Staff

Jack Darin, Chapter Director 
Jack works with our volunteer leaders and staff to set priorities, hold our elected officials accountable, reach out to build new alliances, and make sure we have the financial and other resources we need to protect the Prairie State for future generations. He can be reached on Twitter as @jackdarin.

Caroline Wooten, Organizing Director
Caroline works with Illinois Sierra Club members, staff, groups, and partners throughout the state to build grassroots power to win on clean energy, climate, and other pressing environmental issues, and to build a more powerful, inclusive, and just organization and movement. She can be reached at caroline.wooten@sierraclub.org.

Peter Chung, Staff and Programs Coordinator
Peter oversees the execution and timelines of day-to-day internal workflow to help shape and manage the priorities of the organization. Peter supports organizers with their digital needs and manages Chapter technology and knowledge management systems. In addition, Peter welcomes and trains volunteers to build grassroots power around the environmental work they do across the state.

Christine Favilla (Alton), Three Rivers Project Co-Coordinator
Christine works on education and advocacy surrounding air quality, sustainable agriculture, water quality, and water management issues in a tri-county region in Southern Illinois. She can be reached at christine.favilla@sierraclub.org. 

Virginia Woulfe-Beile (Alton), Three Rivers Project
 Co-Coordinator
Virginia works on education and advocacy surrounding air quality, sustainable agriculture, water quality, and water management issues in a tri-county region in Southern Illinois. She can be reached at 618-433-1807.

Ann Baskerville (Will County), Conservation Organizer
Ann works on land conservation in Will County and organizes community members to take positions on new projects affecting their communities. 

Mila Marshall, Clean Water Advocate
Mila works to mobilize and energize diverse networks across Illinois around clean water issues related to wastewater, agriculture and industry. She advocates for novel partnerships that protect the quality of streams, lakes, rivers, and Illinois tributaries for all. Furthermore she addresses the legacies of water infrastructure disinvestment by building bridges towards solutions through connecting and educating the scientific and legislative communities at the city, county and state levels. Follow her on twitter @greenkels .

Sam Beard, Conservation Organizer
In the wake of the Illinois Tollway pulling the plug on the controversial Rt. 53 extension in Lake County, Sam is focusing his work on decomissioning the corridor and protecting it as open space for the public and wildlife to enjoy. Additionally, he leads organizing efforts on the Chapter's recently commenced Clean Transportation for All campaign. Sam also co-leads the Chapter on its journey towards equity as we explore ways to undermind and dismantle oppressive systems through our work. Sam is currently on medical leave.

Nicole Saulsberry, State Government Representative
Nicole is the State Government Representative in Springfield and joined us in June, 2019. She tracks all state legislation pertaining to the environment and lobbies environmental bills on behalf of the Sierra Club, and informs stakeholders of Sierra Club's legislative agenda. Nicole also finds new ways to provide assistance to other organizations that serve environmental justice communities.  She helps craft public policy as well as serves as co-chair of the Conservation and Environment Subcommittee of the Illinois Rivers Coordinating Council. She can be reached by email or cell at 312-919-5284

Sally Burgess, Downstate Lead Organizing Representative
Sally works with Sierra Club members, volunteers and partners in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois toward renewable energy, electrification of transportation, energy efficiency and just transition. She also supports downstate communities in ensuring compliance with Nutrient Assessment and Reduction Plans to protect local watersheds. She can be reached at sally.burgess@sierraclub.org, on Twitter @BurgessWisdom or phone or text at (618) 779-5378.

Emilee Chaclas, Conservation Organizer
Emilee Chaclas works as a conservation organizer for the Sierra Club water and lobby teams. She helps recruit, train, and support Lobby Team members while they build relationships with their local legislators around environmental values. She also helps plan and lead an issues briefing where Lobby Team members learn about the high priority bills for Illinois this year. She can be reached at emilee.chaclas@sierraclub.org.

Tessine Murji, Conservation Organizer
Tessine is a conservation organizer with the Illinois Sierra Club based in Chicago. She manages the chapter's federal lobby team to make sure the Illinois delegation is consistently hearing from volunteers on Sierra Club priorities and that elected officials are living up to their endorsements. She also runs Chicago Group's field team where volunteers meet once a month with partner organizations to learn about and take action during the meeting itself on some of Chicago's most pressing campaigns to protect people and the planet.

Christine Nannicelli, Illinois Campaign Representative
Christine is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of Sierra Club's Beyond Coal work in Illinois and making sure we transition away from coal and to clean energy. She works with staff and volunteer leaders to craft effective campaign plans and helps coordinate the many capacities who are implementing those plans.

Rachel Neese, Conservation Organizer
Rachel supports our grassroots state lobbying efforts aimed at passing state legislation to advance environmental justice, clean water, and natural areas protection, and to equitably decarbonize Illinois’ economy.

Renner Barsella, Associate Press Secretary, Beyond Coal Campaign
Renner is the primary media contact for state-based campaigns in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Iowa that aim to move the region beyond coal to clean energy. He can be reached at ext. 1002

Erica Dodt, Distributed Organizer, Clean Transportation For All
Erica is a distributed organizer working to build people power throughout the Nation to push our lawmakers and the auto makers to fight for strong clean car standards. She also works on transit equity, fighting to keep workers safe and our transit clean, funded and ever expanding. She can be reached at erica.dodt@sierraclub.org or (815) 954-1782.

Jennifer Hensley, State Lobbying Advocacy DirectorRyan Hidden, Organizing Representative, Beyond Coal Campaign
Ryan works with communities in Peoria and Central Illinois to move beyond fossil fuels and toward a clean energy future while pr
Jen works with Sierra Club chapters across the country on policy issues in state houses, model legislation and political matters. She can be reached at ext. 1000.

Taylor Becker, State Lobbying and Advocacy Associate
Taylor works to develop, advance and support the effectiveness of the Club’s lobbying, advocacy and political activities in each state. She can be reached at ext. 1023.

Debra Cohen, Manager Online Organizing Team, Beyond Coal Campaign
Debra manages online organizers around the U.S. who craft digital campaigns, content and strategy alongside campaign representatives, organizers, lawyers, press secretaries, and volunteers working to retire coal plants and bring clean, renewable energy online. 

Justin Uebelhor, National Online Organizer, International Program
Justin works with Sierra Club's International Program to develop online campaigns on issues including responsible trade, gender equity, and global climate and energy. 

Sydni Johnson, Digital Advertising and Media Planning Coordinator
Sydni works cross-departmentally to develop and execute Sierra Club National's advocacy and political paid digital media strategies.

Mary O'Neil, Advancement Assistant, Midwest & South Central