Leadership and Staff
The Network is managed by the Great Plains Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with a mission to transform the energy system to benefit the economy and environment. Great Plains Institute acts as the Network’s fiscal sponsor.
Lola leads GPI’s communities’ work and provides strategic direction, overall program management, new project development, fundraising, and facilitation. She is a seasoned professional with over 35 years of experience in community energy planning and project implementation, energy policy, renewable energy, and energy efficiency. She has extensive background in bringing diverse groups of people together to craft energy policy and implement projects in networks, coalitions, and working teams.
Network Coordinator: Lola Schoenrich, vice president of communities, Great Plains Institute
Contact Lola: lschoenrich@gpisd.net
Ava is a program associate at the Great Plains Institute. Ava provides administrative and technical support to the Sustainable States Network and helps facilitate Minnesota local government networks. Prior to her role at GPI, Ava interned at the City of Minneapolis’s Community Planning and Economic Development department after earning her bachelor’s degree in 2022. Ava majored in political science and urban studies at the University of Minnesota. During her time there, she was a journalist for the Minnesota Daily News.
Contact Ava: athompson@gpisd.net
Steering committee
The Network is governed by a Steering Committee with co-chairs elected by the membership.
Co-Chair: Kristin Mroz, Minnesota GreenStep Cities
Co-Chair: Joanne Bissetta, Massachusetts Green Communities
Kelly Tyler, New York Clean Energy Communities Program (NYSERDA)
Lynn Stoddard, Sustainable CT
Brandy Espinola, Green Cities California & Sustainable Maryland
Randy Solomon, Sustainable Jersey
Danielle Beard, Michigan Green Communities
Working Groups
Equity: Ensuring that social equity is front and center in state-level programs
Co-Chair: Mel McDermott, Sustainable Jersey
Communication: Guiding communication efforts and outreach to partners
Chair: Mike Hunninghake Sustainable Maryland
Climate Action: Sharing best practices on successful local engagement around climate mitigation and resilience
Chair: Brandy Espinola, Green Cities California and Sustainable Maryland
Annual Meeting Planning: Ensuring an engaging annual meeting
Chair: Kelly Tyler, New York Clean Energy Communities Program (NYSERDA)
Connecting Communities to Federal Funding: Sharing information and resources on how members and Affiliates are connecting communities to project funding. The group will also explore collaborative multi-state projects.
Co-Chair: Ellie Kahn, New York Clean Energy Communities Program (NYSERDA)
Co-Chair: Kale Roberts, ICLEI