About EarthWatch Ohio
STAFF & BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Stefanie Spear - Stefanie is founder of EarthWatch Ohio. She is passionate and committed to educating citizens about environmental issues and bringing people together to achieve a sustainable future for Ohio. From 1991-1997, she published Affinity, an environmental newspaper similar to EarthWatch Ohio that was distributed for free throughout Ohio. Stefanie has been actively working on environmental issues for more than 20 years. During the 1990s Stefanie worked to protect the old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. For the past few years, her focus has shifted toward working to expedite the renewable energy future for Northeast Ohio and promoting energy efficiency.
BOARD MEMBERS
Kathleen Bradley, President - Kathleen is an active member of Friends of Wetlands, Firelands Chapter of the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, Rocky River Watershed Council, West Creek Preservation Committee and Upper Cuyahoga River Watershed Task Force. Kathleen serves on the Storm Water Task Force for the city of Broadview Heights, the board of the Rocky River Watershed Council and on the conservation and strategic planning committees for both groups. In the past she has served on the board of the Ohio Prairie Association, a 501(c(3), and on the storm water task force for the City of Berea. She participated in the regional storm water task force and was an active volunteer for educational activities at the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District. She currently volunteers for the Cleveland Metroparks and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
James R. Leikin, Treasurer - Jim is currently working in a private practice in Beachwood, Ohio in the field of public accounting. He earned his BS in Accounting at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has been practicing in his profession for twenty four years in the Cleveland Area. He is currently involved with many non-profit agencies in helping with their accounting and tax filings. It is his hope that his expertise will be useful to this organization through his participation on the board.
Shirley Tomasello, Secretary - Shirley is an attorney that practices environmental and municipal law. She graduated from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, passed the Ohio Bar in 1992, and lives in Cleveland, Ohio. She has spoken at seminars on Environmental Enforcement and Lead Paint Laws for the Cleveland Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, and the Ohio Municipal Attorneys Association. She is the former director of the Lake Erie Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the biological and aesthetic integrity of the Lake Erie region.
Josef Bomback - Josef is the Managing Director and Chief Strategy Office for Eight Wild Geese, a sustainability communications think-shop. Prior to founding 8WG, Josef served as Executive Vice President and COO of the North American marketing and global communications division for Hugo Productions, Hong Kong. An expert in both brand development and Far East culture, he played a critical role in developing many new product lines, distribution channels and strategic marketing campaigns that supported more than eighty product launches into North America and Europe. W ith a strong belief in self-discovery and the holistic integration of ancient wisdom in contemporary society, Josef has cultivated a personal practice firmly rooted in traditional eastern and Native American philosophies, tai chi and yoga. He is an accomplished macrobiotic chef with substantial market knowledge of sustainable agriculture and the health and wellness industries. Josef holds a B.A. in Political Science from Oberlin College and a degree in Psychology.
Steven Newman - Steve is the Program Director for the non-profit organization United Labor Agency. The United Labor Agency mission is to strengthen the community by focusing the resources, compassion and commitment of the labor movement. For the past ten years, he has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work in many different facets within the Ohio community. His main duties include grant writing and creating partnerships and alliances with other organizations to help people that struggle with their employment needs. Steve received a Masters degree from the Weatherhead School of Business at Case Western University. He loves the outdoors and wants to do what he can to help protect it. Steve lives in northeast Ohio with his lovely wife Tracey and two small children Eli and Sophie.
Thomas J. Quinn - Tom worked as a reporter, editor and columnist in his 41-year career at The Plain Dealer. He also served in Vietnam as an army correspondent and photographer. He won awards in breaking news writing in police and courts coverage and in investigative reporting on medical care and public transit. He worked as a TV-radio columnist and assistant state editor and also covered suburbs, education, energy and environment. In 2005, he initiated and contributed to a six-month series, Crude Awakening, which detailed a coming worldwide energy crisis. The staff-produced series won state and national awards, including the Excellence in Journalism Award from the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation. The Columbia Journalism Review featured Tom in a 2005 article entitled, “Working the Fringes,” which detailed how his news-gathering style led to the Crude Awakening series.
Dr. B. Michael Walton - Dr. Michael Walton is the Director of the Environmental Institute at Cleveland State University, and is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Walton holds a B.S. in Zoology and M.S. in Biology from the George Washington University, and doctorate in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Chicago. His research emphasizes the ecological dynamics of stream and forest food webs, and the ecological impacts of urban development. Dr. Walton teaches courses in ecology, evolution, conservation biology, physiology, and environmental science. In addition, he directs a summer program that has provided research experience and training in urban ecology to undergraduates from CSU and other institutions nationwide. He lives in Orange Village, Ohio with wife, Ellen, and sons, Zachary and Justin.
Bob Yanega - 34208 Aurora Rd., Suite 265, Solon, OH 44139, 216-403-1333
Bob is an entrepreneur, writer, and speaker and has served on the boards of a number of local non profit organizations. He does consulting work for the real estate and construction industry, but most enjoys working on his own home to reduce waste and improve energy efficiency. He has cut his natural gas, water and electricity usage dramatically by improving the building envelope, building a rainwater collection system, installing solar heating and solar-powered components, and retrofitting most of his lighting fixtures. He recycles unused items on Craigslist and through local recycling centers. In his spare time he practices organic gardening, bikes and rollerblades.
Radhika Zaveri - 9624 Simsbury Court, Twinsburg, OH 44087, 330-405-4767
Radhika has over 15 years of experience in Marketing in the Consumer Products Industry. After earning her Master's in Business Administration from the Weatherhead School Of Management at Case Western Reserve University, she worked in Brand Management at Fortune 500 companies like Rubbermaid and Nestle USA. Radhika has managing multi-million dollar brands, with proven expertise in areas of brand strategy, consumer insight, product innovation and consumer communication. She is active with local environmental groups and is working on publishing children's books focused on protecting the environment.