Chair
EVP, Strategy, SCC&M
Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda
Commissioner, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Jessie Deelo
Founder, Deelo Consulting Services
David Fording, CFA
Partner and Portfolio Manager – US All Cap Growth and US Equity Sustainability Strategies, William Blair
David Freed
Chief Information Officer, MSI Express, Inc.
Niharika Hanglem
Development Committee Co-Chair
Program Director, Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship at Illinois Institute of Technology
Allison Hannon Holly, MBA
Board Treasurer; Finance Committee Chair
Director of Strategy US East,Pattern Energy Group
Mike Harrington, LEED GA
Assistant Director at The Tishman Environment and Design Center, New School
Kevin Kalus
Market Executive – Illinois Middle Market, JPMorgan Chase
Ann McCabe
Commissioner, Illinois Commerce Commission
Vanessa Roanhorse
Board Vice Chair; Governance and Nominating Committee Chair
CEO, Roanhorse Consulting LLC
Sanjiv Sinha, PE, PHD
Board Chair
Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President, Environmental Consulting & Technology, Inc.
David South
Clean Energy/Sustainability Advisor, South Ventures, LLC
Lindsey Sullivan, JD
Board Secretary
Director – Legal Affairs and Financials Operations at 57 Stars, LLC
Ethelbert Williams
Head of eCommerce, US Customer Development, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health
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.
LIZ ALEXANDER
DELs Co-Chair
Senior Consultant – Energy and Utilities, West Monroe Partners
NITESH BAJAJ
Asset Manager, Amp Americas
Chloe Bell
DELs Communications Committee Chair and DELs Liaison to the Development Committee
Law Student, Chicago-Kent College of Law
Law Clerk, U.S. EPA
Carol Brobeck, AICP
DELs Co-Chair
Senior Associate; Teska Associates, Inc.
Julia Buford
DELs Treasurer and DELs Liaison to the Finance Committee
Senior Financial Analyst, PFM
Maria Czerwonka
BOOST Event Co-Chair
ESG Solutions Architect
DIANA DE LA TORRE
Supervisor of Chicago Youth Service Corps, Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council
MADELINE DEMO
Green Soap Box Event Chair
NorthCentral In-Market Operations EHS Manager at PepsiCo
MEng student at University of Alabama at Birmingham
Cecile Dick-Calmes
Inbound Marketing Manager
Hunter Federle-McCabe
DELs Outreach Committee Chair and DELs Liaison to the Governance and Nomination Committee
Product Development Analyst, McMaster-Carr Supply Company
CLAIRE HOWARD, EIT
Partner Relations Associate, Arcadia
erin kenney
BOOST Event Co-Chair
Senior Associate, Mass Economics
Hyunjee Lee
Digital Marketing Account Manager, 3Q Digital
Kasia Machaj
DELs Secretary
Program Associate, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
Ned McLean
Sustainability Analyst, ClimeCo
Zoe Morse
Professional Soccer Player, Chicago Red Stars
Conner Rettig
DELs Programming Committee Chair and DELs Liaison to the Development Committee
Vendor Manager, Illinois Solar for All
Peter Scruggs
Regional Sustainability Coordinator, Live Nation Entertainment
JEROME SMITH
Client Engagement Manager, Emissary
Grace Snider
Business Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
SARAH WALWEMA
Urban Planner at GRAEF