Zelda has most of her professional experience in different industries that all involve connecting people. After a decade-long career in hospitality and entertainment, she believes connecting groups of diverse individuals who share lived experiences helps create leaders who can change the community. Zelda hopes to bring her unique lived experience as a proud autistic trans woman to be a voice of support and action in her community, where she hopes to inspire people to step up for both climate and social justice.

Beth Cundiff brings a diverse background in both non-profit and for-profit industries to her role at Green Umbrella. Most recently, she served as Grants Manager for Junior Achievement of Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. With a passion for creating compelling narratives for impactful projects, she has secured funding for initiatives that drive positive change in our community. Prior to entering the non-profit sector, Beth had over 10 years of experience in financial services at Fidelity Investments and Key Bank. A graduate of Wittenberg University, Beth has degrees in Business Administration and English Literature. A native of Cincinnati, she enjoys volunteering for local environmental initiatives such as river sweeps for The Little Miami Conservancy, native plant propagation, monarch butterfly tagging, and endangered insect reintroduction at Fernald Preserve. Beth is also an avid hiker and enjoys paddleboarding, bird watching, and camping. Beth is committed to fostering partnerships that protect and preserve our natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity.

Qeiara’s journey blends a love for human connection, justice, and tech. After studying journalism at Bennett College and working as a journalist on the East Coast, Qeiara’s curiosity for the world led them to spend six transformative years teaching English as a Second Language in Thailand and China. Their unique experiences navigating Asia as a queer, Black person increased their desire to bridge cultures, perspectives and tackle global challenges. Qeiara has over a decade of experience engaging communities and facilitating connections in nonprofit organizations working in behavioral health, youth advocacy, and housing justice. Their favorite pastimes are writing, exploring social commentary through digital art, and chatting with friends and strangers alike in cafes over coffee.

Michael Lee has a diverse and extensive background in finance and management across various sectors and regions, including Canada, the Caribbean and the USA. His finance expertise spans accounting, capital markets (debt and equity financing), venture investments and structured derivatives products. In his management role, he’s successfully developed and executed strategic initiatives in sectors as diverse as consumer Internet, telecommunications and retail. Michael holds a math and physics undergrad degree from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario in Canada. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, cooking, working on DIY projects, reading/listening to fantasy/science fiction books, and learning new things. He’s about to start learning coding as a side project.

Dr. Hopfensperger is an ecosystem ecologist, and currently a Professor at Northern Kentucky University and serves as the Environmental Science Program Director. Her research is centered on relationships between community dynamics and ecosystem processes in response to human disturbances. Hopfensperger works with undergraduate students and community partners to conduct research on topics including water quality, green infrastructure, greenhouse gas flux and invasive species. At NKU, she works to guide students through the wonderful world of science by leading interactive classes, mentoring ecological research experiences, and demonstrating active community engagement. Kristy received her Ph.D. in environmental science from the University of Maryland. She is excited to spend her 2023-2024 sabbatical with Green Umbrella to co-design and launch the Climate Research Incubator.

Claire is an environmental conservationist with over 7 years of experience in the field. From research on macroalgae as a tool for carbon sequestration in Sanibel, Florida to conducting boots-on-the-ground environmental restoration work as an AmeriCorps member in fields and oak savannahs of Iowa, she’s always sought to enhance and protect the outdoor spaces that we love. Most recently she was the Northeast Iowa Watershed Planning Coordinator for Conservation Districts of Iowa where she led over 20 counties through a strategic 5-Year Soil and Water Resource Conservation Planning process. Claire holds a B.S. in Geoscience from the University of Iowa and recently moved to Northern Kentucky. Her “out-of-office” hobbies include meandering through woodlands, reading, cooking, writing, and traveling. Her favorite pastime, however, is spending a few nights a year curled up in her sleeping bag on the shores of Lake Superior.

After completing a degree in English and Creative Writing from the Ohio State University, Nobi pursued a path of entrepreneurship as a barber and owner. Through this work, Nobi gained a deep understanding that community is built on authentic connection, servant leadership and trust. As a queer, BIPOC first-generation immigrant, Nobi wanted to use their lived experiences and intersections in identity to help further climate and environmental initiatives throughout the region, particularly from the focus of equity, representation, narrative activism, grassroots organizing and community engagement. In their free time, Nobi enjoys hiking, practicing martial arts and playing their electric guitar.

Wyatt King is an experienced policy professional and entrepreneur in the areas of clean energy, green buildings, and natural resources management. He has co-founded several “green” businesses, worked as a policy aide to members of the U.S. Congress, and consulted to international corporations and NGOs engaged in energy and environmental projects around the world. He has also staffed political campaigns to pass renewable energy initiatives and elect pro-environment public officials. He believes the key to enduring social change lies in building vibrant communities around shared interests. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife and two boys.

Cynthia is set on transforming the educational system through experiential learning, outdoor education, and by establishing policies focused on improving the health and wellness of school children. After two decades as a public school teacher and fifteen years managing school-garden programs on a local and national level, Cynthia has joined the Green Umbrella staff as the Green Schoolyards Coordinator. Over the years, Cynthia has cultivated relationships with community partners and provided professional development to produce a collaborative model in connecting children to nature. Cynthia continues to work with organizations and institutions to create experiential-based curriculum and guide policies to ensure the longevity of initiatives emphasizing the whole child. Cynthia aims to incorporate student voices in the process of transforming schoolyards where young people are empowered to be the stewards of social and environmental justice within their communities.

Chris is an orchardist, facilitator, and educator. After studying Permaculture Design with experts across North America he now teaches at the University of Cincinnati. Core to that teaching craft is a practice; as the cofounder of one of the largest agroforestry operations in Ohio, the Southern Ohio Chestnut Company, and the Director of the Common Orchard Project, Chris creates containers for mutual medicine between human and plant communities.

Maddie Chera convenes partners across the Greater Cincinnati region to collaborate and advocate for healthier and more sustainable communities. Maddie leads the Food Policy Council’s initiatives and leverages data, communications, and funding in order to direct and monitor the program’s collective impact toward a resilient regional food system. She brings over a decade of domestic and international experience as an educator, researcher, and nonprofit team member to her work, along with a PhD in Anthropology from Indiana University Bloomington, with a focus on food, the environment, and culture. Maddie served as the Food Policy Council’s Food Systems Analyst prior to taking on the role of Director in 2022.

Bamidele Emmanuel Osamika holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko (Nigeria), a Master of Science in Psychology from the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) and a Master of Environmental Science from the Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, Miami University Oxford, Ohio. He has worked as a faculty member at the department of Psychology, Lead City University Ibadan, Nigeria, served as a graduate researcher at Miami University Oxford Ohio, worked for Standard Textile Company as corporate social responsibility intern, and served as youth leader and environmental educator for Groundwork Ohio River Valley. He has published over 20 peer reviewed articles around mental health, quality of life, wellbeing, sustainability and climate justice. Bamidele is strongly committed to his vision to search for and impact knowledge, promote wellbeing, and make the world a better place. In his free time, Bamidele enjoys reading and playing tennis.