President
Becky Jo Farrington
beckyjofarrington@gmail.com
Becky Jo is the Environmental Education Manager for Michigan Energy Options (formerly Urban Options). She runs educational programs relating to energy and environmental sustainability, leads tours of the Michigan Energy Options demonstration house, and manages our educational displays and garden.
Becky Jo received a BS degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from Michigan State University in 2002. She has worked for the past 7 years as a community organizer, field director, and program coordinator focused on environmental issues. During this time, she has organized and educated thousands of citizens around campaigns to protect our water, air and other natural resources.
Becky Jo also enjoys writing, and has been published in the Environmental Journalism magazine at Michigan State University. She is a Lansing resident and is actively involved in making her community a more sustainable place to live.
Treasurer
Bethany Renfer
BethanyRMattF@yahoo.com
Bethany Renfer became a Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council Board member in the Fall of 2006. Originally from Northern Michigan, she has called the Greater Lansing area home for the better part of the past fourteen years. Bethany is married to Matt Flechter and is mother to son Elijah and daughter Amelia.
Bethany attended Michigan State University’s James Madison College and earned her degree in International Relations with a focus in Environmental Policy. After college she worked as the Solid Waste and Recycling Associate for the Massachusetts’s Public Interest Research Group.
Since 1997, Ms. Renfer has held a variety of positions with Clean Water Action, a national environmental organization with nearly a quarter million Michigan members. Positions included Outreach Field Manager, Fair Trade Campaign Program Assistant, Michigan Program Coordinator and Administrative Director. Bethany’s work has focused on issues impacting the Great Lakes including sewage infrastructure, pollution prevention and drinking water source protection.
In her various roles, Bethany staffed Clean Water Action’s political action steering committee, contributed to
legislative efforts and provided support for foundation outreach. In 2005-2006, she co-chaired Mayor Bernero’s Environmental Task Force to develop recommendations for improving environmental conditions in Lansing. In 2005 she also served on the Safe Drinking Water Advisory Task Force, which made recommendations for addressing high levels of lead in Lansing’s drinking water supply.
Secretary
Matthew Jason
matthew.jason@lansingschools.net
Matt Jason has lived and worked on Lansing's Eastside since attending Michigan State University in the early 1990s. Graduating with a BS in Anthropology and a desire to teach, he became certified and began teaching in Lansing in 1999. Matt currently teaches history and economics at Lansing Eastern High School, and has taught in or visited schools in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Japan.
Using lessons he learned in his grandparents' organic gardens and from witnessing life in different parts of the globe, Matt hopes to impart to his students ways to view the environment that preserve our natural wealth for future generations.
Matt has been a Mid-MEAC Board member since 2007, is active in his Eastside neighborhood and community garden, and raises three boys with his wife Corie.
At Large Members
Liz Harrow
harrowe@lcc.edu
Liz Harrow is an architect who specializes in the adaptive reuse of existing retail spaces and the renovation of existing homes. A member of many boards that focus on her dual interests in urban living and human rights, she is also active in the interfaith community.
Liz has lived several years in Africa and France. Her affiliations include Old Town Design Committee, East Lansing Building Board of Appeals, East Lansing Housing and Neighborhood Services, Amnesty International group 81, Amnesty International Central African coordination group and the East Lansing Film Festival.
Liz is an architecture instructor at Lansing Community College and an avocational teacher with Kehillat Israel.
Bryan Grochowski
BGrochowski@gmail.com
In 1998, Bryan earned a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Biology and Plant Pathology. He also became an environmental activist and canvass manager for the grass roots citizen group, Clean Water Action.
Bryan grew up in the countryside near Alpena, Michigan. He moved to the Lansing area in 1996, studying biology at Michigan State University. During his tenure at MSU, he helped conduct research on Phytophthora sojae, as well as other plant pathogens that cause millions of dollars of impact per year on U.S. crops. It was a combination of the polluted Red Cedar River flowing through the heart of MSU’s campus and the tremendous waste in the dorms (MSU is improving) that encouraged him to make a career in the environmental field. Bryan is currently employed as a Hazardous Waste inspector for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. In addition to serving on the Mid-MEAC Board, Bryan serves on the Board for the Scientists and Engineers of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 517. His main interest with Mid-MEAC includes encouraging individuals to realize their impacts times 300 million Americans and 6.7 Billion people on the earth.
For fun, Bryan enjoys teaching swing, salsa, and ballroom dancing in his spare time, as well as gardening, playing sports, and meeting people from all over the world.
John Lindenmayer
jlindenmayer@lmb.org
John Lindenmayer is a Lansing-based environmental activist and multi-media artist. After receiving a BFA from University of Michigan, John moved to Lansing where he spent several years as a community organizer with Clean Water Action (CWA).
During his time with CWA, John worked to educate and engage citizens on water quality campaigns, organized volunteers, fundraised, and developed campaign materials. John has also spent time as a community organizer with the Michigan Consumer Federation and Texas Campaign for the Environment.
Currently, John continues his advocacy efforts as the Associate Director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, a statewide nonprofit bicycle organization with a mission of making a Michigan a bicycle-friendly state.
In addition to currently serving on the Mid-MEAC board, John is an ISLAND (Institute for Sustainable Living Art & Natural Design) board member and sits on Lansing’s Walking and Bicycling Task Force. John is also an active member of Earthwork Music, a Michigan-based collective of musicians and artists with a deep commitment to original music and environmental protection.
Ben Calnin
benjamin.calnin@gmail.com
Benjamin Calnin is the Informatics & Decision Support Coordinator for the Land Policy Research Program at Michigan State University. He and his wife Maggie live in Lansing's Eastside neighborhood where they are active members of the community, supporting environmental causes. An active outdoorsperson, Ben enjoys camping, kayaking and hiking throughout Michigan. Ben is an alumnus of Michigan State University.
Lauren Olson
lolokramer@gmail.com
Lauren Olson is the Project Coordinator at the Michigan State University Office of Sustainability where she heads up the "Be Spartan Green" initiative. Lauren holds a B.S. and M.S. from Michigan State and manages the Environmental Steward and Green Certification programs at MSU. A fan of local music, festivals and community events, Lauren is an active volunteer in the Greater Lansing community.
Stephanie Barney
Stephanie Barney works for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality where she serves as an expert resource on water, soil erosion and sedimentation control.
The Mid-MEAC Team
Julie Powers, Director
jpowers155@gmail.com
Julie Powers joined Mid-MEAC in 2010 and serves at the organization's Director. She handles communications (including publishing the Mid-MEAC newsletter), fundraising, and program oversight for Mid-MEAC.
Julie is a seasoned nonprofit development professional with more than 10 years of fundraising and grant writing experience, including Development Director for Michigan Equality. Prior to joining Michigan Equality, she was the Program Director for Michigan Community Action Agency Association, and the Director of Grants for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, Inc.
Julie is the founder and owner of Powers Development Consulting, a Lansing-based firm with clients across the country. Julie is an active alumna member of Alpha Gamma Delta Fraternity, serving as Province Director for Southeast Michigan. She volunteers with many local organizations including Old Town Commerical Association, Canterbury MSU and the Great Lakes Folk Festival. Julie is an alumna Alma College (Go Scots!) and is the human companion of two super cute Dalmatians.
Nikki Ayres, AmeriCorps Member
nikkia.midmeac@gmail.com
Nikki is a graduate of Holt High School (Go Rams!) and Michigan State University's School of Planning, Design & Construction. She has a B.S. in Urban & Regional Planning. When she's not traveling the world, she's volunteering in the community and enjoying Michigan's great outdoors with friends and family. A veteran of study abroad programs, Nikki spent 6 weeks in Greece in 2009, 5 weeks in Central America in 2011 and in 2013 she's planning to sail the islands of Croatia. Luckily, we caught her on a even year and she'll spend the next 9 months exploring the tri-county region.
Dan Myers, Volunteer Stream Monitoring Coordinator
danmyers901@gmail.com
Dan just graduated with a degree in Fisheries and Wildlife from MSU! New to the team, he is taking over the coordination of the Volunteer Stream Monitoring activities on the Red Cedar River. Previous experiences have been a monitoring and research intern at Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, a member of the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club, and an usher at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts!
Dan grew up in Charlevoix, MI, which is a pretty sweet spot to live. He loves East Lansing too and has a lot of great friends. He likes running, enjoying the outdoors, and just hanging out. If you’re ever up for any of these just shoot him an email! His goal in life is to never grow up...haha. Hope to see y’all out on the river!
Collin Rumsey, Environmental Programs Intern
cprumsui21@comcast.net
Collin is a junior at Michigan State University, working on a degree in Environmental Geosciences with a specialization in Environmental Studies. He's a member of the MSU Geology Club and a proud member of the Michigan State Marching Band! You can catch him in the Baritone section on the field during home football games and he's part of Spartan Brass which plays at basketball and hockey games. Go Green! Collin loves the outdoors (see his snazzy waterskiing picture on the left) and grew up playing ice hockey with his brother in Paw Paw, Michigan.