Board of Directors

Henry (Hank) Bell, Jr. has served on the ELM Board since January 2010. He is currently a Strategic Technology Manager for Eversource. Mr. Bell previously served as Manager of Data Delivery at Eversource and its predecessor, NSTAR. Prior to his employment at Eversource, he worked as a technology consultant for the Allenbrook Corp. and as a program manager of the AETNA/U.S. Health Care technology merger team. Before entering the private sector, Mr. Bell served as a Regulator/Chief of Staff for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs’ Secretary, Trudy Coxe. He also served on the personal staffs of three former New England Governors: William Weld, Paul Cellucci, and Edward Diprete of Rhode Island. In addition, Mr. Bell was a member of the campaign staff of the late US Senator John Chafee of Rhode Island. He previously served on the board of the Appalachian Mountain Club for more than six years. Mr. Bell holds a B.A. from Clark University and a M.B.A. from the Sawyer School of Management at Suffolk University. He resides in Milton and Oak Bluffs with his wife, Leigh Mills, and two daughters, Georgia and Hope.

Mark Bilbe works for a Boston based family office focused on impact investing and philanthropy. He is a strategy and leadership consultant working with community food hubs, non-profits, SaaS based technology companies and impact innovators. Mark has worked for the British Library, McKinsey & Co, and spent 16 years at Mimecast, headquartered in Lexington MA. Mark serves as an executive chairman, and on the boards and advisory councils of several technology start ups, environmental and impact innovators focused on renewable energy, transforming infrastructure, reducing carbon emissions and creating a safer world.

Mark read for a Ph.D in African History at St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, and is published. Mark grew up in South Africa, and has lived on three continents and made New England his home. He is married to Vanessa and they have two daughters, Grace and Madison. Mark loves spending time with his family and friends, exploring the outdoors, brewing average beer, contemplating what it means to be human, and having fun.

JocCole “JC” Burton, LEED AP BD+C, is the Founder ofMaven Construction (also known as Woodline Solutions). Maven Construction, a women-owned Boston, Massachusetts based company provides full service general construction management, energy solution and energy retrofits. Her expertise in high-performing green projects stems from directing more than 40 LEED new construction and energy retrofit projects where geothermal, solar arrays and solar farms are reducing traditional energy sources on average of 23%.

In addition to her work with Maven Construction, she’s served for more than two years as a Fellow with the Startup Leadership Program, crafting a construction incubator. Startup Leadership Program is a global not-for-profit educational program and professional network for the next generation of founders and entrepreneurs.

In November 2020, JC Burton was named as a member of the city of Boston’s Board of Examiners

Dr. Lindsey Butler, PhD, MSc is an environmental epidemiologist and sustainability leader specializing in the intersection of climate change and human health. As the VP of Sustainability Solutions at CREF Global her practice helps manage complex real estate portfolios in healthcare and higher education in ways that are cost efficient, sustainable, and human health centered.

Her recent work is dedicated to the decarbonization and climate resilience of large health systems. Lindsey’s career in environmental stewardship has spanned the academic, public, and private sectors. Prior to CREF she served as the first ever Director of Climate and Health Resilience at Blue Cross Blue Shield MA, who committed to carbon neutral and zero waste by 2030 and developed their first ever environmental justice community grant program under her leadership. She was the Deputy Chief of Policy for the City of Boston during the passage of the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance 2.0 (BERDO). She holds a PhD and Masters of Science in environmental health from the Boston University School of Public Health and an undergraduate degree in environmental science from Simmons University. She also serves as a professor of environmental studies in the School for the Environment at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Dr. Butler is an environmental optimist, dedicated to harnessing the power of the private sector to advance climate action and protect human health and views sustainability programs as a strategic business advantage, not a cost center.

With a passion for science communication, she is currently penning a series of children’s books on solutions to the climate crisis.

Mr. Constable provides legal and strategic guidance to a variety of civic and charitable organizations, with particular emphasis on land conservation and organizational sustainability. He is involved in leadership roles with The Trustees of the Reservation, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition, the Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, as well as ELM. Buzz Constable remains an Executive Consultant at A.W. Perry, providing development and legal expertise to the real estate investment company. He previously served as the Executive Vice President and Board Secretary, directing the company’s commercial development division and legal services. Prior to joining Perry, he was a partner at Warner & Stackpole (now K&L Gates, LLC) in Boston, remaining Of Counsel for many years. Mr. Constable has served in elected and appointed positions in numerous local, state and federal committees, including the Lincoln Planning Board, the Central Artery Environmental Oversight Committee, and the Land Trust Alliance Conservation Defense Council. He is a graduate of Williams College, Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, BU School of Law, and has been a LOEB Fellow at Harvard University. A past rugby player and avid outdoorsman, he has sea kayaked world-wide and now aspires to fly fish globally.

Bob Fishman joined the ELM Board in 2015 and currently acts as Development Committee Chair. Mr. Fishman recently retired from Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP in Boston. Mr. Fishman was elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers in 1991. He is an active member and frequent lecturer in both bar association and real industry trade groups. Mr. Fishman appears among the best real estate lawyers in Massachusetts in the Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers Guide and was named a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer” in a survey by Law & Politics and Boston Magazine. He is listed as one of only five Massachusetts lawyers in the International Who’s Who of Real Estate Lawyers and in the Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Fishman is an active member of the Massachusetts Chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI). He is a past chair of the Lawyers’ Team of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Inc. (CJP). Mr. Fishman is the Chair of the Advisory Board of Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. He also has taught at Harvard Law School, Boston College Law School, Boston University Law School, and Suffolk Law School. Mr. Fishman’s most recent articles and presentations have addressed smart growth issues, permitting of complex development projects, and environmental issues in business transactions. He authors a chapter of MCLE’s Massachusetts Zoning Manual. Mr. Fishman graduated from Harvard College, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and from Harvard Law School, cum laude. He lives in Newton with his wife, Glenda.

Ben Downing is a lifelong public servant who has dedicated his career to combatting climate change – in the State Senate, as a clean energy business leader and as a candidate for Governor. He is currently Vice President of Public Affairs at The Engine, a venture fund in Cambridge, MA.

Ben represented the state’s largest Senate district while serving as State Senator for 52 communities in Western Massachusetts including his hometown of Pittsfield. During his decade-long tenure, he was the leading voice in the legislature on clean energy and climate issues, along with being an advocate for tackling poverty, revitalizing Gateway Cities and expanding civil rights.

In 2016, he kept to his self-imposed term limits pledge and left the Senate to join Nexamp, a veteran founded, Boston based clean energy company. For more than 4 years, he lead Nexamp’s strategic development efforts across growing geographies and the firm’s entry into the exciting energy storage market.

Ben graduated in 2003 from Providence College with a B.A. in Political Science. In 2008, he received an M.A. from Tufts University. Ben is married to Micaelah B. Morrill and together they are the proud parents of Malcolm & Eamon (who together will soon eat them out of house & home).

Isabel Grantham Rappoport is on the Board of the Grantham Foundation for the Environment. She previously worked as a Project Analyst at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Ms. Rappoport received her B.S. from Colgate University and her M.A. in Psychology from Brandeis University. Ms. Rappoport lives in Somerville with her husband, John, and their two children.

Bracken Hendricks is a Partner with J.M. Forbes & Co. a 185-year-old investment advisor and family office in Boston, MA, where he helps address climate risk and socially responsible investing for a billion-dollar portfolio. Bracken is co-founder and Managing Partner of Urban Ingenuity, a Washington DC based financier and project developer that has structured over $200M of clean energy project finance. As co-founder and chair of the Working Power project he is building an investment platform to scale local ownership of justice-centered clean energy assets with frontline communities of color and labor unions, to rapidly deploy 100MW of clean energy and $300M in philanthropic and market rate capital into community owned clean energy assets.

With Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, Bracken is co-author of “Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy” (Island Press), and was a lead author of the Inslee for America 2020 Presidential policy agenda, which shaped significant clean energy investment provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Bracken was co-founder of two non-profits Evergreen Action and Apollo Alliance (now Blue Green Alliance), and advised President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative on infrastructure, jobs, cities, and climate resilience. He helped design $90B in clean energy commitments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and launch the US DOE’s Better Buildings Challenge. Previously he served as Fellow with the Center for American Progress and the Roosevelt Institute, and as Special Assistant in the Office of Vice President Al Gore and the U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA. Bracken has a bachelor’s degree from Mary Baldwin College and a master’s degree in public policy and urban planning from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Elizabeth Turnbull Henry took the lead of the Environmental League of Massachusetts in 2017, drawn to the ambitious goals and pragmatic strategies that have long been ELM’s hallmark. She is committed to making Massachusetts lead the nation in environmental policy and getting on a pathway to net zero emissions. She has particular passion for expanding offshore wind, ending tailpipe pollution, and electing environmental champions to office.

Under Elizabeth’s leadership, ELM’s Corporate Council and the ELM Action Fund have grown. Both organizations build political will to create policy solutions that match the urgency of the challenges we face as a Commonwealth and a planet.

A proven sustainability leader, she previously directed climate and energy programs for Adidas. She also consulted to the US Department of Energy, worked as Sustainability Lead for a Massachusetts-based residential construction firm, and led international travel programs to over 30 countries.

In April 2021, Elizabeth was named #34 on Boston Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential Bostonians. She was also a member of the 2020 Boston Business Journals 40 Under 40.

Elizabeth has an MBA and Masters of Environmental Management (MEM) from Yale University and a BA in Environmental Policy and Economics from Colby College. Raised in West Virginia, she now lives in Concord, MA with her husband and three children.

Seth Jaffe is a Partner and the Chair of the Environmental Practice Group at Foley Hoag LLP.

He is recognized by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, and Massachusetts Super Lawyers as a leading practitioner in environmental compliance and related litigation. He is a past President of the American College of Environmental Lawyers. Mr. Jaffe works on a wide range of environmental law issues, representing clients in the permitting/licensing of new facilities and offering ongoing guidance on permitting and enforcement related matters under federal and state Clean Air Acts, Clean Water Acts, RCRA, and TSCA. He also advises on wetlands and waterways regulation. Before joining Foley Hoag, Mr. Jaffe clerked for United States District Judge Walter Jay Skinner. Mr. Jaffe holds a S.B. in political science from MIT, a M.P.P. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, and a J.D. from Yale. He has been an ELM Board Member since 2005 and served as the Chair from 2011 to 2016. Mr. Jaffe lives in Boston with his wife Genia.

Namrita Kapur is a leader in advancing innovative solutions for sustainability, including strategies in finance, corporate engagement, and policy. She brings a unique mix of traditional finance skills from her time in investment banking combined with environmental, social and governance impact assessment from her 20+ year tenure in the nonprofit space. Currently, she is an adjunct lecturer at the Yale School of Management; advises National Geographic Society on its philanthropic impact investing strategy; and, consults to several philanthropists on their climate change strategies. She has previously been a senior leader at the Growald Family Fund, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Root Capital, Adams, Harkness & Hill, and the Environmental League of Massachusetts.

She is best recognized for being second-in-command in developing the products and platform of one of the early leaders of the impact investing space – Root Capital. As Managing Director of EDF + Business, she pioneered the bridging of EDF’s science, technical and policy expertise to impact investors. In her entrée to philanthropy, Namrita developed and implemented Growald Family Fund’s approach to organizational development. This involved building a partnership with the Ford Foundation and working closely with grantees to develop 3-year business plans and organizational strengthening plans. In parallel, she helped convene and coordinated $75 million of annual global grant-making across 40+ funders to transition to a clean energy future. Namrita also has a successful track record in capital markets having launched the alternative energy franchise at the investment bank Adams, Harkness & Hill, now Canaccord Genuity. Namrita currently serves on the Boards of ELM (and served as its Treasurer from 2010-2016), Center for Business & Environment at Yale, and the IE-Brown Executive MBA Program. She holds an MBA and MA of Environmental Management from Yale University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton. As a mother of two beautiful girls, she enjoys imbuing them with her love of foreign language and is teaching them Hindi and Spanish.

Virginia “Ginger” Lawrence joined ELM’s Board of Directors in November, 2008. She was Senior Grants and Project Administrator at Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) from 1995 until she retired 2008. Before her tenure at NESCAUM, Ms. Lawrence earned a Masters in Environmental Studies at Brown University.

Dhiraj Malkani is currently a Partner at Premji Invest where he is working to establish the firm’s presence and drive investment strategies in all non-technology sectors of the economy including healthcare, biotech, energy, transportation, food, and agriculture. He previously served as an Investment Director at Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures LLC for two years. Prior to this, Mr. Malkani spent ten years with RockPort Capital Partners where he was a Partner investing exclusively in Energy, Mobility & Sustainability and focused on investing in companies that use technology to bring the physical world into the digital domain. Mr. Malkani began his career as a senior engineer at Bell Labs/Lucent Technologies in product development and product management. He received several U.S. patents for his inventions in MEMS technology. After Lucent, Mr. Malkani worked closely with several early stage life sciences and telecommunications startups as the Director of Boston University’s Photonics Center Business Incubator. Prior to joining RockPort, he was a summer associate in Deutsche Bank’s Technology Investment Banking division during business school. Mr. Malkani’s investment and board experience spans early, mid and late stage companies. He holds a M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management, a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Mumbai.

Bradley McLean is the Chief Operating Officer & Chief Technical Officer at Nexamp. Nexamp is a leader in the clean energy space, offering solar and energy storage solutions. Bradley McLean leads the technology group, manages integrations in support of both internal and external customers, and supports data initiatives from the management team.

Prior to Nexamp, McLean served as CTO for Entic Inc, optimizing HVAC energy conservation efforts. He has also acted in senior technology leadership roles for Constant Contact, MyEnergy, Student Universe, and Duraspace. Earlier in his career, McLean worked in applying automation to accounting, library operations, tax preparation, air travel, digital preservation, email marketing, manufacturing costing, and HVAC optimization.

Nikko Mendoza is a skilled communicator and convener who has applied her experience in community engagement, communications and policy to champion causes affecting the public good. She’s currently the Undersecretary and Chief of Staff for the MA Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. In her past role as State Director for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Nikko led the Senator’s work in Massachusetts to level the playing field for working families and pursue a government that works for everyone. She oversaw constituent services, external engagement and outreach, policy development and political strategy in the Commonwealth. Nikko has served in senior roles inside and outside of government, notably at 1199SEIU Massachusetts, Boston 2024 and the administrations of former Governor Deval Patrick and the late Mayor Thomas M. Menino. Nikko has also worked on numerous political campaigns at the municipal, state and federal levels and was elected as a Congressional District Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in both 2008 and 2012. Born in the Philippines and raised in New Jersey, Nikko lives in Roslindale and is a member of the Board of Directors of Project Bread, a statewide organization committed to breaking the cycle of hunger in Massachusetts. She holds a B.S. in communication from Boston University. 

Sandhya Murali, is the Co-Founder and COO of Solstice, an award-winning social enterprise dedicated to expanding access to clean energy to all Americans. Sandhya began her career in Barclays’ investment banking division in New York and London, advising and executing public equity transactions for Technology, Media, and Telecom companies, and was also deeply involved in Barclays Philanthropy. Her volunteer work included Endeavor, Women’s World Banking, and Barclays’ Social Innovation Fund. During her time at graduate school, Sandhya worked at Buen Power Peru, a for-profit social enterprise that distributes solar lamps and water heaters to off-grid communities in Peru. Sandhya was recently selected as an Unreasonable Impact Americas Fellow, which supports growth-stage ventures to rapidly scale-up by providing opportunities for job creation and mitigating key environmental issues. She holds a BBA from the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she received the Sustainability Certificate.

Bethany Patten is a Lecturer & Senior Associate Director of the Sustainability Initiative at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Bethany leads the Sustainability Initiative’s efforts to accelerate the move toward evidence-based climate policy and builds relationships with public and private sector organizations, identifying the sustainability challenges they face.  She develops curriculum for masters-level students and teaches sessions on sustainability, corporate political responsibility, and change management. Bethany is an active contributor across MIT, where she serves on the Vice President for Research’s Climate Action Advisory Committee, has directed and advises the MIT Sustainability Summit and has led projects on campus aimed at reducing waste.

Outside of MIT, she serves as President of the Bay Village Neighborhood association and as a member of the Boston Chamber of Commerce Leadership Alumni Council. Prior to MIT, Bethany worked for more than a decade in operations in the book publishing industry. She holds a M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a B.A. from Boston College.

Pete Pedersen is the co-founder of brownfield redeveloper Renova Partners, founded by Mr. Pedersen and a partner in the Bay Area of California in 2001, and solar developer for Brightfields Development, founded in 2009. Mr. Pedersen, now retired from Brightfields Development, is currently the Principal of Renova Partners and remains involved with property restoration issues. Mr. Pedersen also team teaches a course in sustainable finance to undergraduates at Babson College, where he is an Adjunct Professor. He has over thirty-five years of experience in law, corporate finance, and business with special expertise in corporate control transactions and transactions involving environmentally impaired properties. Mr. Pedersen was a corporate attorney and Vice President for Corporate Development at Thermo Electron Corporation and a Principal at EnCapital, Inc. While at Thermo, he managed acquisition campaigns, venture capital investments, and initial public offerings. At EnCapital, Mr. Pedersen originated and managed merger and acquisition and private placement engagements. Early in his career, he worked in corporate finance at Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb in New York and as an attorney at Nagashima & Ohno in Tokyo and Hale and Dorr in Boston. Mr. Pedersen is a regular speaker on redevelopment issues at various academic institutions as well as at several trade and professional forums. Mr. Pedersen graduated from Amherst College, magna cum laude, and the University of Chicago Law School.

Gwen Ruta serves as the Executive Vice President at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). She draws on three decades of management experience in leading EDF’s program staff to solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental problems in the areas of climate change, fisheries management, habitat conservation, and protection of public health. Previously, Ms. Ruta served as Senior Vice President for Climate & Energy at EDF, overseeing programs to accelerate renewable energy and utilize markets to catalyze innovation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Earlier, as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, she spurred innovation and transformation in market sectors from shipping to retail to fleets. Prior to joining EDF, Ms. Ruta was Vice President at Metcalf & Eddy, an international environmental engineering firm. She has also held senior management positions at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Ms. Ruta began her career in engineering working at a Texaco oil refinery. She has authored numerous articles on environmental issues and is a frequent speaker at business conferences. Ms. Ruta is on the boards of the Center for Responsible Shale Development and the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan and was once named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Finance by Treasury and Risk magazine. She holds an M.P.A. from Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Virginia.

Chrisann is a trailblazing executive driven by a deep devotion to making a positive and lasting impact. She brings strategic vision and an unwavering enthusiasm to contribute to the advancement of community-focused initiatives. With a guiding belief that “You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” Chrisann Taras epitomizes a dedicated and integrity-driven leader, seamlessly blending professional acumen with a profound commitment to community service. As a distinguished executive, Chrisann brings over 30 years of extensive experience in wealth management, underscored by a consultative approach and a deep-rooted passion for philanthropy.

Chrisann is recognized as a pivotal force in driving transformative change, she excels in crafting personalized financial strategies for high-net-worth clients, prioritizing their long-term well-being and financial security. Her approach is characterized by transparent communication, meticulous financial planning, and a genuine dedication to understanding and addressing clients’ unique needs and aspirations.

Chrisann’s leadership philosophy is rooted in fostering collaboration, building rapport, and advocating for client-centered solutions. Her ability to manage and develop diverse portfolios, coupled with her expertise in risk assessment and business development, positions her as a dynamic and impactful leader in both the financial and nonprofit sectors.

Chrisann holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Boston College and is a Certified Financial Planner, earned from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. Her professional journey is complemented by significant community engagement. Chrisann has been actively involved in numerous charitable and nonprofit boards, including the Boston Police Foundation Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro West, the Police Foundation for Watertown, MA, and Vineyard Havens. Her contributions in these roles include driving fundraising initiatives, fostering stakeholder relationships, and championing impactful community programs.

A lifelong resident of Massachusetts and a Boston native, Chrisann currently resides in Concord, MA, with her husband, Jerome Nocera, and their two energetic bull terriers, Henry and Morgan. Chrisann’s passion for the outdoors fuels her love for golfing, gardening, and hiking. She is also dedicated to fitness, embracing yoga and workouts as part of her routine. She is an avid traveler with a deep appreciation for books, movies, and politics. Chrisann thrives on staying engaged with the world.