Meet Our Team
Leadership Team
Mike Tidwell, Executive Director
Mike Tidwell is founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in Maryland, Virginia, DC, and West Virginia.
Under Tidwell’s leadership, CCAN has helped pass landmark clean-energy legislation in Maryland and the District of Columbia; blocked coal and oil development plans in Virginia; and worked with groups nationwide to push for a fair and effective carbon cap policy on Capitol Hill.
Tidwell is also an author and filmmaker whose books include The Ravaging Tide: Strange Weather, Future Katrinas, and the Race to Save America’s Coastal Cities. Tidwell’s documentary film – “We Are All Smith Islanders” – vividly depicts the dangers of global warming in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. Tidwell has received numerous awards for his advocacy work, including the Audubon Naturalist Society’s prestigious “Conservation Award.”
A long-time resident of Maryland, he lives in Takoma Park with his wife Beth and son Sasha. Read more about Mike here.
Contact: mtidwell [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org, 240-460-5838
Anne Havemann, Deputy Director and General Counsel
Anne Havemann (she/her) is CCAN’s Deputy Director and General Counsel. She has a decade of experience working on environmental issues at the regional and national scales. At CCAN, she works to fight climate change and promote clean energy through litigation and policy development, while also providing general legal support and foundation grants management. Prior to CCAN, she worked at a think tank, the Center for Progressive Reform, in its Chesapeake Bay program area. She focused on enforcing the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to clean up the Bay, with a particular emphasis on industrial chicken farms. Anne has clerked for U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the American Wind Energy Association. She served as CCAN’s first communication director before leaving in 2010 to further her education in environmental law. Anne received her law degree with a certificate in environmental law from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, where she graduated magna cum laude. She was editor-in-chief of the Maryland Law Review. Anne received a B.A. in environmental science from Colorado College.
Contact: anne [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Mustafa Abdullah, Director of Campaigns and Strategies
Mustafa Abdullah (he/him) is the Director of Campaigns and Strategies for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network where he will help lead the organization’s efforts to build grassroots power and infrastructure to help our communities in DC, MD, and VA to tackle the biggest threats and take on the biggest opportunities to achieve climate stability. Mustafa’s commitment to organizing work is driven by sharing moments with people when they realize their own power and have a clear sense of hope and what is possible.
Mustafa has been organizing professionally since 2010 and has significant experience building volunteer programs and organizing on a wide range of civil rights and liberties issues at a municipal and state level. He also has experience leveraging elections to get candidates to adopt critical policy positions. Among his proudest achievements are setting up a legal support infrastructure for movement work, which led to volunteers and activists being trained on how to work with lawyers to file effective litigation in courts to protect their rights. Additionally, Mustafa is particularly proud of working with activists on the ground in St. Louis to get the top two vote getting Mayoral candidates in 2021 and a majority of the members of the Board of Aldermen to adopt the ACLU of Missouri’s civil liberties platform to mitigate police surveillance, reduce arrests for low level offenses, closing a local jail, and increasing police transparency.
Contact: mustafa [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Mari Schimmer, Director of Staff Support and Operations
Mari Schimmer (she/her) is the Director of Staff Support and Operations at CCAN, managing recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes and executing the internal equity and culture plan and day-to-day operations. She brings over a decade of experience in staff management and organizational leadership. Before joining the CCAN team, Mari specialized in designing and managing field organizing programs for national nonprofits. She led issue advocacy, leadership development, and electoral programs at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, Democracy for America, and NARAL Pro-Choice America. Earlier in her career, Mari organized for clean cars and other environmental protections and managed voter contact canvassing projects in Colorado. She has also directed national recruitment for a political consulting firm.
A native of Northern California, Mari’s first organizing experience was campaigning in defense of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge at UC Santa Cruz. She lives in Takoma Park with her partner and an ever-growing crew of rescue pets. She enjoys exploring state parks in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, kayaking, reading on the beach, and knitting.
Contact: mari [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Fundraising and Finance
Courtney Dyson, Fundraising Director
Courtney (she/her) began working with CCAN in 2018 as a Communications Fellow and later joined the team full time as the Executive Assistant and Special Projects Coordinator. During her time with CCAN she has delved into the realm of nonprofit fundraising and event planning to become CCAN’s Fundraising Director. Courtney has always had a strong connection to the outdoors and pursued an undergraduate degree in Conservation and Wildlife Management from Delaware Valley University. After working in conservation and outdoor education, she went back to school to earn a master degree in International Cooperation and Development from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy, where she focused on climate change adaptation and food security.
In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her dog Pascal (a CCAN office favorite) and her horse Cinco. She is also learning pottery and still gets outdoors by hiking.
Contact: courtney [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Charlene Castillo, Director of Finance
Charlene Castillo (she/her) grew up in Maryland, and enjoys being close to both Baltimore and DC. During her early 20s she spent two years doing mission work in the Marshall Islands. There, she saw firsthand the effects of not treating our world kindly due to the still-present results of nuclear testing on the Bikini Atoll. Prior to joining CCAN she was a contractor specializing in nonprofit accounting. She enjoys working with mission oriented organizations. In her spare time Charlene likes to spend time with family and friends, at the beach, eating out, making bread, and watching her backyard birds eat the treats she puts out for them.
Contact: charlene [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Hadley Dzuray, Development Associate
Hadley (she/her) joined CCAN in 2023 as Executive Assistant and Special Projects Coordinator and transitioned to Development Associate in January of 2024. Raised in Columbia, MD, just 20 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay, she grew up developing a deep appreciation for Mother Earth. During her time at the University of Delaware, she worked on grassroots and organization initiatives with The Climate Reality Project, the Delaware Environmental Institute, and several other campus-led groups. After exploring the world of sustainability, she discovered a particular passion for advocacy.
Outside of work, Hadley enjoys exploring DC with friends, catching shows at 9:30 club, and relaxing outside. She is now living in Arlington with her amazing roommate, and her cat, Jeremiah.
Contact: hadley [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Arianna Huff, Grants Manager
Arianna Huff (she/her) is excited to join CCAN as the Grants Manager. She grew up in Maryland and recently graduated from Duke University with her Master’s of Environmental Management. Arianna has been interested in the environment, specifically climate, and sustainable food systems, since her undergraduate career at the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her B.S. in Environmental Sustainability. Since then, she has worked in organizations ranging from small local organizations teaching children to garden, to a larger international development organization, but all dedicated to improving the environment. Outside of the office, she likes to play board games, play the piano, read, and be outdoors.
Contact: arianna [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Communications
KC Chartrand, Communications Director
KC Chartrand is the Communications Director for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Prior to joining CCAN, KC spent over 25 years promoting innovative solutions for sustainability and risk management – including environmental (e.g., carbon management), health, safety, disaster response/recovery, and more. He headed up communications teams for leading providers such as the EHS & Sustainability practice at IHS Markit, Environmental Support Solutions Inc. (ESS), and Marsh Crisis Consulting. In each of these roles, he showed corporate and government decision makers how the latest technologies and best practices dedicated to regulatory compliance or operational excellence could help them better serve their respective stakeholders, as well as the public and planet.
Recently, KC has served as an Advisory Board member to SABER Institute, the Single Automated Business Exchange for Reporting. SABER is a nonprofit partnership that supports disaster relief operations for hurricanes and other natural disasters that are increasing in frequency and severity due to global climate change. Now KC is proud to join the CCAN team and fight for the kind of proactive, scalable public policy change that the world needs. KC lives in Rockville, Maryland, with his wife Jennifer. He enjoys biking, hiking, drawing, and occasionally still rides his unicycle.
Contact: kc [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Nicole Schroyer, Senior Communications Manager
Nicole Schroyer (she/her/hers) is the Communications Manager at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Prior to joining CCAN, Nicole earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and International Studies from Washington College, in Chestertown, MD. After completing her degree in 2019, Nicole joined CCAN as a Social Media and Communications Intern and then transitioned into a Temporary CRM Associate role before moving on to take on the role of Communications Coordinator at MOM’s Organic Market. In May of 2022, Nicole returned to CCAN to take on the role of Communications Manager before being promoted to Senior Communications Manager in 2023. Nicole recently moved to Southern Maryland, where she is restoring a 103-year-old farmhouse and starting a flower farm. In her free time, Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, gardening, and spending time with her pets, Camellia (dog), and Clover (Cat).
Contact: nicole [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Kidest Gebre, Communications Manager
Kidest is a communications strategist, storyteller, and environmental justice advocate who brings over six years of experience at the intersection of organizing, narrative change, and digital advocacy. Originally from a small city in Ethiopia, Kidest moved to Washington, D.C., thirteen years ago and has since become deeply embedded in the movement for environmental justice. She believes that creative storytelling is a powerful tool for advancing grassroots movements, shifting public narratives, and influencing policy decisions.
Based in Richmond, Virginia, Kidest has worked alongside local organizations to amplify marginalized voices and advocate for policies that center the needs of Black communities and other historically excluded groups. She is passionate about ensuring that Black people and communities of color are not only part of the conversation but are at the forefront of environmental policy and decision-making.
Now, as part of Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN), Kidest is excited to uplift the voices of Black communities and cultural heritage that are integral to the climate movement. Her work focuses on advancing environmental justice through narrative transformation and advocating for policies that prioritize equity and inclusivity. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys cooking, dancing, gardening, and immersing herself in the arts.
Contact: kidest [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Operations
Isabella Hinrichs, Executive Assistant & Special Projects Manager
Isabella (Bella) Hinrichs is the Executive Assistant and Special Projects Coordinator at CCAN. Shortly after graduating in 2023 from the University of South Florida with a degree in Anthropology and Environmental Studies, Isabella moved back to the DMV. She’s passionate about sustainable agriculture and equitable food systems, working and volunteering with organizations like FoodPrints in Washington D.C. and the University of Florida’s extension program focusing on beginning farmer education and sustainable agriculture. Most recently, Isabella has been working with the Center for World Indigenous Studies, collating research on traditionally utilized medicinal plants in Western regions of Mexico.
Her route thus far has been guided by her wish to make a positive impact on her community, which is why she is very excited to work with CCAN- learning more about climate action, and grassroots movements in her home turf.
Contact: bella [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Maryland
Brittany Baker, Maryland Director
As Maryland Director, Brittany leads lobbying and advocacy efforts in the state. Before joining CCAN, Brittany worked in the Office of Maryland State Delegate Lorig Charkoudian on energy, food systems, mental health, and pedestrian safety legislation. She also supported the Delegate by coordinating her annual Power in the Park events which connect local communities to resources for reducing their energy burdens and registering for clean energy programs. Brittany’s greatest passion is communicating with the public about climate solutions. She attended Columbia University earning her M.A. the Climate and Society program and earned her B.S. in rhetoric at Vanderbilt University. She loves gardening, trying new restaurants, and long walks on Sligo Creek Parkway. She is a wife and mother of three.
Contact: brittany [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Tzippy Horowitz, Baltimore Coordinator
Tzippy joins CCAN as Baltimore Organizer after having organized with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Missouri, building high-performing volunteer teams on college campuses in support of Senator Sanders’s bid for President, digitally organizing for the Florida Coordinated Campaign for the general election in 2020, and most recently has organized and served as a lobbyist and canvasser for the New Hampshire Youth Movement.
Tzippy has studied and practiced the organizing practices of both Saul Alinsky and the Midwest Academy and says that doing one-on-one meetings with community members and volunteers is one of her favorite things. And, lastly, she is a musician and has created musical performances to build community, particularly in Jewish spaces. She is particularly proud of JamJews, a Jewish music community focused on distance learning and virtual opportunities for sharing music, including a recently completed virtual Jewish guitar curriculum.
Contact: tzippy [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Virginia
Victoria Higgins, Virginia Director
Victoria Higgins (she/her) is the Virginia Director for Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Victoria grew up in Hoboken, New Jersey and studied psychology and neuroscience at Princeton University. Her career in environmental advocacy began with Green Corps, a rigorous training program for environmental organizers. She worked on campaigns with Mighty Earth, Conservation Colorado, and Environment Virginia to hold corporate polluters accountable, pass state climate policy, and limit plastic pollution in Virginia’s waterways. After falling in love with Virginia, she moved to Richmond to work with Virginia Conservation Network as their Civic Engagement and Grassroots Campaigns Manager.
She received a Master of Science in Energy Policy and Climate at Johns Hopkins University. In her free time, she plays Ultimate frisbee, issues unsolicited opinions about pizza, and carries around a deck of cards in hopes that someone will play spades with her.
Contact: vhiggins [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Zander Pellegrino, Virginia Field Manager
Zander (he/him/his) spent the first two decades of his life in Virginia. Born in Harrisonburg, he studied biology and environmental policy at William & Mary. Zander went on to work in and research international sustainable development projects, focusing on participatory planning and just climate adaptation in Egypt. During and after earning a master’s degree from Yale School of the Environment he joined local and regional fights for climate justice and against green gentrification in the US.
At CCAN, Zander works with action members throughout Northern Virginia to advance climate justice and build local leadership teams.
Contact: zander [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Ting Waymouth, Northern Virginia Organizer
Ting Waymouth (she/her) got involved with CCAN as a volunteer in 2021, then joined CCAN’s staff as the Northern Virginia Organizer in 2024. Brand new to Virginia in 2021, Ting found community and fulfillment in becoming a volunteer leader through CCAN and felt well supported in growing her skills and experience in climate activism and organizing. She helped found the Northern Virginia chapter of CCAN, NoVA New Leaf, in 2022. Ting is also a Climatebase Fellow and a “climate quitter,” having left her previous career to give more of her time and energy to the climate fight and environmental justice.
Ting is passionate about waste, electrification, and connected communities. She lives in Springfield, VA with her spouse, two kids, and her dog, Pip (who thrives on kibbles made of insect protein). She has a B.A. in English from Vassar College, and an M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from UMass Amherst.
Contact: ting [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Leianis Gunn, Hampton Roads Organizer
Leianis Gunn (she/her) joined CCAN as the Hampton Roads Organizer in April 2024, shortly after graduating from and organizing at the University of Virginia. During her time at UVA, she was a passionate advocate for social justice and equity, leading impactful programs and events as President of the Afro-Latinx Student Organization and serving as the Political Action Committee Vice Chair for the Black Student Alliance. These roles allowed her to contribute significantly to discussions on the transformative power of political education and community organizing, particularly for the most marginalized and underserved populations.
A native of Hampton Roads, Leianis grew up moving between Florida and Virginia as a Navy brat, which nurtured her deep appreciation for the coastal environment. Her heritage as a Puerto Rican and African-American woman informs her unique perspective and unwavering commitment to climate and environmental justice. This commitment was further solidified when her Puerto Rican family was entirely displaced by Hurricane Maria in September 2017. This personal experience with the devastating impacts of climate change and imperialism drives her dedication to advocating for resilient and equitable solutions for vulnerable communities.
Now, armed with a strong academic foundation, a passion for social justice, and a commitment to driving positive change, she is eager to advocate for equitable climate and environmental policies for her community in Hampton Roads.
Contact: leianis [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
National
Quentin Scott, Federal Policy Director
Quentin Scott (he/him) joined CCAN in January 2021 as part of the newly created CCAN Federal Team. He moved from Chicago specifically to build political will for groundbreaking national climate and climate justice policies. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, he got a first-hand look at the two Americas and sought to bring the two Americas closer together through advocacy. Quentin’s passion for math and science landed him at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Instead of using his skills for engineering, he uses his knowledge to build data-informed campaigns. Before joining CCAN, Quentin was chief of staff for an Illinois State Representative and a legislative correspondent in the US House of Representatives, and has led numerous issue and candidate campaigns across the Midwest and East Coast. In his roles, he has stood with neighborhood groups to hold industrial polluters accountable in communities of color and looks forward to bringing that fight to the federal level.
Quentin enjoys exploring new places and has been to 37 states. When he is not traveling you can find him engaging in some form of competition, whether that’s video games, board games, or on the basketball court.
Contact: quentin [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Gabby Walton, Federal Campaign Associate
Gabby Walton (she/her/hers) is the Federal Campaign Associate at CCAN. Before joining CCAN, Gabby earned her bachelors degrees in French and Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC, Gabby was very active on campus and contributed extensively to research projects, volunteered at a neuroscience laboratory, volunteered to serve refugees, and joined the International Day of Solidarity with survivors of sexual violence, co-launched “Denim Day @ Carolina.” After graduating in 2023, Gabby came to CCAN as the Federal Fellow before taking her current position as a full-time staff member. In her free time, Gabby enjoys maintaining her French and Spanish fluency, teaching herself other languages, reading, exercising, drawing, and playing video games.
Contact: gabby [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Jamie DeMarco, Federal Elections Coordinator
Jamie leads CCAN’s Maryland lobbying and advocacy. Before joining CCAN, Jamie led state-level lobbying for the Citizens Climate Lobby, was a campaign manager for the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Initiative, and worked as a legislative assistant at the Friends Committee on National Legislation. He got his start as an advocate interning at the CCAN years ago. Jamie graduated from Warren Wilson College where he led a successful divestment campaign, and helped close the Asheville coal plant. Jamie grew up in Baltimore and now lives in College Park with his girlfriend and their dog Mila. As a child and young adult Jamie spent his summers being a camp counselor in Shenandoah. Now he enjoys morning runs around lake Artemesia, laughing with friends on the back porch, and going to bed early.
Contact: jamie [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Washington, DC
We’re hiring a DC Campaign Manager! Learn more here!
Meredith Prescott, Invasive Vines Program Manager
Over the last five years, Meredith has been managing a variety of non-profit programs (in DC, Alexandria, VA, & Grand Junction, CO) focused on climate resilience, conservation, and sustainable food access. She is coming to us from the Student Conservation Association, where she worked with high school students and young adults on conservation projects in the DC area, primarily focusing on invasive species removal. Meredith has successfully developed volunteer leadership and teams to lead and execute programs on a weekly basis, including in training and managing dozens of volunteer crew leaders to properly remove invasive species.
Contact meredith [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
Ayla Frost, DC Organizer
Ayla Frost (she/her) joined CCAN in January 2024 as DC Intern, and has worked as a full-time DC Organizer since September 2024. Ayla grew up in Oakland, California, but her childhood was marked by frequent trips to family in Baltimore, Maryland. Over time, she developed a deep fondness for both of the bays in her life – the San Francisco Bay and the Chesapeake Bay – and became determined to do what she could to protect the natural world. When she moved to Baltimore to study at Johns Hopkins University, she studied ecology, exploring and researching urban forests in Baltimore. As she learned more about the climate sphere, she started to understand that her real passion in the climate world was listening, connecting with, and uplifting the voices of people. As an organizer at CCAN– that’s just what she does!In her free time, Ayla likes to soak up the sun, take a dip in the creek, dance to live music, and make art.
Contact ayla [at] chesapeakeclimate [dot] org
