homepage - board of directors - 2009 election - candidate forum - question 2

2009 Election Candidate Forum:
The Questions

What needed skills or abilities will you bring to the Board of Directors: A team player? Conflict resolution experience? Financial expertise? Technology/communications? Other? Be specific.

Boldman, Lane

• As Marketing Director for a $6-million dollar company, I am skilled in managing large budgets.
• As a Media professional and member of the Communications and Education Governance Committee, I bring advanced communication and media outreach skills.
• As an activist in the Appalachian Coal Belt, I bring key skills in combating Global Warming and working with low-income communities.
• As an outings leader and backpacking instructor, I place highest priority on protecting our wild places.
• An experienced Committee Chair at multiple Club levels, I know how to channel our volunteer energy.
• 2008 recipient of the Club’s Susan E. Miller award for contributions to Chapters, Groups and regional entities: “Lane has held a variety of positions too numerous to mention in the Sierra Club since 1993….she is held in the highest regard by people at all levels of the Club for her intelligence, fairness, and tireless work ethic.”

Gibson, Laurence

As a concertmaster and chamber musician I know the importance of listening to others. I also believe in consensus and after 40 years as a university professor think I know something about collegiality. I would bring an element of geographical diversity to the board as a long-time border resident and chair of a border group. My backpacking avocation and 25 years of outings leader experience could add perspective and balance.

Mann, Robin

I have experience gained in leadership roles over more than 20 years at group, chapter and national committee and Board levels.  My experience with building and leading national campaign teams informs my thinking about how to encourage effective staff and volunteer teamwork.  My post-graduate economics training provides a useful foundation for my involvement in Board financial decision-making.

Morris, Frank

I can work with anybody.  I have experience working with elected officials and their staff.  I am comfortable organizing the grassroots membership, and being responsive to their needs and questions.  Professionally, I run a Registered Investment Advisory, Ecologic Advisors, specializing in environmental investing.  I manage equity accounts for clients through the trademarked Earth Index of public companies that provide solutions to environmental pollution.  Trust and responsiveness to my client’s individual situations are the foundation of my business. I would bring those same qualities to the Board.  Simply put, I enjoy working with environmental people.  I enjoy the passion, and I even enjoy the disagreements.  I like working with intelligent, motivated people, and most Sierrans fit the bill.  Working with others to protect the ecology is my great passion, and I’d be honored to serve on the Board of Directors.

Reyes, Rafael

I bring a strong understanding of organizational development having successfully managed staff, planned and led training, and mentored leaders.  I have substantial fundraising experience with telefundraising, direct mail and foundation grants from my roles as acting director of the Loma Prieta Chapter and as development director for As You Sow.  I bring a strong team- and results-oriented approach and very strong technology skills.  Prior to making a career change to non-profit environmental work had a 15 year career in high-tech most recently with Hewlett-Packard where I was a senior systems architect and project manager.

Scott, David

I've worked as a poverty lawyer for twenty years.  I've also taught university courses on current environmental topics.  My legal background gives me an understanding of how to get results -- whether they come through litigation, legislative and administrative lobbying or other means.  I have advocacy and negotiation skills.  As a poverty lawyer, I also have first-hand knowledge of an "other America" that is still a world apart from most environmental organizations.

My club leadership experience is a "skill and ability" in itself.   I'm leading our outreach effort to the Obama Administration. I had a central role in planning and implementing the Club's major conservation campaigns -- a program with a budget near $30 million.  I've resolved conflicts between club entities.   I've chaired a 20,000-member chapter and understand the challenges chapters face.  I know this organization -- how it works, what could work better -- and that experience is invaluable.

Warshaw, Chris

Energy and environmental policy: I have significant experience in environmental policy from my experience as an economics consultant for the E.P.A. and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service.  I am currently studying the political economy of energy and environmental policy at Stanford University.  I plan to use this experience to develop new strategies for the Sierra Club’s Climate Recovery Campaign to fight climate change.  

Managing a Grassroots Organization: I was the National Field Director at Democracy for America from 2005-2006 where I coordinated over 400 local groups and thousands of grassroots leaders.  I plan to use this experience to build the Sierra Club’s grassroots base.

Technology/communications: At Democracy for America, I used the Internet to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for progressive political candidates across the country. I plan to use this experience to bring thousands of new online members into the Sierra Club.

Wheeler, Phil

I will bring proven leadership skills to the Board – as a former ExCom chair, current Chapter committee chair and member of GovComs and a Board Advisory Committee. Being a team player and having the ability to work collegially are essential skills I have demonstrated.  I’ve successfully worked on Club committees and in business to resolve (and minimize) conflicts. While no financial professional, I have made difficult financial and staffing decisions in business – and understand our Club’s financial issues and challenges as a member of the Finance & Risk Management Committee (“FinCom”). I can write (consult as a tech writer and editor in aerospace on occasion) and am conversant with Office tools (developed PowerPoint-based Outings Chair and Global Positioning System courses for the Club within the past three years). I’ve also worked with website development (e.g., http://philwheeler.net/) and social networking tools like Ning at our Activist Network (http://sierraclubactivistnetwork.ning.com/) and Facebook.