Organizational Info

Operating Organizational Structure

(This information is evolving with our growth)

Our all-Volunteer effort is currently managing organizational development from these committees (whose members unite monthly as the “core team” to coordinate committee work):

• Structure & Organization
• Financial
• General Meetings & Events
• Communications & Web

To send a message to any of these core committees, contact the “Core Team” through our “Contact Us” form.

Core Team Members Include:

Co-Chairs (acting)

Linda Ellinor
Bio: As a co-founder of The Dialogue Group, Linda Ellinor brings a
background in facilitation, organizational development, executive
coaching, team building and marketing/project management. She holds
undergraduate and graduate degrees in business and most recently
graduate work in clinical psychology. She currently is developing a
retreat center in Tubac, AZ which will offer workshops and seminars
focused on the “practice of sustainable living” as well as on “the
inner work of leadership” in these uncertain times.

Vera Lander
Bio: is a Tucson native who has been active in community affairs throughout her adult life. While working as Assistant Dean of Students, she earned her EdD in Educational Foundations and Administration. Over the years, Vera has volunteered in various capacities in many groups and has presented, spoken and taught at even more.
She is currently active in Church Women United, Microbusiness Advancement Center, and Pima Friends Meeting as well serving on the Core Team since the Visioning Meeting at El Ojito Springs in January 2007. She is acting as Co-Coordinator with Linda Elinor

Other Committee members

Bob Cook

Carla Clark
Bio: Carla brings her experience in information architecture, project management, communications, and editing. Her passions include harmony with environment, efficiency in all ways, conservation/re-use, laughter, gardening, and hiking.

Tres English
Bio: Tucson resident since 1961 Active in a wide variety of community issues, including transportation, water, landuse, neighborhoods, and energy. Recently completed a study for Pima County on the conditions of our aging housing stock. Currently director of the Teaching & Helping program, which teaches high school-aged and other volunteers how to fix old houses by pairing volunteers with experienced professionals to repair homes of low-income families.

Oscar Gandy
Bio: Oscar is an emeritus professor of communication. His research and writing has been focused on the information environment with an emphasis on the role of communications systems and institutions in the reproduction of inequality. He was a founding member of the Union for Democratic Communication, and a member and later board chair of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. He has recently completed writing a book about decision support systems, discrimination, and cumulative disadvantage.

Judith Mattson
Bio: Judith is a writer and consultant based in Tucson . She holds a BS in Home Economics and Journalism from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln . To date, she has worked with over 100 clients and employers in more than 25 states, with a focus on local organizations – state extension services, restaurants, natural food stores, community health centers, physicians, hospitals, health plans, as well as both state and national associations in health care and local governments.
Today, she blends the best of this experience and expertise in writing, marketing, customer service, consulting, publishing and regulatory affairs through a focus on natural and local food concepts.

Core Advisors Include

Kai Goodwillie

Madeline Kiser
Bio: Madeline is a poet and mother of two sons. She is the founder of two programs - Inside/Out, based in Tucson, Arizona; and RíoArte, in Costa Rica - which use art to engage young people in critical sustainability debates, and promote open dialogue among diverse stakeholders and organizations

Ronald Proctor
Bio: Ron is an architect and builder specializing in sustainable residential design and practicing community activism. He holds MArch and BArch degrees from the University of Arizona and has been designing and building in central Tucson since 2001. Previous to receiving his degrees, Ron spent 12 years as a principal in Southface Building and Design Inc., creating custom solar homes in the midcoast Maine region. He has been part of Sustainable Tucson since 2007, coordinating the core team from August 2007 through March 2008. Ron also co-chairs Lend A Hand Senior Outreach Inc., a local 501c3 serving eight Ward 3 neighborhoods by helping local seniors stay in their own homes with a little bit of local volunteer assistance. He is an avid backpacker who has logged more than 1000 miles in the Grand Canyon.

Joanie Sawyer - Structure & Organization committee (co-convener) Bio: I work for PRO Neighborhoods, an asset-based community development initiative that gives small grants and technical assistance to grassroots neighborhood groups in Tucson and Pima County.” I earned a Masters of Liberal Studies degree from NAU, with a focus on Education for Sustainability.

Keely ‘Many Feathers’ Sinclair (aka the Green Diva) - Green Festival Chair
Bio: Keely is the lead organizer for the Tucson Green Festival. She has a B.A. in Business Mgt & Mktg, is the SW coordinator for Defenders of Wildlife, volunteers for Forever Wild and is in the process of launching her own green wedding & event planning business. She is car free, a certified Permaculturist & apprentice with the SPG, vegetarian, a bus chick, an organic gardener, raises city chickens and is a local foods activist. She is passionate about green building, outreach and education in regards to sustainability, building & fostering community relationships, fair trade, holistic healthcare, herbalism, relocalization, zero waste, animal & human welfare, and peace.. She tries very hard to lead and live by example and also tries to be of service to the Tucson community in any way that she can.

Susan L. Williams
Bio: Susan Williams is a free-lance writer and education consultant living in Florida. Her experience encompasses K-12 special education, high school and community college science instruction as well as serving as administrator of environmental education programs. Most recently Susan served as Director of Education at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. In 2003 Susan established a consulting business - Write for Change - which serves organizations working toward a more sustainable society. Her clients include food banks, public policy institutions, private and public schools, natural history centers, environmental education organizations, tribal communities and individual artists. Susan writes and publishes essays and articles about social, political and ecological issues of the 21st Century. www.writeforchange.com

Networking: Organizations, Citizen Iniatives, and Projects