Green Umbrella to Host Local Government Climate Action Showcase

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August 10, 2026 – On August 12, 2026, Green Umbrella will host a Climate Action Showcase at 3:30 pm at the University of Cincinnati’s Digital Futures Building for the participants in this year’s Climate Action Fellowship. The participating communities are:

  • Anderson Township, Ohio
  • City of Cincinnati, Ohio
  • City of Covington, Kentucky
  • Hamilton County, Ohio
  • Village of Mariemont, Ohio
  • City of Oxford, Ohio

Leaders from each community, together with their Climate Fellow(s), will discuss how they started or furthered their climate action planning process and projects. Following the showcase, there will be a Green Drinks networking happy hour at Somerset Bar in OTR from 5:15-7:15 pm for connecting with the Climate Fellows, their supervisors, and climate advocates. Both the showcase and Green Drinks are free and open to the public. 

Currently only 3 local governments in the region have a sustainability plan. Having a sustainability plan in place to both prevent damage from and respond to climate disasters – like the recent flooding in Cincinnati – is important, but local governments often struggle with training, resources, and capacity. That’s why the Climate Action Fellowship is so significant for communities in our region: it pairs undergraduate and graduate students, and individuals who want to pivot careers, with local governments to develop practical plans and solutions for a changing climate. 

“The program gives communities the capacity to advance projects that may have once seemed out of reach, or may not have happened for another 5-10 years,” says Jamiya Barnett, Green Umbrella’s Local Government Program Manager. “At the same time, Fellows gain firsthand experience working alongside local governments and institutions, contributing to meaningful projects that align with their goals.”

Maggie Volkering, Public Works Business Analyst for the City of Covington, was one of Covington’s Climate Action Fellowship Supervisors over the summer. “Given the accelerating impacts of climate change in the Midwest, proactive climate action is critical to long-term community resilience and fiscal health,” says Volkering. “Participating in this program ensures Covington stays ahead of environmental challenges while serving as a regional leader in building a thriving, sustainable community.”

Meet Green Umbrella’s New Executive Director: Van Sullivan

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Green Umbrella is excited to welcome our new Executive Director, Van Sullivan. Formerly Green Umbrella’s Senior Director of Programming and Climate Strategy, Van served as the Interim Executive Director for eight months and has been with Green Umbrella for six years. Read more here to learn more about our new Executive Director!

Contributors: Green Umbrella

August 18, 2026 – After a national search, Green Umbrella, Greater Cincinnati’s Regional Climate Collaborative, has announced Van Sullivan as its new Executive Director. Sullivan previously served as Green Umbrella’s Senior Director of Programs & Climate Strategy.

“We’re in a time of great possibilities,” says Jaime Love, Director of Programs at People’s Climate Innovation Center and Green Umbrella’s Board President. “Van has the vision, experience, and determination to keep Green Umbrella focused on our mission: making Greater Cincinnati a region that is healthy, resilient, and thriving, for all.”

Sullivan has served as Interim Executive Director since February, following the departure of Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Green Umbrella’s former Executive Director of eight years. In that time, Sullivan has overseen the production of Cincinnati’s first Climate Week; the expansion of the Green & Healthy Schools Network; and new initiatives like Cincinnati’s first Climate Storybank, the Food Policy Council’s Summer Farmer’s Market Tour, and affinity spaces for young professionals, BIPOC leaders, and LGBTQ+ advocates passionate about climate action.

Mooney-Bullock, now Gorman Heritage Farm’s Executive Director, worked with Sullivan for six years and witnessed their evolution into a nationally-known climate leader. “Van’s environmental policy expertise, commitment to justice and equity, collaborative approach, and strategic thinking have helped the organization grow and evolve,” says Mooney-Bullock. “With the support of the amazing board and staff, I know they will continue to keep Greater Cincinnati at the front edge of regional climate action. I am thrilled to see what is next for Green Umbrella with Van Sullivan at the helm!”

During their tenure at Green Umbrella, Sullivan has been the architect of some of the nonprofit’s signature programs, including the 25 Communities Project, Climate Action Fellowship and Climate Research Incubator. Sullivan was core support in designing the City of Cincinnati’s 2021 Climate Equity Indicators Report and 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan, and served as the inaugural Chair of Cincinnati’s Environmental Advisory Board. They also led Green Umbrella’s transition from a sustainability alliance into a Regional Climate Collaborative (RCC), positioning Green Umbrella among more than 30 other RCCs across the country and making it one of the nation’s largest. 

A lifelong climate advocate, Sullivan has called Cincinnati home for twenty-five years. Being able to do the environmental work they are passionate about is “a dream come true,” says Sullivan. “Serving as Green Umbrella’s Executive Director means that I’m developing climate solutions here for my friends, family, and neighbors.”

In the past years, Greater Cincinnati has experienced the effects of a changing climate, including blistering heat waves and unexpected flooding. To weather the literal storms and make our communities more resilient to the rising temperatures, the region has to work together to build a better future for all. 

Sullivan is ready for the challenge. “Green Umbrella is an amazing organization with a talented and dedicated staff,” they say. “The work we do – furthering climate action throughout the region – requires all hands on deck. I feel honored to be chosen to steer the ship for its next chapter.”

Learn More!

Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council Announces New Members

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Thursday, March 5, 2026 – Green Umbrella has announced the members of the 2026 Greater Cincinnati Regional Food Policy Council. The Food Policy Council, a program of Green Umbrella, is a cross-sector collaborative of food system experts and advocates working together to advance an environmentally, socially, and economically resilient regional food system through policy and systems-level work. 

The Food Policy Council works to bring about policy-driven change. Council members bring their experiences and expertise to collaborate on advocacy and educational campaigns, reducing food waste, strengthening and preserving farmland, increasing local food procurement, and informing decision-makers. “This group has a very diverse understanding of the food industry, with expertise all across the food system,” says Rosa Baker, Green Umbrella’s Food Policy Council Manager. “I’m really excited for what we’ll accomplish this year.”

In previous years, the Food Policy Council advocated for and was a driving force in the updated standardized zoning codes in Cincinnati that allowed for the expansion of local urban gardens in 2019; provided education, advocacy, and technical support to Cincinnati Public Schools in their adoption and expansion of the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP); advised on the Green Cincinnati Plan and the Regional Sustainability Playbook; and advocated for a strong federal Farm Bill that supports food producers across the country.

The first convening of the new Food Policy Council met on March 2, where they focused on building an updated Food Policy Network regional map. The 2026 members are: 

  • Rosie Allen, Educator (Returning)
  • Gary Beatty, Inland Shrimp Company (Returning)
  • Jared Beckman, Chef
  • Sable Bender, WESTIL
  • Dominic Bley, Garden of Joy
  • Nick Bliven, FUEL NKU
  • Polly Campbell, Writer (Returning)
  • Rosa Christophel, HomeBase Cincinnati
  • Nicole Gunderman, Hamilton County Conservation District
  • Nate Hale, Agricultural Professional
  • Fran Knox-Kazimierczuk, Advocate (Returning)
  • Joy Kostansek, Ohio CDC Association (Returning)
  • Kimberly Jacobs, East Walnut Hills Farmers’ Market (Returning)
  • Michelle Merrett, Hamilton Urban Garden Systems (Returning)
  • Mark Mitchell, Xavier University (Returning)
  • Taylor Newman, Advocate
  • Rachel Powers, CORV Local Food Guide
  • Emalee Richman, Rich Life Farm (Returning)
  • Tony Staubach, Hamilton County ReSource (Returning)
  • Jacob “Possum” Strous, Community Garden Steward
  • R. Alan Wight, Educator (Returning)
  • Adrienne Wiley, Healing Center
  • Tracy Wilking, Advocate (Returning)

For the full bios of Food Policy Council members, visit the link here.