About

Sarah Leighton, Chapter Director

Sarah Leighton joined Sierra Club Maine as Chapter Director in June 2020. As Chapter Director, Sarah works closely with the Executive Committee on the Chapter’s strategy, operations, finances, fundraising, and providing overall support for the Chapter’s grassroots efforts. Previously, Sarah was a member of Sierra Club Maine’s Executive Committee and served as Advancement Team Chair. Most recently Sarah worked for five years at the YMCA of Southern Maine as their Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer where she oversaw all philanthropy, marketing, and strategic initiatives including the Y’s New American Welcome Center and LGBTQ+ inclusion work. Sarah also worked in development and communications at BlueHub Capital (formerly Boston Community Capital), as a researcher for the Center for Youth and Communities at Brandeis University, and did consulting for the John T. Gorman Foundation and John Andrew Mazie Memorial Foundation. Sarah was also a founding Board Fellow for the startup Solstice, whose mission is to put affordable clean energy within reach of every American. Sarah holds a BA in political science from St. Michael's College in Vermont and an MBA in nonprofit management from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. Sarah lives in Searsport with her husband, Ryan, and yellow lab, Nixie.

Matt Cannon, Campaign & Policy Associate Director
Matt Cannon joined Sierra Club Maine in June 2019 and was promoted to Campaign & Policy Associate Director in March 2020. In his position, Matt works closely with the Legislative, Political, Energy, and Woods teams. Prior to his involvement with this organization, Matt received a dual major in government and sociology at Connecticut College before joining AmeriCorps in 2011. He served on Cape Cod where he developed an abiding passion for the unique landscape and our collective human responsibility to care for it. This led him to pursue work with both the Harwich Conservation Trust and the Chatham Conservation Foundation where he served in many capacities over the years, including Executive Director, Stewardship Director, and community outreach coordinator. During this time, he also served as an Executive Committee-member for the Cape & Islands Group of Sierra Club Massachusetts, and on several additional boards and committees focused on climate change mitigation and public education. Following his relocation to Maine, Matt volunteered with Sierra Club Maine’s Legislative Team. He took on the position of Communications Specialist within the organization in June of 2019 before assuming his current role this past spring. Matt’s love and deep respect for our planet was instilled in him by his father who gave him a membership to the Sierra Club at a young age. Matt is intent on using his privilege to protect our planet and create a more just and sustainable future. He lives in Yarmouth with his wife, and is currently pursuing his master’s in Public Policy from Tufts University’s Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Program, to be completed in December of 2020.

 

Marena Bach, Communications & Outreach Manager

Marena Bach joined Sierra Club Maine as Communications & Outreach Manager in September 2020. As Communications & Outreach Manager, Marena works closely with the Events, Communications, and Outings Teams. Previously, Marena worked for nearly four years at the YMCA of Southern Maine as the Design and New American Welcome Center Specialist, where she specialized in graphic design, marketing, brand management, philanthropy, and helping newcomers integrate, thrive, and flourish in their new community. Prior to the Y, Marena was a Graphic Designer for Timberland’s Global Creative Services Team. Marena holds a BFA in Graphic Design from the College of Visual Arts at UMass Dartmouth. When not working, she spends her time volunteering as an Animal Caretaker for Graze in Peace Farm Animal Rescue & Learning Center, and as an Animal Rescue Volunteer for the Humane Society of the United States Animal Rescue Team. Marena lives in Wells with her husband, Jim, and rescue dog, Lucy.

 

Ania Wright, Grassroots Climate Action Organizer

Ania Wright joined Sierra Club as the Grassroots Climate Action Organizer in August 2020. In her position, Ania works closely with Sierra Club Climate Action Teams to support their goals and further their efforts. She also works to engage and support youth in climate justice initiatives, and to further the diversity, equity, and inclusion goals of the chapter. Ania recently graduated from College of the Atlantic, where she majored in Human Ecology with a focus in Environmental Policy and Climate Justice. She has been extensively involved in climate justice activism in the State of Maine as a founding member of the youth led coalition Maine Youth for Climate Justice, which supports young people in their work for climate action. She also sits on the board of Maine Climate Action NOW, a coalition of grassroots organizations in Maine pushing for just and equitable climate policy. Ania is also serving as the Youth Representative to the Maine Climate Council, where she is working with her fellow representatives to write a new Climate Action Plan for Maine. Ania lives in Bar Harbor with her partner, DJ, and spends her free time hiking in Acadia National Park and working in her garden.

 

Sue Levene, Phippsburgh, Chair

Sue has enjoyed serving on the Sierra Club Maine’s Chapter Executive Committee this past year. In the middle of the year, she agreed to step in and become the acting chair of the executive committee. Sue has been working hard to improve our outreach and communications efforts as well make it easy and rewarding to volunteer to help move forward the important issues that we all care about. If elected to the executive committee, she looks forward to working together and continuing to build our chapter and make progress on protecting our environment, resolving our climate crisis and supporting a more equitable and just society for all. Sue lives in Phippsburg and is an avid outdoors-person. She enjoys hiking, paddling and cross-country skiing and am currently our Chapter Outings Team Leader. She also enjoys playing music with the Bath Municipal Band and the Hallowell Community Band. Sue is a regular volunteer at the Phippsburg Elementary School and the Vice Chair of Phippsburg’s Budget Committee. And, she has spent over 25 years as an engineer and IT professional.

 

 

John Brautigam, Falmouth

John is an attorney and consultant with over 25 years of experience in campaign finance and election law, public policy, advocacy, energy, sustainability, and legal representation. He is a former Maine State Representative (2004 - 2008), member of the Energy and Utilities Committee, and House Chairman of the Insurance and Financial Services Committee. Prior to his tenure in the legislature, John served as Assistant Attorney General. John was the Director of Energy Programs at the Public Utilities Commission from 2009 to 2011. John holds a law degree from Stanford Law School, a BA in Government from Wesleyan University, and an MA in History from Trinity College.

 

Jonathan Fulford, Belfast
Jonathan Fulford is a carpenter and lives in Belfast where he has served on the Belfast Energy Committee for five years. He has been on the Sierra Club Executive Committee for one year. He helped organize the May 2019 Building Thriving Communities Climate Conference. He represents Sierra Club on the Maine Climate Action Now coalition which has served to empower youth and their voices on Climate Issues. He participates on this year's Legislative Team.

  

David Gibson, Morrill

David has over a decade of experience implementing climate solutions. Most recently, he was the primary organizer of last June's green bank summit. For five years, David led the development of Envirolution's "Project ReCharge," a training program for middle and high school students. From 2014-2016, he implemented efficiency programs statewide in Nevada for the Governor's Office of Energy, where he helped create a program for low-income seniors, and developed over $50 million in self-funding performance contracting projects for public buildings. David is a resident of Morrill, and designs solar and heat pump systems for ReVision Energy.

Jim Merkel, Belfast
Jim is the author of Radical Simplicity and a recovering engineer, who moved from involvement in the military industry to advocating simple living. Since 1989, Merkel has dedicated himself to trying to reduce his personal impact on the environment and to encourage others to do the same.

Initially trained as an electrical engineer, Merkel spent twelve years designing industrial and military systems. After witnessing the devastation following the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill, however, he concluded that global problems had become so urgent as to require immediate action. He consequently quit his job and began a new career as an environmental activist and spokesman.

He founded the Alternative Transportation Task Force in San Luis Obispo, California and served as conservation chair, and ex-com chair of the Santa Lucia chapter of the Sierra Club. In 1994 he received an Earthwatch Gaia Fellowship, allowing him to visit Kerala, India, and parts of the Himalayas to research sustainable living. In 1995, he founded the Global Living Project and continues to serve as its director.

In April 2005, Dartmouth College appointed him its first Sustainability Director. He has taught at Unity College, Vermont Community College, Antioch and The University of British Columbia. He has been directing a documentary film that features powerful women in Slovenia, Kerala and Cuba who move society towards sustainability. He lives in Belfast, Maine.

Luke Truman, Portland
Luke Truman has been with Allagash Brewing Company for 7 years in the Engineering department.  He was a mechanic for 5 years and has been the Facilities Manager for 2.5. Luke was the Green Team Lead at Allagash for 5 years and has been a member of the Brewers Association's Sustainability Subcommittee for 6 years.  He now serves on Allagash's Sustainability Steering Committee. He is the chair for the Glass Recycling Coalition's Glass Champions Committee, serves on the Northeast Recycling Council's Glass Committee, and is a chair for the Manufacturing Association of Maine's Waste to Wares Maine project.  Luke has been directly involved with the planning and execution of many substantial building and process expansions as well as countless sustainability projects, including improving in-house processes, waste diversion practices, and serving as a resource for other manufacturers and building or process managers.  Outside of the brewery Luke is an active member of the Sierra Club's Portland Climate Action Team and serves on the Building Committee for The Children’s Center.