At Fresh Energy, we’re driving bold and equitable policy solutions to the climate crisis. As our deep bench of staff members drives progress at the capitol the regulatory arena and other forums, our Board of Directors plays a crucial governance role, ensuring the organization is strong true to its mission. This fall, several long-time board members finished the final year of their ten-year term, which means we welcomed six new members to the Board in October.
We’re pleased to announce our “class of 2021” board members:
Bird Anderson was most recently the Executive Director of the U.S. Foundation of the University of the Valley of Guatemala, having filled the role for over a decade. She specializes in the intersections of international development, public health, and environmental justice and looks forwarding to joining Fresh Energy in its push to promote healthier energy supply, efficiency, and improved public health, especially for under-resourced communities. Read Bird’s full bio.
Ted Contag is a wealth advisor and founding partner of Parable Wealth Partners, a financial planning practice located in Edina, Minnesota. Ted has driven Parable’s focus on building portfolios that invest in companies with clear commitments to improving their environmental footprint and their impact on society. Read Ted’s full bio.
Jim Ladner has a long history of practicing law and serving on various nonprofit boards during his career and participated in the founding and launch of Fresh Energy almost 30 years ago. He currently serves on the boards of the nonprofits “Footprint Project” and the J. Aron Allen Legacy Foundation, and enjoys being active outside, as well as a good book. Read Jim’s full bio.
Ellen Palmer is the founder of Inner Resources Services, LLC, and, as an executive leader with a decade of experience in senior finance, operations, and human resources roles, is a strategic partner for successfully bringing company missions and organizational cultures to life. One of Ellen’s current primary focal points is supporting women leaders in the climate movement through regenerative leadership development coaching. Read Ellen’s full bio.
Tom Strobel is Senior Vice President of Global Tax for Ecolab, Inc., a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services that protect people and vital resources. He has more than 20 years of finance, treasury, tax, project finance, investing, and insurance experience and currently also serves on the board of directors for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. Read Tom’s full bio.
Kate Wolford recently closed her chapter as President of Minnesota-based McKnight Foundation, having filled the role from 2006 to 2019 where she was responsible for a $90 million annual grantmaking budget. There, she spearheaded the Foundation’s climate mitigation and sustainability efforts and led the development of its current diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Kate also serves on the board of directors at The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread and the Climate Generation advisory board. Read Kate’s full bio.
This board brings a wonderful mix of enthusiasm and intersectional experience to Fresh Energy, and we’re looking forward to working together in the coming years.
