It’s time to vote for the next group of people who will be joining the Great Waters Group Executive Committee. They will help shape the Group's work over the next two years. We have four open spots and four candidates, so when you vote, please be sure to vote to fill all four slots.

This year, once again, you have the option of filling out and mailing back the paper ballot included with the Great Waters Group's quarterly printed newsletter members received in the mail, or you can vote electronically using the link sent to you by email. You’ll need to have your member number handy. You can find that by going to https://myaccount.sierraclub.org.

Before voting, please read the statements from our candidates. The deadline to return your ballot is Dec. 16.

Linda Frank  

In my first term on the Executive Committee, it has been wonderful to work together with many talented and impassioned champions of nature and fairness. I look forward to continuing in this volunteer role. As the Great Waters Group delegate to the Wisconsin Chapter Executive Committee, I have reported on chapter news of interest to our local group. In addition, I served on last year’s Nominations Committee, recruiting candidates for the ExCom and ensuring that the election process has been carried out in accordance with our bylaws and proper procedure.  With me on the committee, the ExCom has had access to the inside scoop on the Milwaukee Task Force on Climate and Economic Equity and is privy to details on the coalition now being formed to support the new Milwaukee Climate & Equity Plan.

The values of the Sierra Club and GWG are also aligned with my work as president of the Milwaukee Area Land Conservancy, which ensures the preservation and restoration of precious natural landscapes acquired through fee title or conservation easement.  I look forward to a mutual sharing of perspectives and enjoyment of our common respect and appreciation of nature, which is also our nurture.

Tim Karaskiewicz  

I have been a Sierra Club member for more than 25 years. I’ve worked, hiked and paddled with people who share common values: a fundamental respect for the environment, a desire to preserve native habitat, environmental justice, access to clean water, and the conservation of natural resources. Most of all I have found a shared sense of respect for the environment in the Sierra activities that I have participated in or led.

I have practiced law for more than 35 years -- at a large law firm, as a civil rights attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, and as general counsel at Mitchell Airport where, among other things, I became familiar with and addressed environmental issues.  I have chaired two national airport lawyer organizations and served on several boards of public organizations and nonprofits.  

We are witnessing an era of unparalleled environmental threats from human activity. And, in the last 40 years there has been a steady decline in the environment and attitudes about protecting it.  Although the courts have provided some relief, a renewed emphasis on political change is necessary. The Sierra Club must rise to this new challenge and seek novel solutions to protect the environment.  

Kerstin Larson

As a Midwest native, it is obvious to me that this land must be protected and we must invest in the resources to do so. After moving to Milwaukee in 2016, I immediately loved the community here and have been so glad that my work with the Milwaukee Film Festival is able to grow that community. I would be honored to use my skills in event planning and community engagement to support the Great Waters Group's mission.

I have spent my adult life focused on individual efforts to increase sustainability, be it frequenting local businesses/farmers markets, growing native landscaping, or pursuing a waste-free lifestyle. But it is apparent that individual changes can only go so far, and I am excited to find ways to have a greater impact combating climate change, protecting our environment and shaping a better future for people in southeastern Wisconsin.

Emily O’Neil  

I am a Milwaukee local and lover of our great state of Wisconsin. I have been volunteering with the Wisconsin Sierra Club for over a year and half now and I can’t imagine not spending my free time working on climate initiatives. I have worked on the Transportation Equity committee and served on the Executive Committee for the Wisconsin chapter.

This Earth means the world to me, and I am endlessly thankful for Mother Nature. I know how much of an impact we can make when we work together and provide education and outreach to our local communities. There is so much that can be done right here in Milwaukee and I am proud to work alongside the community here to fight climate change.

Thank you for participating in this election. If you'd like to volunteer in some capacity, please let us know!