Nominating Committee Information About CNNY Group ExCom Candidates
Thomas Amidon
Tom Amidon is Professor Emeritus at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Before he retired, he was Professor and Chair of the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering.
Tom’s expertise and primary work has been in renewable resources, sustainable forestry practices and renewable and bio gradable products. He has been a leader in clean manufacturing processes (not using heavy metals, harsh chemicals and not creating compounds which are easy to recycle and not difficult to biodegrade) and sustainable enterprises. His emphasis is reducing the energy intensity of manufacturing processes.
Tom has been a recipient of many local and national awards, such as being named the college’s Exemplary Researcher, a College-level award which recognizes a successful, currently active researcher with exemplary research activity, publication record and a graduate/undergraduate student mentorship program.
Ph.D., Silviculture, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, M.S., SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, B.S., Forest Management.
Rhea Jezer
Rhea Jezer is currently chair of the CNNY Group, a post she held previously as well. Rhea was chair of the Atlantic Chapter for three years, and chair of the Chapter Political Committee. She served on the Council of Club Leaders for several years representing our Chapter and also served on the Sierra Club National Board Candidate Selection Committee. On September 9, 2023, at the National Sierra Club Annual Meeting in Chicago Rhea was honored to receive the National Sierra Club 2023 Environmental Alliance Award.
Rhea is President, and founder of Energy21, and Director of the award-winning Annual Symposium on Energy in the 21st Century which is noted as one of the most important renewable energy conferences in the Northeast. It is now in its 21st year. She served on the faculties of SUNY ESF and Cazenovia College.
Dr. Jezer is a noted environmental consultant and policy advisor to eco-businesses, candidates, environmental groups, and elected officials for both major parties. As a 2024 member of the Democratic National Committee, Rhea attended the DNC National Convention as a member of the Platform Committee for the Harris/Walz.
Rhea Jezer holds a Ph.D. from Syracuse University, MA from Columbia University Graduate Faculties and BA from Brooklyn College.
Lisa Lehmann
Lisa Lehmann has been active with the Sierra Club for more than 20 years and has been an active member of the ExCom for many of those years. Lisa has also been very active in electoral politics, working with local and national campaigns. She currently serves on the Political Committee for the Atlantic Chapter.
Lisa Lehmann has a Ph.D. in American History from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. She currently works as a Delivery Director for ITX, a Rochester-based Information Technology company.
Marcy Waldauer
Marcy Waldauer brings vast experience in environmental education and community work. She was on the faculties of Colgate University and Onondaga, Cayuga, and Mohawk Valley Community Colleges teaching courses in ecology and environmental sciences as well as chemistry, anatomy, and biology. She also taught at the high school level in physics, biology, and earth science and was the director and coach of the Eagle Hill Middle School Science Olympiad Team.
As a current ExCom member involved with educational initiatives, she notes that for many years she taught Ecology and Environmental Science at the college level – teaching about the issues Sierra Club supports. Being on the ExCom is an additional step to taking on the role of actually promoting these initiatives.
Marcy has served on several boards including the YWCA and Nelson Ying TRSEF (Tri-Regional Science and Engineering Fair). Professionally, she was Director of the CNY American Civil Liberties Union and also the Consortium for Children’s Services.
Marcy holds a Ph.D. from SUNY ESF as well as a Ph.D. from Syracuse University.
Robert Waters
Robert Waters is a passionate environmentalist whose primary concerns include climate change and biodiversity loss. He is vegan both for the animals and for the environmental impact that animal agriculture inflicts on the planet.
Robert has been the secretary of the Sierra Club CNNY Group Executive Committee since 2018 and the Group's treasurer since 2020. He holds a BS in Management from St. John Fisher University and an MBA from Le Moyne College and currently works in cybersecurity solutions marketing.
Peter Wirth
Peter Wirth grew up in NYC but spent summers at his grandmother's farm in the Catskills where he developed a love for the outdoors. He has been a life-long environmentalist. His home has had rooftop solar for 13 years, and they recently added an air-sourced electric pump to the heating system, switched to a tank-less hot water heater, and installed a level 2 charger for electric cars. They have done numerous insulation and electric conservation upgrades over the years (an air sealed attic with cellulose insulation is next). Their goal is net zero and while not there yet, are getting close.
He is co-founder of Climate Change Awareness and Action, a local climate change organization with 1,400 members. We encourage public policy and individual lifestyle choices to help the transition off of fossil fuels.
He is looking forward to helping the Sierra Club in their climate change-related activities.
He attended the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Syracuse University and has an MSW with a concentration in community organizing.