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Indian Peaks Group Executive Committee

The Indian Peaks Group (IPG) represents Sierra Club members living in Boulder County. Below are the elected members of the Executive Committee seats.

Michael Schnatzmeyer

With a degree in Environmental Design (CU Boulder), Michael has evolved a systems-thinking worldview, applying a multi-solving approach to a wide variety of initiatives including climate education, entrepreneurialism, planning, walkability, cleantech, renewables, co-housing, and affordable housing. He has co-founded five nonprofits including Sustainability, Maker, and Start-Up groups.

Mike worked with the Center for New Urbanism and the CU Graduate School of Planning to catalyze a re-envisioning of the St. Vrain River corridor, currently reflected in Longmont's $140 million Resilient St. Vrain flood-mitigation project. He continues to promote a "climate-smart-city" vision via community outreach and education initiatives embodying biophilic, smart-growth principles. Mike also brings a knowledge of Longmont area issues to the IPG.

Rebecca Dickson

Rebecca has been an environmental activist for over 20 years. She was the chair of the Indian Peaks Group for eight years; now she is the vice chair. Along with many other activists, Rebecca has helped Boulder County and the state of Colorado rein in oil and gas activity and work to address climate change. She also works to reduce light pollution and pesticide use. Rebecca established and runs the Indian Peaks Group's organic fruit sale and its organic Plant Exchange. She believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion matter in every facet of life and thus supports the Sierra Club's published policies on affordable housing, density, and infill.

SarahDawn Haynes

SarahDawn is the chair of the IPG. She is a 20-year resident of Boulder and is originally from South Park County. Since 2005 I have worked for the CU Environmental Center, volunteered with Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, and am a futures and foresight practitioner. I am a media studies graduate student and I research edutainment for outreach and engagement through creating provocative climate justice communication tools. 

See more on SarahDawn's experience here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahdawn-haynes-0b14334/

RJ Boyle

Rebecca “RJ” Boyle is an attorney and environmental planner who consults on public lands projects, from water infrastructure planning to Tribal outreach. Her legal background emphasized civil rights, environmental justice, and natural resources law. RJ also serves on the Tenant Advisory Committee for the city of Boulder. She's passionate about fire management, improving local watershed health, conserving open space, climate resilience policymaking, and creating affordable infill housing.

Kiran Herbert

During the week, Kiran manages content for PeopleForBikes, a national bicycle advocacy organization based in Boulder. On the weekends, she works as an officiant on National Forest land and oversees communications for the IPG ExComm (you can blame her for any newsletter typos). Her environmental priorities include pushing for sustainable infill and affordable housing policies, reducing VMTs and car-centric incentives, and moving towards clean energy and climate resilience. Kiren is also our newsletter editor.

Danica Powell

Danica is the founder of Trestle Strategy Group, a consulting and planning firm specializing in community-focused outcomes for complex projects, including affordable housing, flood recovery, and resiliency planning. As an environmental consultant, park and urban planner, mother, volunteer, and consultant, Danica brings a unique and balanced perspective to the IPG ExComm. She also sits on the board of IHaD Boulder County and the Boulder Chamber.

Tom Volckhausen

Volckhausen is a 30+ year Sierra Club member and has served on the IPG ExComm since 2019. As a building energy engineer, he works on reducing building carbon emissions. Tom supports national Sierra Club policies on renewable energy, transportation, and land use to reduce carbon emissions. He has a close eye on county politics at the nexus of emissions, housing and transportation. Tom served on Boulder's Transportation Advisory Board and is chair of the IPG Political Committee.

Carbon Farming & Regenerative Land Use

Promising research shows that a widespread focus on building healthy soil may be our best hope to draw down and safely store atmospheric carbon dioxide. If we are to be successful in fighting climate change, we need to go beyond JUST reducing emissions. Carbon Farming could be key to this multifaceted strategy to not only reduce emissions but also remove carbon from the atmosphere.

Learn more about how you can get involved in a program and research study led by the City of Boulder and Eco-Cycle to monitor the affects of carbon farming in Boulder. Carbon Farming and regenerative planting isn't just for farmers. You can do it in your backyard.

More information from out partners at Cool Boulder: https://www.coolboulder.org

National Sierra Club Resources:

Become a Member of the Sierra Club 

The Sierra Magazine 

Colorado Sierra Club Resources:

Colorado Chapter Website

Colorado Chapter Facebook Page