2025 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Raye-Lee McDonald - a 2024 graduate of McKean High School and a member of the 2023-2024 YES! student leadership team - is currently a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania and founder of ethicloset.co, an affordable online thrift shop allowing youth to buy and donate clothes that suit their favorite fashion sensations. As someone naturally interested in fashion and popular culture, she hopes to promote sustainable shopping while reducing textile waste by imitating the trendy appeal of flourishing fast fashion brands. In this era of mass consumption and microtrends, Raye-Lee strives for ethicloset.co to become a go-to website for inexpensive but stylish clothing.

Heather White is the founder of OneGreenThing.org and author of Eco-Anxiety: Saving Our Sanity, Our Kids & Our Future (HarperCollins 2024), 60 Days to a Greener Life (HarperCollins 2024) and One Green Thing (HarperCollins 2022). Heather directed environmental education advocacy at the nation's largest conservation organization, served as executive director to an environmental health watchdog in Washington, DC, and led the nonprofit partner to Yellowstone National Park. She worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative counsel to U.S. Senator Russ Feingold and a presidential campaign staffer to Vice President Al Gore. Heather graduated with a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee College of Law and earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from the University of Virginia as an Echols Scholar. She's a frequent spokesperson in the national media on environmental issues and has been featured on Good Morning America, CBS, PBS, ABC, and quoted in the New York Times, The Guardian, and Teen Vogue.

Adam Schellhammer is the Mid-Atlantic Region Director at American Rivers, where he leads impactful conservation efforts to protect and restore rivers across the region. With over a decade of experience in environmental and sustainability management, Adam’s work has taken him from the vibrant watersheds of Philadelphia and Virginia to the far reaches of New Zealand and China. He’s had the privilege of collaborating with incredible communities, including indigenous leaders and grassroots organizations, to advance innovative solutions like nature-based strategies and climate resilience projects.

A passionate adventurer both in his career and personal life, Adam holds advanced degrees in natural resource management and global sustainability. He has spearheaded programs ranging from stormwater management in New Zealand to dam removal initiatives in the United States. Adam’s journey reflects his belief that bold actions and collaborative spirit can transform communities and ecosystems for the better.

Born and raised in New Castle County, Marcus Henry’s journey has been one of continuous learning, service, and dedication to his community. A proud graduate of Saint Mark’s High School, Henry earned his undergraduate degree from Howard University and later a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Delaware. Marcus' commitment to community service is both personal and profound, driven by a desire to uplift and support the communities of New Castle County.

With more than twenty years of experience in public service, Marcus has held leadership roles at both state and county levels. He brings a collaborative, results-driven approach to governance, striving for meaningful change and community empowerment. As Director of Development at the Wilmington Housing Authority, he worked on revitalizing communities and expanding access to affordable housing. His tenure as General Manager of Community Services for New Castle County saw the establishment and reconstruction of three new county libraries, the transformation of the Hope Center for homeless services, and numerous neighborhood revitalization projects. As the Economic Development & Policy Director for New Castle County, he spearheaded initiatives that fostered local economic growth and sustainability.

Now, as the County Executive, Marcus is committed to building a future where every resident feels a sense of pride in their community—a county that is not only growing but thriving for generations to come. Marcus assumed office in January 2025, bringing with him a dedication to transparency, collaboration, and a continued focus on enhancing the quality of life for all who call New Castle County home.

Governor Meyer is a former public school math teacher and small business owner who served as New Castle County Executive from 2017 through January 2025. As the leader of Delaware’s largest local government, Matt proved that government can still work for the people–delivering real results for real people and making real progress for Delaware’s working families.

Growing up in Delaware, Matt attended schools in the Brandywine School District, followed by Wilmington Friends School, and then studied Computer Science & Political Science at Brown University. He then moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he learned Swahili and created Ecosandals, a recycled footwear company that sold environmentally friendly footwear to customers in 17 countries on five continents. Matt subsequently spent 12 months in Mosul, Iraq, as a diplomat embedded with the United States Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.

Since 2022, Greg has been the state’s coordinator of clean water, energy, resilience, electric vehicle, broadband, transportation and other projects under the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, while also working on permitting reform, federal affairs and the state’s new offshore wind procurement law for Gov. John Carney.

Greg managed the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control as chief of staff from 2020 to 2022, and was legislative liaison and deputy chief of staff for Gov. Jack Markell, where he helped pass Delaware’s universal recycling law.

He has also worked as chief of staff for Attorneys General Kathy Jennings and Matt Denn at the state Department of Justice, for Commissioner Denn at the state Department of Insurance and as communications director for Gov. Ruth Ann Minner.

A native of Dover, Greg graduated from Washington & Lee University, where he met his wife, Sarah, and is a proud girl dad to Wyatt, Laurel and Juliana.

Vice-Chair of Natural Resources & Energy, Delaware House of Representatives

Representative Phillips is a dedicated advocate for environmental justice, focusing on expanding urban green spaces and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in parks. With a Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Marine Science and a Master’s in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware, she brings expertise in wildlife studies and environmental fieldwork to her initiatives. As Miss Delaware 2021, she empowered young people through professional development and community gardening projects, teaching sustainable practices. A passionate outdoor enthusiast, she is committed to increasing access to environmental careers and fostering community engagement.

Education & Outreach Coordinator, Plastic Free Delaware

Elisa is a lifelong Delawarean with a passion for environmental stewardship and   food system resiliency. For the last decade, Elisa has worked with various   Delaware based organizations and started her own consulting business   promoting sustainable and urban agriculture initiatives. Through this work,   community engagement became a focus as the coordinator for small and large   community events including establishing a farmer's market. Elisa is excited   to help spread the word and increase engagement for Plastic Free Delaware to   reach all Delawareans in particular those most impacted by waste and   pollution. In her free time, you can find Elisa volunteering with the   Delaware Urban Farm & Food Coalition and the Delaware Community Benefits   Agreement Coalition as well as taking flamenco classes, walking at Bellevue   State Park, and enjoying time with her family.    

Legislative Manager, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Friends Council on National Legislation

Daren is FCNL’s legislative manager for sustainable energy and environment. He lobbies Congress to support action to respond to the climate crisis and prevent the further degradation of our communities and our planet. His work focuses on securing renewable energy access for all, supporting resilient food systems, and increasing funding for international climate finance. 

Dee co-founded Plastic Free Delaware in 2010 as BringYourOwnBag Delaware to   address single-use plastic bag pollution.  This was when her young children were involved in a chapter of Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots program and looking for a quick little project to undertake.  She continues to Chair the organization and lead its initiatives which have expanded into single-use plastic pollution and zero waste aspirations. 

Director, Delaware Center for Geographic Education

Mary Schorse is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences at the University of Delaware and Director of the Delaware Center for Geographic Education (DCGE). With a Ph.D. in Geography and over nine years of teaching experience, Mary specializes in sustainability policy, natural resource management, and advancing geospatial education. She has championed initiatives such as creating standards-based geography curricula, developing geospatial career pathways, and helping community-based reforestation efforts, reflecting her dedication to environmental stewardship and innovative education.

Across my 28 years in public education, I've served many roles including teacher of science, math, and special education, high school principal, and district science supervisor.  In my current role, I've successfully written a large environmental grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, which has helped fund Red Clay's first Environmental Education Specialist position.   The grant focuses on habitat and watershed restoration projects on school campuses, that become permanent outdoor learning spaces for students.   

Priya is a student of environmental science at the University of Delaware graduating this spring. She is from Monmouth County, NJ and is especially interested in climate solutions for coastal areas. Throughout her time at UD, and   especially in the Climate Scholars Program, she feels she has learned a   tremendous amount about the complexity of the climate crisis and is excited   to share this with you all through the En-ROADS simulator and to hear your ideas!    

Program Assistant, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Friends Council on National Legislation

Anna is the 2024-2025 Program Assistant for Sustainable Energy and Environment and Native Advocacy. She lobbies Congress to address climate change in equitable, just, and peaceful ways and to live up to its treaty responsibilities to Tribal nations. Before joining FCNL, Anna worked in Geneva, Switzerland for the Quaker United Nations Office's Climate Change program.

Development Manager, Chaberton Energy

Amee is in the Community Impact department for Chaberton Energy with more than 15 years of experience in community development and engagement, she has dedicated her life to helping local communities thrive. Having always aspired to finding work combatting climate change, she’s excited to share her experience transitioning to and working in the community solar industry. Amee is a certified community planner with master's degrees from the University of Maryland in Sustainable Community Planning and Historic Preservation.

President, Delaware Electric Vehicle Association (DEEVA)

Scott grew up in Texas and moved to Delaware in 2023 as an American Climate Change Refugee. He and his family selected Hockessin for their reset since Delaware is well prepared for cold. Scott has been President of non-brand specific DEEVA since May 2024, spending a lot of time educating others about EVs, celebrating EV victories, and growing the number of EVs in Delaware. 

Nurse Practitioner/Co-Chair of ChristianaCare's Environmental Sustainability Caregiver Committee, ChristianaCare 

Deanna Benner is a Women's Health NP and Co-Chair of ChristianaCare's Environmental Sustainability Caregiver Committee where she promotes sustainability initiatives to improve the environmental impact of healthcare delivery. She has also organized and implemented the hospital’s medical supply donation program, started the Landfill Diversion Project, and organized the “Climate and Health” conference for caregivers in the state of Delaware.  Her passion is to continue to educate staff and patients on how our health is connected to the way we interact with our environment.

Lindsey is the Senior Manager of Education & Community Conservation for National Wildlife Federation’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Center. Along with her team, she partners with community groups to create native pollinator habitats and small-scale watershed restoration projects at community-based sites, organize environmental education events, and implement NWF’s Garden for Wildlife and EcoSchools programs locally. Previously, Lindsey led volunteer and community engagement programs at Fairmount Park Conservancy in Philadelphia and holds a Master’s of Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Watershed Conservation Director, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance

Brian is Watershed Conservation Director at Brandywine Red Clay Alliance (BRC) since 2018 and leads the Red Streams Blue®  program focused on reducing sediment and nutrient pollution in our watersheds.  Since 2010 BRC has completed 30 restoration projects on 6.8, miles of streams including stream bank stabilization, riparian buffer planting, reducing stormwater run-off and dam removal.

Angie is an Eastern Shore native with a drive to make energy affordable for all. As a program manager for Delmarva Power, she works with 1,000s of Delawareans each year to save energy. In addition to providing workshops, Angie helped design and manages a home check-up program that provides in-home energy education, energy resources and energy saving measures installed all at no cost to Delmarva Power customers.

Maya is an environmental science honors student at the University of Delaware (Class of 2025). She works in the Liang Ocean and Climate Research Group and completed an oceanography research project at UD's marine campus this past summer. She has been in the UD Climate Scholars program since freshman year and became an En-ROADS Climate Ambassador through that program. She can't wait to meet all of you and discuss climate solutions! 

Education Associate, Middle Grades College & Career Readiness, Delaware Department of Education 

For more than twenty years, Denise has dedicated her career to ensuring that   students from diverse economic, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds have   access to educational opportunities that increase their life chances. Dr. Cuff is a Department of Education Associate in Career & Technical Education and STEM Initiatives, where her focuses on middle grades career exploration, Social Emotional Learning and preparing young people for the   workforce. Her previous work experiences include the Local Education Agency   (LEA) Department of Services for Children Youth and Families where she served   as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Administrator. Denise also served as the Quality Management Coordinator for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C where she monitored the compliance of the statewide interagency service delivery system. Additionally, she evaluated the effectiveness of interventions geared toward vulnerable populations during her employment at School District of Philadelphia. Dr. Cuff has also been able influence and improve the quality of life of youth as  an adjunct professor and in her work as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor.    

Project Manager, Mead & Hunt

20 years of experience in community planning and real estate in both the public and private sectors. Experience includes land use planning, community development, affordable housing, real estate development, zoning, market research, real estate asset management, property management, and GIS mapping. I currently serve as Past President of the the American Planning Association Delaware Chapter and I am an active member of the Urban Land Institute Delaware Council.

Deputy Director of Environmental Change and Security Program  & Director of China Environment Forum, Wilson Center

Jennifer Turner has served as Director of the Wilson Center’s China Environment Forum for 25 years. She is a widely-quoted expert on U.S.-China environmental cooperation, as well as climate-related challenges and governance issues facing the world’s most populous country. She also created the Turning the Tide on Plastic Waste in Asia project that generates storytelling in webinars, blogs, and podcasts and publications on how China and Southeast Asia are working to reduce plastic pollution. Together with the Wilson Center’s Serious Games Initiative her team has developed an educational digital game, The Plastic Pipeline, to raise public awareness on the plastic product lifecycle and policies and citizen action to slow plastic waste leakage into the ocean.

Dan has 16 years of experience as a science educator. Currently accredited as a National Board-Certified Teacher (Biology); he is the science department chair for Cab Calloway School of the Arts, where he has taught AP Environmental Science for the past 12 years. Additionally, he sits on the Science Curriculum Council for Red Clay Consolidated school district. Mr. Kafader first became interested in Environmentalism as a youngster, spending time outside, and watching Bill Nye the Science Guy. In early adulthood, he had an opportunity to travel abroad with the University of Delaware to study conservation biology in Costa Rica. Dan Kafader currently is working with a group of students from Cab Calloway to install a biodiversity meadow on the campus of the school. He lives in Wilmington with his wife, two sons, and a cat.

Department of Technology, State of Delaware

Sharon is a GIS Software Engineer with Delaware Department of Technology and Information's Location Intelligence Team.  In Location Intelligence, Sharon helps manage the State's Enterprise GIS and FirstMap open data platforms. Her work focuses on supporting Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control with GIS services.  Her project interests are integrating geospatial data into daily business processes, app development, and GIS training. Sharon is passionate about using data to drive environmental insights and increasing data literacy.

Student Voice Director at DDOE / State President for Educators Rising

Leilani is currently a student at the University of Delaware, where she is pursuing a major in Elementary Education with a specific focus on multilingual learners. She also serves as the Delaware Educators Rising State President, where she dedicates herself to empowering future educators and ensuring that student voices are recognized and valued in our educational system. She also holds the position of Student Voice Director at the Delaware Department of Education where she works with fellow students and educational leaders to advocate for policies and programs that enhance educational experience for all learners across the state. She has developed an interest in addressing inequity within education, advocating for resources that support underrepresented communities such as homeless communities, foster care, and many more.

Anna is a third-year honors undergraduate at the University of Delaware, studying Environmental Science. She is from Mystic, CT and her hometown has fostered a long-standing passion for the environment within her. She is a Climate Scholar at UD and became an En-Roads Certified Presenter through that program. She is so excited to introduce you to the En-Roads Climate Simulator and explore climate solutions together!  

John Henry works as the Grassroots Advocacy Organizer for the Story of Stuff, empowering people all around the country to transform their passion into power. He pushes forward reuse campaigns through trainings, outreach, coaching, coalition work, and fighting to pass policyPrior to joining the Story of Stuff, John Henry worked as an organizer for the Sunrise Movement, activating young people to fight for climate justice. His organizing work spans multiple other organizations locally and nationally. His many years as a summer camp professional show up in the love, energy, and understanding he brings to the team. John Henry is also a storyteller with experience in the film industry, and a love for writing. 

Executive Director, Historic Lewes Farmers Market

As Executive Director of the Historic Lewes Farmers Market, Ellie oversees this nonprofit organization which is committed to nurturing a vibrant local food system in Delmarva that is sustainable and socially responsible by bringing together our community and the farmers that grow our food. Working with the HLFM has allowed Ellie to continue focusing on issues of equal access and food security while fostering a greater understanding of the growing need to support small farmers in the region.

Owner/Operator, Dittmar Farms

Jenny and her husband have been farming in Delaware using regenerative (biodiverse) methods since 2016.  They focus on soil health and diversity, growing over 30 varieties of vegetables and growing cover crops to sequester carbon, but also to treat pests and weeds in a climate friendly way - using nature and NOT chemicals.  They integrate pasture raised livestock to eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers.  Throughout their farming journey, they have become intrinsically linked to the land and the weather and have an intimate awareness of the effects from pollution and development on our ecosystem.