The Sierra Club is the largest democratically run environmental organization in the world, with direct election of leaders at the national Board, state Chapter and local Group level each year. Participation by members in the voting process is crucial for maintaining this structure. The Executive Committee (ExCom) for the Huron Valley Group is responsible for the administration and operation of the group, and does so entirely with volunteers. This fall, HVG members will be electing three ExCom members for two-year terms beginning in January 2022. The Nominations Committee has nominated four candidates for the three ExCom positions.
All Sierra Club members within HVG territory (Washtenaw, Monroe, and Lenawee Counties) at the time the mailing list for the Fall newsletter is generated are eligible to vote. Although the member meeting was moved to the December 14th to accommodate the holidays, the Executive Committee voted to keep the voting deadline midnight of the following Tuesday (December 21st).
Because the decision was made earlier this year to provide the newsletter in digital format only, thereby saving the organization thousands of dollars and minimizing environmental impact, voting is being conducted via a secure online web form. Please review the candidate statements below and vote online by December 21st.
https://www.sierraclub.org/michigan/huron-valley/excom-election-2020
The Candidates
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 Erica Brown Ackerman
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Climate change, the greatest threat of our time, drives my environmental activism and originally led me to run for the Executive Committee of the Huron Valley Group. I currently serve as group representative to the state Executive Committee, where I am Chapter secretary. In addition, I am chair of the HVG’s Political Committee and am active in the Fundraising Committee. Previous to my participation in the HVG ExCom, I helped found an Ann Arbor 350.org group, which I chaired for one year. As climate lead in Organizing for Action, Washtenaw County, I organized multiple educational outreach programs, reaching hundreds of participants. The Sierra Club plays a vital role in the climate struggle and other environmental issues. It is my goal to further that work in any way I can.
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 Anne Brown
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To My Sierra Club Friends:
I'm thankful for the opportunity to have served as Vice President this past year and I am seeking re-election for that position.
The HVG continues to make great strides in working to protect our environment, address inequities and support both state and national priorities.
If re-elected. I hope to focus my efforts on building the capacity of the organization through membership recruitment and engagement as well as collaborating with like -minded organizations to address our climate and conservation needs.
Thank you for your consideration and for everything you do!
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 Alyshia Dyer
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I am running for a position on our Sierra Club Executive Board because I am passionate about sharing our love for the environment with children in our county, especially from Ypsilanti, where I grew up. As an Ypsilanti Township resident I hope to use my connection with my community to foster more engagement and work with others on the e-board to plan youth outings and field trips. I also want to be more involved with environmental justice and continue learning about how important it is to protect our climate. Currently I am a graduate student at University of Michigan pursuing dual degrees in policy and social work. My policy interests include social and environmental justice, and poverty elimination. Prior to my graduate studies I served as a parks service officer (where I found my love for nature) and then was hired after that to serve as a deputy sheriff with Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office. After seven years, I decided to go back to school to pursue policy and social work so I could help change policies in our county that harm people impacted by our justice system. I currently serve on our community action board, the Black Lives Matter Washtenaw County Community Mental Health task force, and am a Big Brothers, Big Sisters mentor. My hobbies include hiking, collecting rocks, improv, and playing chess.
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 Jaime Magiera |
Since being elected to the Executive Committee in Winter 2018, I’ve worked to expand the reach of the HVG– particularly amongst youth and traditionally marginalized members of our community, such as people of color. As Chair of the Communications Committee that work has included included redesigning our newsletter, expanding our social media presence, incorporating video & audio into our materials, and helping move the election process online. As other Sierra Club groups looked to stay connected with their membership during the pandemic, I started the Bootstrap Project to provide basic guidance on how they can organize, publicize, and manage online member meetings. I've also worked to build partnerships between the HVG and other local organizations with shared goals- including the Washtenaw Bicycling & Walking Coalition to decrease carbon emissions, and the People's Food Co-op to promote sustainable food systems.
My political areas of focus include local water protection- such as from the Gelman dioxane plume, community renewable energy projects, sustainable food systems, environmental justice, and protecting our surrounding green spaces. I’m asking for your vote for re-election so that I can continue expanding the group’s reach and its effectiveness in building a more sustainable future.
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