Our Team

The core team of “Our Communities, Our Bay” includes Climate Resilient Communities (CRC), El Concilio of San Mateo County (EC), Stanford Future Bay Initiative (SFBI), and many other partner organizations. CRC and EC bring decades of practical experience working with fellow community-based organizations and community members across the Bay Area. CRC, EC, and SFBI have also sustained a longstanding partnership by engaging in research that addresses community-developed priorities and questions. “Our Communities, Our Bay” is a result of these years of experience and collaborations.

Leadership Team

  • Ortensia Lopez

    Ortensia Lopez is the Executive Director of El Concilio of San Mateo County. Ortensia is a nationally recognized leader in creating coalitions, collaboratives and partnerships, which have resulted in innovative initiatives that have empowered and ensured participation for low-income communities. She has been working in the Non-Profit sector for over forty-one years in executive management positions serving as a change agent for disenfranchised communities.

    I speak English, y hablo español

  • Violet Wulf-Saena

    Violet Wulf-Saena is the Founder & Executive Director of Climate Resilient Communities. Violet has served as an international climate change expert for over 10 years, and has worked with various groups in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island States (SIDS) to protect communities from the impacts of climate change. Violet’s dedication to elevating community leadership and response to environmental justice is rooted from her lived experiences in the South-Pacific.

    I speak English, ma oute tautala i le Faa-Samoa

  • Gabrielle Wong-Parodi

    Dr. Gabrielle Wong-Parodi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth System Science and Center Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. Her research focuses on applying behavioral decision research methods to address challenges associated with global environmental change, and to create evidence-based strategies for informed decision making –with a particular focus on building resilience and sustainability in the face of a changing climate.

    I speak English

  • Jennifer Suckale

    Dr. Jennifer Suckale is an Assistant Professor of Geophysics and, by courtesy, of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Center Fellow, by courtesy, at the Woods Institute for the Environment. Her research focuses on disaster risk and resilience. She approaches this challenge both from a fundamental point of view by advancing the understanding of the processes that govern extreme events, and from an applied point of view via scientific co-production approach with private and public partners.

    I speak English

Ambassadors

  • Julian Garcia

    Climate Resilient Communities

    I speak English, y hablo español

  • Marisela Ramos

    Climate Resilient Communities

    Yo hablo español

  • Lidia Garcia

    Climate Resilient Communities

    Yo hablo español

  • Heleine Grewe

    Climate Resilient Communities

    I speak English, ma oute tautala i le Faa-Toga

  • Caroline Beckman

    Climate Resilient Communities
    caroline.beckman@crc.acterra.org

    I speak English

  • Cade Cannedy

    Climate Resilient Communities
    cade.cannedy@crc.acterra.org

    I speak English

  • Lesley Lopez

    Climate Resilient Communities
    lesley.lopez@crc.acterra.org

    I speak English, y hablo español

Research Team

Contact the team at info@OurCommunitiesOurBay.org