Our People & Partners

Heather (she/her) (heather@groundworkusa.org) joined the Groundwork USA Network in 2005 when she began working with Groundwork Lawrence, becoming Executive Director in 2009. She has spent over 25 years in the nonprofit sector building community and individual assets and holds a breadth of experience in nonprofit management, with a focus on building sustainable organizations.

Prior to joining GWL, much of her experience was with youth organizations focused on creating our communities’ next generation of social justice leaders.

Heather received her MBA from The Heller School of Social Policy & Management at Brandeis University and her BA from Smith College. Beyond GWUSA, she serves as the Public Director on the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) Board of Directors.

Heather is honored to have received a MassINC 2022 Gateway Cities Innovation Award and Lawrence CommunityWorks 2021 Collective Action Award. To highlight the Merrimack River’s social, economic, health, and recreational assets, Heather was part of the #MRVVoyagers that kayaked the 117-mile-long Merrimack River over 4 days in 2019.

She has spent most of her life living along the Merrimack River, where she lives now in Haverhill, MA with her husband, Kevin, and dog, Bones.

Xavier Atizol (he/him) (xavier@groundworkusa.org) is the Director of Operations at Groundwork USA. He joined Groundwork with over a decade of finance and operations experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit worlds. In his role, Xavier oversees our operational systems, supports the growth of our team through hiring and onboarding support, and provides capacity-building support to the Trusts.

In this role, he hopes to leverage his history of strengthening processes and building efficiencies to ensure Groundwork’s continued growth and sustainability. In his previous roles, Xavier has served at a national advocacy organization, a non-profit start-up accelerator, and most recently an international marketing firm, expanding his skillset with focuses on stabilizing finances, increasing efficiency, and promoting responsible growth. He’s thrilled to return to mission-based work and join the Groundwork team to work towards achieving climate equity and justice.

An East coast native, Xavier now finds himself in Seattle, Washington with his wife, newborn son, and dog, Marvel. In his spare time, he enjoys snowboarding, playing increasingly complicated board games, and challenging himself in the kitchen.

Maria Brodine (she/her) (maria@groundworkusa.org) is Groundwork USA’s Director of Network Support and Learning. Based in New Orleans, she oversees capacity-building work with the Trusts and coordinates opportunities for learning and collaboration across the network. In addition to this work, she co-coordinates the Urban Waters Learning Network and supports capacity-building efforts for Groundwork Trusts. Her work includes writing and editing Impact Stories and Network Blog posts, providing direct technical assistance, connecting urban waters practitioners, and advancing environmental justice programs and discussions.

Maria has over ten years of experience as a freelance editor, grant writer, and curriculum designer. She earned her B.A. in English and Anthropology from San Diego State University and her M.A. in Anthropology and Education at Columbia University, specializing in science and technology studies and applied environmental anthropology. After moving to New Orleans to study the history of water management practices, she worked at Groundwork New Orleans, where she led and supported program and staff development, designed and implemented an interdisciplinary research program, and wrote grants to expand organizational capacity.

Maria volunteers with the National Park Service, the Louisiana Master Naturalist Program, and the New Orleans Water Collaborative. She also pursues her passions in art, creative writing, and music. She is a choral singer and active in the New Orleans festival and art scene. She loves to travel, hike, and camp, and welcomes any opportunity to take on a new adventure. ​

Abbie Dusseldorp (she/her)(abbie@groundworkusa.org) joined Groundwork USA  in February 2020. In her role, she works to grow GW USA’s presence nationally, support Network members, and build a community of champions committed to pursuing a future in which everyone’s neighborhood is green, healthy, and resilient.

Before joining Groundwork USA, Abbie was a development manager for Health Leads, a national non-profit that envisions a world where every person, in every community, has access to all the essentials they need to be healthy. Focused primarily on development communications, she oversaw the annual giving program, developed content for donor-facing publications, and supported efforts to build regional development operations on the west coast. Abbie began her career as a program associate with Beyond Conflict – working to leverage insights from neuroscience and social psychology to advance equity initiatives in Boston and Baltimore. Much of her career has focused at the intersection of people and places – helping to ensure that everyone has an equitable opportunity the live healthy, thriving lives.

Abbie holds a B.A. in International Relations from Northeastern University. Originally from upstate New York, she now lives in the Boston area with her soon to be husband and cat. An avid reader and traveler, she is always looking for her next adventure.

Christy Fierros, MCRP (she/her) (christy@groundworkusa.org) is the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst. She uses her expertise in Natural Hazard Resilience, GIS, and story-telling to support the Network of Trusts with powerful geospatial resources.

Before joining Groundwork, Christy was an Associate with Clarion Associates, a land-use consulting firm helping communities of all sizes create more sustainable and socially just land use policies and practices. Christy also wrote advisory reports for the County of Fairfax, Virginia, where she leveraged geospatial information to help answer critical questions. 

Christy received her Masters in City and Regional Planning (MCRP) and her Certificate in Natural Hazards Resiliency from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2023. To answer big questions, she leverages the power of geospatial data analysis. Her GIS skills, combined with her lived experience and diverse professional roles, allow her to provide forward-thinking insights to communities from coast to coast. 

She is deeply rooted in her culture and identity as a Chicanx from the Sonoran Desert. She was the first (but not last!) in her family tree to pursue higher education. Christy is guided by the values of reciprocity and regeneration. When she’s not working for a climate-resilient future, you can find her in her garden, talking to trees and birds or attending public planning meetings.

Genea Foster (they/them) (genea@groundworkusa.org) is Groundwork USA’s Director of Climate Resilience and Land Use. In this role, Genea is responsible for  leading the Climate Safe Neighborhoods program and building the capacity of Groundwork Trusts to envision and implement local climate resilience projects that build community power to drive systemic change.

James Foster (he/him) (james@groundworkusa.org) joined Groundwork USA as the Senior Manager of Youth Programs in 2022. In this role, he leads Groundwork USA’s national youth programming efforts with federal partners, including the National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife, and NASA. He also helps to strengthen the youth programming model across the Groundwork Network.

James comes to the Groundwork USA team after previously serving as the Youth Programs Assistant at the Intermountain Region of the National Park Service through a partnership with The Corps Network. In this role, James served as a regional liaison to the 26 conservation corps partners in the region and worked to improve institutional knowledge sharing practices and increase the connection between partners. Before joining the National Park Service, James was the AmeriCorps Director for the Conservation Corps of the Forgotten Coast in northwest Florida, where he helped expand efforts to connect local youth to opportunities in land and resource conservation careers through the delivery of hands-on experiential learning classes and workforce development support. He began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone, where he served as a secondary education math teacher and co-founded an adult basic education program to address widespread learning gaps.

James holds a dual bachelor’s degree from Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA, in Economics and Political Science with a minor in Sociology and has also completed graduate-level classes at Hyderabad Central University in India.

James currently lives in the mountains outside of Denver, CO, with his one-eyed dog Otis. He loves all the adventures that can be found right outside his door – rock climbing, hiking, camping, and so much more. He’s on a mission to visit the highest point of each US state and has checked 15 off the list!

Jalisa Gilmore (she/her) (jalisa@groundworkusa.org) is Groundwork USA’s Senior Manager of Environmental Justice Programs. In her role, she is responsible for supporting the implementation of equity-centered strategies for addressing legacies of injustice and creating green, healthy neighborhood environments in communities across the nation.
Before joining the Groundwork USA team, Jalisa worked for the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, a non-profit city-wide membership network linking grassroots organizations from low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in their struggle for environmental justice. Her work primarily focused on understanding the impacts of climate change in frontline communities and uplifting community-led solutions, as well as leading and supporting community-based participatory research in NYC’s environmental justice communities. Jalisa holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from SUNY Albany and an MPH in Environmental Health Sciences from Columbia University, specializing in the human health impacts of climate change.
Jalisa enjoys spending time with her family and friends trying new restaurants and exploring parks in NYC where she’s lived for the past seven years. She is also an avid reader and enjoys staying active, from taking dance classes to long runs.

Jeremy Hoffman Ph.D. (he/him) (jeremy@groundworkusa.org) is the new Director of Climate Justice and Impact at Groundwork USA, establishing science-based metrics for project outcomes across climate and workforce development programs.

Before joining Groundwork USA, Dr. Hoffman was the David and Jane Cohn Chief Scientist at the Science Museum of Virginia, where he led award-winning community science, youth, and adult climate resilience programs focused on extreme heat and air quality, including collaborating with Groundwork RVA on several projects. Jeremy also serves as the Chapter Lead for the Southeast Chapter of the Fifth National Climate Assessment, giving him a unique balance of community-focused, educational, and academic experiences that he will bring to Groundwork USA.

Dr. Hoffman received his Ph.D. from Oregon State University in 2016.

When he’s not doing climate-related work, Jeremy is riding one of his bicycles in the James River Park System in Richmond, VA. One of his proudest accomplishments was being named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2021, a highly-regarded honor for an early-career climate scientist.

Lawrence Hoffman (he/him) (lawrence@groundworkusa.org) joined Groundwork USA as the Senior Manager of GIS and Data Services. His role is to bring the power of maps and geospatial insight to Groundwork’s many environmental justice, climate resilience, and equitable brownfield redevelopment initiatives. He will collaborate with the broader Groundwork Network to create data-driven tools that inform and communicate local initiatives while building the capacity of colleagues to communicate data that supports their work.

Lawrence comes to Groundwork USA after five years at Groundwork Milwaukee, where he implemented and maintained internal data systems, oversaw the organization’s website and other communications, and provided general IT support to staff. His transition to Groundwork USA comes as a progression of four years of GIS support provided to Groundwork USA’s Climate Safe Neighborhoods Initiative while working for Groundwork Milwaukee. Through Climate Safe Neighborhoods, Lawrence has had the opportunity to bring geographic insight and storytelling to 13 Groundwork Trusts and is excited to expand on that work in this role. Prior to working for Groundwork, Lawrence spent time as a youth educator and bicycle advocate in Milwaukee.

Lawrence has a Graduate Certificate in GIS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, an MA in Geography from the University of Arizona, and a BA in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He is currently stationed in Iowa City with his partner and two kids. He daydreams about self-supported bicycle touring and synthwave.

Cate Mingoya- LaFortune (she/her)(cate@groundworkusa.org) is the Chief Officer of Climate Resilience and Land Use for Groundwork USA. In this role, she leads Groundwork USA’s climate resilience initiatives and provides technical assistance and support to nationwide brownfield remediation projects.

Originally from Queens, New York, Cate began her career teaching middle school science to students in the Bronx and Brownsville, Brooklyn. She transitioned to the policy side of working with low-income communities as the Director of Policy and Program Development for the Massachusetts Division of Public Housing.

Cate holds a Bachelors of Arts in Biology from Reed College, a Master of Science Education from the City University of New York, and a Master of City Planning from MIT. She lives with her husband, daughter, and cat in Somerville, MA, and loves coffee, bike riding, canoe trips, and travel.

Stacey Moran (she/her)(stacey@groundworkusa.org) joined Groundwork USA in January 2018. In her role as the COO, Stacey is responsible for organizing and overseeing the organization’s daily financial and administrative operations.

Before joining the Groundwork USA team, Stacey worked for PowerCorps PHL, an AmeriCorps workforce development program designed to support the City of Philadelphia’s environmental stewardship initiatives, youth violence prevention, and workforce development priorities. Stacey oversaw the provision of social work and supportive services to young adults ages 18 to 26. Stacey’s career has focused on the intersection of social work, public health, and environmental justice.

Stacey holds a Master of Social Work from Boston University and a Master of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and son, and is an active yogi, creative cook, flower farmer, and adventurer.

Meg Morgan (she/her) (meg@groundworkusa.org) is Groundwork USA’s Senior Manager of Urban Forestry Programs. In her role, Meg supports the Groundwork Network in undertaking urban forestry initiatives focused on community stewardship, workforce development, and the equitable distribution of trees.

Meg brings a background in nonprofit management and urban forestry. In a previous role leading a public-private tree planting campaign, Meg developed a network of community tree advocates that allowed the program to quadruple its equity and planting outcomes in five years. She is a firm believer in grassroots strategies and is thrilled to join the Groundwork team in advancing greener and healthier neighborhoods.

Meg earned a master’s degree in leadership and public service from Lipscomb University and an urban forestry graduate certificate from Oregon State University. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, spunky Jack Russell mix, two tortoiseshell cats, and a bearded dragon. Meg enjoys bird watching, kayaking, reading science fiction and fantasy, and live music, and she volunteers with local climate activism efforts.

As Groundwork USA’s Development Manager, Rebecca Novick (she/her) (rebecca@groundworkusa.org) amplifies Groundwork USA’s work and expertise through storytelling and network building, supports grant writing and development communications, leads corporate partnership strategy, and helps build and implement systems to improve efficiency across the organization.

Rebecca joined Groundwork in 2022 with a wide range of experience working with environmental and climate-focused organizations, including a climate tech communications agency, Westchester County’s Energy Conservation and Sustainability department, and an energy efficiency technology startup. She also served as an environmental educator at Queens County Farm Museum, led programming for college students with the Amherst College Office of Environmental Sustainability, and mentored young climate activists through national climate advocacy organizations. Rebecca understands how to wear many hats professionally and loves being part of a growing, nimble team.

Rebecca received her BA in Environmental Studies from Amherst College and now lives in New York City. She is a dedicated climate activist, a runner, and a chocolate ice cream enthusiast.

Roxanne Ramírez (she/her) (roxanne@groundworkusa.org) is the Senior Manager of Communications at Groundwork USA. Roxanne utilizes community engagement, storytelling best practices, and strategic communication to cultivate a strong network of supporters. Her efforts aim to boost Groundwork USA’s brand visibility, nurture an online community, foster meaningful relationships with Groundwork Trusts, and enhance movement-building systems.

Roxanne brings a wealth of experience in community engagement, digital communication strategy, and campaign organizing.

Roxanne holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University and an M.A. in Environmental Justice, Degrowth, and Political Ecology from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

Before joining the GW family, Roxanne lived in Vietnam and Thailand for 5 years. She now lives in San Francisco, CA, with her husband and two Vietnamese cats. She loves kickboxing, playing board games, D&D, urban hiking, and photography.

Bruce Strouble Ph.D (he/him) (bruce@groundworkusa.org) is Groundwork USA’s Senior Manager of Equitable Climate Resilience Programs, Dr. Strouble will work to strengthen the Groundwork network by guiding the implementation of Groundwork USA’s Climate Preparedness Land Restoration Grant Program, a three-year program to advance equitable climate resilience and land restoration projects, along with similar projects and initiatives.

Strouble is originally from Pasadena, California, but is a longtime resident of Tallahassee, Florida. He has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Florida A&M University (FAMU) and a doctorate from Walden University. His work focuses on pursuing sustainability and environmental justice by enhancing social capital in African American communities. He is a father of 4 and a self-described “environmental justice advocate” committed to ensuring that all communities are united and prepared to adapt and respond to the challenges of climate change.

Strouble is a 2018 recipient of the ReThink Energy Florida “Energy Innovator” award and a member of several community-based organizations. He is a founding member of Citizens for a Sustainable Future, a Fellow at the Institute for the Polarities of Democracy, a Senior Fellow of the National Environmental Leadership Program, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, Rethink Energy Florida and the Moving Forward Network and was formerly the vice-chair of the Leon County Affordable Housing Council. Strouble has served as the Sustainability Program Coordinator for the City of Tallahassee and the Sustainability Coordinator at Florida A&M University. 

When he is not playing with his Adult Kickball League or tending his garden, Dr. Strouble serves as an Adjunct Professor, instructing courses in Political Science, Public Policy, and African American History. His belief that thriving democracy and community participation are key to developing sustainable communities has been a guiding premise in all his work. (bruce@groundworkusa.org)

Tanner Yess’s (he/him) (tanner@groundworkusa.org) parents raised him while putting themselves through school. He grew up paddling, biking, and hiking. After earning a degree in ecology, he worked on a fishing vessel in the Bering Sea. His Peace Corps service involved resource management and eco-tourism. During graduate school, Tanner helped form Cincinnati’s Tri-State Trails Coalition. He is a National Park Service Mountains to Main Street Ambassador; SHIFT Emerging Leader; recipient of the 2018 Murie Center Rising Leader Award and a newly appointed member to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council by President Biden. As a co-founder of Groundwork Ohio River Valley, and Groundwork USA’s Chief Youth and Workforce Officer, Tanner has led the creation of one of the nation’s largest youth green workforce programs and brought Climate Safe Neighborhoods to Cincinnati. Yess’ passion is creating new pathways for diverse youth to access green careers.