Our Team

We put our passion to work every day to protect our planet, her people and the future our children will inherit. (And every now and then, we take a staff ski day!) Meet our talented team! We're here to help you harness the power of local change to make a world of difference.

The Environmental Center Board is recruiting new Board members!

If you want to learn more about our use of pronouns, we suggest you read this and this to start.

Our Staff

Al Kolenda

she/her

Development Manager

al@envirocenter.org
541-508-5556

Al joined the Environmental Center in 2022. She studied International Development in an immersive Masters…

Al joined the Environmental Center in 2022. She studied International Development in an immersive Masters program taught entirely in French. Originally from Chicago, Al loves…

Becky Yaeger

she/her

Youth Education Program Manager

becky@envirocenter.org
541-414-3978

Becky began full time work at The Environmental Center in 2022, but previously had completed…

Becky began full time work at The Environmental Center in 2022, but previously had completed some volunteer work in Spring 2012 and an internship in…

Denise Rowcroft

she/her

School Gardens Program Manager

denise@envirocenter.org
(541) 414-3979

Denise joined The Environmental Center in 2006 and is responsible for our on-site Kansas Avenue…

Denise joined The Environmental Center in 2006 and is responsible for our on-site Kansas Avenue Learning Garden and the Garden for Every School program. She…

Janet Llerandi Gonzalez

they/them

Business Manager

janet@envirocenter.org
541-508-5262 ext. 100

Janet joined the Environmental Center in December of 2022. Previous to joining TEC, Janet worked…

Janet joined the Environmental Center in December of 2022. Previous to joining TEC, Janet worked in various roles with local nonprofit organizations such as Finance…

a blond haired woman wearing a white dress smiling over her shoulder at the camera. she is outdoors

Kat Rains

she/her

FoodCorps Service Member

kat@envirocenter.org
704-999-4331

Kat Rains is a FoodCorps member serving at M.A. Lynch Elementary in Redmond starting this…

Kat Rains is a FoodCorps member serving at M.A. Lynch Elementary in Redmond starting this fall. Kat was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina,…

Kavi Chokshi

he/him

Rethink Waste Program Manager

kavi@envirocenter.org
(541) 508-5930

Kavi (pronounced kuh-vee, like a covey of quails) joined the Rethink Waste Project of The…

Kavi (pronounced kuh-vee, like a covey of quails) joined the Rethink Waste Project of The Environmental Center as the Program Coordinator in January 2023 under…

Lauren Williams

she/her

Associate Director

lauren@envirocenter.org
(541) 508-4110

Lauren joined The Environmental Center in 2015 and feels lucky to be surrounded by people…

Lauren joined The Environmental Center in 2015 and feels lucky to be surrounded by people and ideas that create positive impact in Central Oregon. Lauren…

Lindsey Hardy

she/her

Climate Solutions Program Director

lindsey@envirocenter.org
(541) 414-3976

Lindsey thinks helping to save the planet makes for a pretty cool job and loves…

Lindsey thinks helping to save the planet makes for a pretty cool job and loves that she gets to help people realize that we can…

Mike Riley

he/him

Executive Director

mike@envirocenter.org
(541) 508-4005

Mike joined The Environmental Center in 2008 as Executive Director. He has over 30 years…

Mike joined The Environmental Center in 2008 as Executive Director. He has over 30 years of experience with environmental, outdoor, community radio and health care…

Naomi Serio

she/her

Rethink Waste Program Coordinator

naomi@envirocenter.org

Naomi joined The Environmental Center part-time as the Rethink Waste Program Coordinator in September 2024….

Naomi joined The Environmental Center part-time as the Rethink Waste Program Coordinator in September 2024. Prior to joining TEC, she worked as an applied researcher…

Neil Baunsgard

he/him

Climate and Transportation Policy Manager

neil@envirocenter.org
541-508-5434

Neil joined the Environmental Center team in 2015 and has studied Environmental Studies, Economics, and…

Neil joined the Environmental Center team in 2015 and has studied Environmental Studies, Economics, and Energy Policy at Western Washington University. He has worked in…

Priscilla Calleros

ella/she/her

Events & Outreach Manager

priscilla@envirocenter.org
541-508-5410

First-generation, and proud daughter of immigrants from Guadalajara, Mexico, Priscilla was born and raised in…

First-generation, and proud daughter of immigrants from Guadalajara, Mexico, Priscilla was born and raised in Los Angeles and moved to Oregon in 2017 – first…

a young woman wearing a tan baseball cap and a green backpacking pack stands in front of a mountain view, smiling

Satya Austin-Opper

she/her

Home Energy Assessment Program Manager

satya@envirocenter.org
(541) 508-5948

Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Satya came out West to attend Lewis & Clark College…

Originally from Asheville, North Carolina, Satya came out West to attend Lewis & Clark College in Portland, where she received her B.A. in Environmental Studies…

Tim Page

he/him

Development Director

tim@envirocenter.org
541-508-5424

Tim joined The Environmental Center in 2015. He has a B.A. in English Literature from…

Tim joined The Environmental Center in 2015. He has a B.A. in English Literature from Western Washington University, and has worked for a spectrum of…

Wesley Yoder

he/him

Youth Education Program Coordinator

wesley@envirocenter.org
(541) 414-3973

Wesley has a bachelor’s in biology with a focus in ecology. He was born and…

Wesley has a bachelor’s in biology with a focus in ecology. He was born and raised in Iowa and came out here in 2018, and…