Join us for a relaxing evening of fun and friends!

Bring your friends and learn about Sierra Club

New World Brewery
810 E. Skagway Ave., Tampa 33604
Just east of Hwy 275, 1 block south of Busch Blvd.
Convenient free parking across the street from restaurant.

$15/person

Pay by credit card

or

Mail check payable to Tampa Bay Group Holiday Party to
Tampa Bay Sierra Club, PO Box 1596, Thonotosassa, FL 33592

For questions contact Michael Newett, newett554@live.com

There are 5 positions open for the Tampa Bay Group of the Sierra Club Executive Committee (ExCom) and 6 people are running  for election for the 2024-2025 period.  Members serve two-year terms and will join 4 currently serving members to make up the Tampa Bay Group ExCom, which will elect Group officers. The ExCom meets monthly and helps carry out the Sierra Club’s mission at the grassroots level.

Cast Your Ballot

Go here to cast your ballot! You must be a member to vote, so have your membership number available.

Candidate bios below (listed alphabetically)

Nathan Gigee:

I am honored for an opportunity to run for the Executive Committee for the Sierra Club of Tampa Bay.

My professional background spans across Sales, Operations, and Community Engagement. These personal and professional skills will enable me to be organized, effective, and engaged as a member of the ExCom. Over the past decade I have worked for Accenture, a Fortune 500 management and technology consulting company. One of our corporate pillars is Sustainability. My professional goal is to become a visible and vocal advocate for the environment and sustainability practices locally here in Tampa Bay, and across all our Accenture Florida locations, which I help oversee. I am the co-lead for our Eco Group in Accenture Tampa Bay.

Personally, my wife and I are passionate about the environment and we have started to build a more sustainable home, with aspirations of becoming fully sustainable in the near future.

I have had little involvement with the Sierra Club to date. However, I believe that a fresh perspective, new set of eyes, and new energy would do well to serve on the ExCom. I am a quick learner and am confident I will be able to navigate the complexities and roadblocks that the Sierra Club may be running into across Tampa Bay, as well as use my fresh perspective to drive impact.

Thank you for your consideration. Nathan Gigee

Andrew M Harris MBA MHA:

Andy has been a member of the Sierra Club since the early 1980’s when he assisted on service trips and trained as an Outings Leader. He was involved with the Tampa Club’s successful ELAP project and other activities in the 80’s and 90’s. He is currently the Treasurer of the Tampa Bay Chapter. Andy was a “Scout Dad” – his son reached the rank of Eagle while in high school. Andy has been helping with ICO during the last year and recently earned his Outings Leader and First Aid Certifications. Andy is also a member of the Tampa Bay Sea Kayakers.

Andy retired from teaching high school at Tampa Bay Technical High in May 2022. He took this position in 2015 after helping the School District win a $10,000,000 grant to begin a Health Administration Academy at TBT and then serving as that Academy’s Community Board Chair for 7 years. The Academy provides 150 students/year insight into the business side of the healthcare industry, it is the first of its kind in the nation.

Before becoming an educator, Andy served as a Managing Director with GE Healthcare Financial Services for 20 years where he focused on funding the financial needs of healthcare systems utilizing thirty years of banking, financial planning, and operations expertise. Andy received his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Florida, graduating in 1981 with high honors. He continued his education and earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Health Administration from the University of Florida and was awarded a Matherly Scholarship. Prior to joining GEHFS, he served as a healthcare investment banker with Raymond James Financial, served in the administration of a not-for-profit hospital, was a consultant for Voluntary Hospitals of America Management Services and was a Manager with Price Waterhouse Health Care Industry Services.

For over 10 years Andy served on the board of the Hillsborough County Education Foundation where he managed both HEF’s mentoring program and its Investment Subcommittee. Andy has served on the Advisory Board for the UF MBA Association and Tampa Bay Watch. He was appointed to a Board

Consultancy on the Florida PTA Board in 2022 and is currently serving in that position.

Thank you for your vote, Andy Harris.

Rocky Milburn:

Current Chair of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club in addition to the Chair of the Tampa Bay Inspiring Connection Outdoors (ICO) for the past 8 years, serving over 150 inner city kids monthly on outings and teaching outdoors skills. Active in ICO since 1999, working with Academy Prep Schools in Tampa, St Petersburg, Lakeland and the Leto and Riverview High Schools in Tampa.

Past awards include the Tampa Bay Sierra Club Black Bear Award and The Florida Sierra Club Chapters “Pine Tree”, “Turtle” and the “Otter” Award’s as well as Sierra Club’s “2022 Outings for Action” National Award. Boy Scouts of America “Silver Beaver” and “James West” Awards. Hobbies include Volunteering, Birding, Gardening, Kayaking, Nature Photography, Hiking and Camping.

Current Executive Board member of the Hillsborough County Conservation Committee. Also currently volunteer steward for Hillsborough County ELAPP program for the Wolf Branch Creek site, conducting nesting and breeding surveys on fragile habitats and management of new nesting box program and shorebird improvement program.

Past Roseate Spoonbill Biologist for the National Audubon Society, Florida Coastal Islands Sanctuaries in Tampa Bay. Former Biologist Extension Agent with University of Tennessee.

Thank you for your vote - Rocky Milburn

Jim Shirk:

I am the current Tampa Bay Sierra Club Transportation Chair, and continuing membership on the County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) and active with the Tampa Downtown Partnership and City of Tampa Transportation and Planning departments.

I joined the Sierra Club because of their support for climate science, their support for environmental justice, and their support for good local land use and development policies.

I am a Civil Engineer specializing in soil and groundwater remediation, wastewater and solid waste management, and environmental impact analysis. As a consulting engineer, I have worked on Brownfields issues in Hernando County, focusing on impacts of former County facilities on local soil and water quality, and on health impacts on local communities, based on my 40 years’ experience with toxic and hazardous materials management both in industry and as a government contractor.

For several years I was part of the Sierra Club Environmental Justice outreach, joining the NAACP and learning about environmental justice issues. I have been involved in alternate transportation for the last 20 years, including as President of the Tampa Bay Freewheelers bicycle club, and 20 years on the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee of the Hillsborough County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), with 10 years as Chair.

For the last seven years I have been part of Sunshine Citizens, fighting the Florida DOT and their ill planned TBX, and working for a sustainable transportation future for Tampa and Hillsborough County. I’m focusing on the air and noise impacts in the I275 corridor, with potential adverse impacts to children, particularly children of color, in trying to get elected officials to see the longterm impacts.

As a member of the board, I will continue to support good land use, good transportation, and good environmental investment, including such issues as Gopher Resources lead and other metal impacts, and solid waste management policies at the City and County level.

Thank you for your support. Jim Shirk

Janet Stanko:

After I graduated from the University of Akron, I moved to Cleveland, Ohio where I married and had children. After receiving my Master of Business Administration degree from Cleveland State University, my family and I moved to Jacksonville Florida in 1983, and to Tampa in 2021.

While in Jacksonville, I was employed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida for 22 years and had retired. I have now transitioned into environmental advocacy.

Sierra Club of Northeast Florida since 1992 as chair, Political chair, air quality chair and clean energy chair.

Roles on Tampa Bay ExCom

• Single use plastics chapter and local group chair
• Florida Hometown Democracy constitutional amendment campaign organizer
• PriceOfSprawl.com project manager, web administrator and community outreach organizer
• I would like to continue my environmental advocacy with participation on the Tampa Bay ExCom.

Thank you for your support Janet Stanko

Nancy Stevens:

I joined the Sierra Club because of my love of nature and the outdoors, I became active in the Sierra Club because I realized that our natural areas, our environment, and the wildlife that we share this planet with, need protection. I am excited to once again ask you to vote for me to return to the Sierra Club executive committee and help continue our work saving the natural places that we love.

Over the last few years as Conservation Committee Chair, I have enjoyed working with all of you to defend the environment and protect Florida’s beautiful places and standard of living. Together, we have enjoined success in many areas. We have stopped the Tampa PURE project and I continue to work with a dedicated group of volunteers to make sure the water in Tampa and Hillsborough County is safe for the environment and to drink.

I have been honored to receive the 2023 Sierra Club Volunteer Achievement Award and the 2022 Black Bear Award from the Tampa Bay Group. I look forward to working with you all and with our Sierra Club colleagues across the country to continue our advocacy with the City, County, State and Industry to protect our environment.

Thank you for supporting me, Nancy Stevens

Cast Your Ballot

Go here to cast your ballot! You must be a member to vote.

Check it out:   YouTube or click on the YouTube symbol in the icon list at the top of the right column.