Sierra Club Maine's 2026 Executive Committee:
Jacob Stern, Chair
Jacob has been organizing and leading progressive grassroots campaigns at the state, regional, and local level – in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey – since 2014. From 2017 until 2021 he served as a staff member at the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter, most recently as Deputy Director. In 2020, he co-founded a Political Team within Sunrise Movement Boston to help elect climate champions in the Boston area. More recently, Jacob has stepped back from full-time political work and is currently pursuing a J.D. degree at the University of Maine School of Law. A Maine native, Jacob is equally at home in both the state's granite mountains and on the cold waters off the coast. When he’s not reading his textbooks, you'll find him in one place or the other. Jacob currently lives in Pownal with his partner Madelyn and their dog Ziggy.
Jacob has been a volunteer with Sierra Club Maine since 2021, has served on the Executive Committee since 2022, and as chair since April 2024. In seeking a new term, he hopes to continue to leverage his professional background as an organizer, lobbyist, strategist, coalition-builder, and communications professional to grow our volunteer-base, build stronger connections in rural communities, and strengthen our commitment to economic, racial, and climate justice.
Laura Berry is a climate and democracy advocate and long-time Maine resident dedicated to empowering local communities to protecting Maine's environment. Based in Portland, she currently works as a Community Planner for the City of South Portland, where she co-leads the City's climate resilience, community engagement, and long-range planning work.
In 2021, Laura led the planning and implementation of the Washington State Climate Assembly – the first-ever citizen’s assembly on climate change in the United States – with the deliberative democracy group People's Voice on Climate. In her former role as Research and Policy Director at the Climate Mobilization, Laura also helped facilitate the growth of the climate emergency movement in the U.S. and abroad, including developing the climate emergency resolution framework now adopted by over 180 governments in 25 U.S. states, including Maine communities like Bangor, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Saco, Portland, and South Portland.
Whether facilitating public forums or designing effective legislative campaigns, Laura brings an interdisciplinary perspective to her work, backed by over a decade of experience in climate policy, environmental conflict resolution, and deliberative civic engagement. She is excited for the opportunity to once again serve Sierra Club of Maine as a member of the Executive Committee in support of the vision of a democratic, zero emissions Maine where equity and justice are central tenets of climate policy and environmental protection. Laura holds a MSc in Global Environment, Politics and Society from the University of Edinburgh and a BA in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic.
I was raised in central Maine and graduated from Skowhegan Area Highschool in 1999. I joined the Ironworkers that year. I am a 25 year member of Ironworkers Local 7. During my career I have worked all over the Northeast and as far away as Hawaii. In my 20’s I traveled to 14 foreign countries on 5 different continents generally spending one to two months at each. Currently I am the Business Agent/Industry Analyst for Ironworkers Local 7 in Maine, Vice President of Maine State AFL-CIO and Recording Secretary for Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council. I am on the Climate Jobs National Resource Center’s Advisory Board, the State Workforce Board, the Central Maine and Western Maine Workforce Board, the Maine State Prevailing Wage Board and served on the Offshore Wind Roadmap Advisory Board. I have been proud to participate in some of our state's largest gains for working families centered around green energy infrastructure. Our membership continues to grow, and work is looking good well into the future. I am happily married to Kelly Czerwinski and we have two wonderful children, Roland 7 and Lyra who is 3. My children will be the 6th generation of my family to grow up in Maine. We spend as much time as possible in our natural environment. As a family we sail in Casco Bay, island hop, hike, ski (cross country and downhill), and fish year round. I grew up fly fishing in Eustis where my grandmother (1 of 10) was from. My great aunt taught my father to fly fish there, also where and when to catch the biggest Brookies! The protection of our wonderful natural resources here is paramount to my family. Always has been, always will be.
Philip Englund Mathieu (he/him/his) is a MS Data Science student at The Roux Institute, Northeastern University’s campus in Portland, ME. He currently works as a Software Development intern for Kelson Marine, an ocean engineering company based on the Portland waterfront that specializes in design and simulation of offshore structures. Prior to starting his master’s program, Philip worked in conservation, most recently as the Program Coordinator at the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust. He also hosted and produced Ecology is Everywhere, a podcast about careers in environmental education and adjacent fields.
In addition to his studies, Philip is a volunteer co-lead of Sierra Club Maine’s 30x30 team, the chapter's representative to the Council of Club Leaders, and a member of the Executive Committee. He is also Vice Chair of the Portland Rent Board. When not juggling all the above responsibilities, he enjoys gardening, playing and recording music, cooking, home brewing, and skiing (both alpine and Nordic).
I was born and raised in midcoast Maine. I have worked as a fundraiser both for nonprofits and in politics for most of my adult life. I have always loved all the outdoor beauty Maine has to offer. As I got older and had children of my own I wanted to find ways to help protect Maine’s beauty for the next generation. I currently live in my home town of Bremen where I am raising my two daughters.
Claudia King has lived in Maine for more than 25 years and has been involved in Sierra Club Maine one way or another most of that time. Climate change really got her activated in the early 2000’s. With the support of SCM, Claudia was instrumental in developing a climate action plan for the town of Falmouth and, since then, has been a stalwart member of our Political Committee.
Nate Davis, Legislative Program Chair
Nate Davis, Ph.D., is a technologist, composer, and artist living in Rockland. Most of his recent artistic work (such as a chamber opera about farming in Maine and on Mars) finds inspiration in the lands and waters of Maine. He and his wife love backpacking in the northern half of Baxter State Park. Nate is completing his second term on the Rockland City Council.
Caleb Roebuck, Committee Member
Caleb Roebuck is a lifelong Mainer passionate about protecting Maine’s environment. Growing up in downeast Maine, his love for Maine’s natural places started at a very young age, and he went on to receive his Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Policy, Law, and Society from Unity College and his Master’s Degree in Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School. His work experience includes four seasons of work in Acadia National Park and the White Mountain National Forest educating visitors on park protection, organizing with Maine Conservation Voters, serving as Committee Clerk for the Maine Legislature’s Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and as a campaign professional in multiple statewide elections. Caleb also has served as a City Councilor in Lewiston, on the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission, and many other volunteer boards and committees, and is excited to bring his experience and love of Maine’s special places to the Sierra Club Executive Committee. He currently lives in Portland with his partner and their two cats.
My advocacy began in my hometown of Fryeburg, Maine at the age of 9, when I testified at a public hearing against Fryeburg’s private water supplier’s 45-year contract with Poland Spring. I co-founded Community Water Justice, a statewide network of frontline communities resisting water privatization and working toward sustainable access to clean water for all. I have spent most of my life traveling to the statehouse and impacted communities testifying, educating and mobilizing people in support of clean drinking water for future generations.
I am an elected Fryeburg Water District Trustee, where it is our responsibility to act as a counterweight to the profit-driven model of the town’s privately owned water supplier by representing consumer and community interests.
I currently work for Needlepoint Sanctuary, a harm reduction organization primarily serving the unhoused community in Bangor. I am passionate about supporting lasting, compassionate approaches to housing justice, especially after witnessing the disproportionate impacts of severe weather events and a lack of public water access on the unhoused population.
In 2022, I received a Clean Water Champion award in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act and was a Maine Environmental Education Association Changemakers Fellow. I am also a member of the Core Team of Maine Youth for Climate Justice.
Understanding that the climate crisis will further strain water sources, I recognize the humanitarian, economic and ecological crises that come with allowing for-profit interests to control water distribution and access. While we in Maine are extremely fortunate now with the relative abundance of drinkable water this land provides, the impacts of climate change will pose unique challenges to water access on all scales. I believe that we have to pivot hard and fast on a policy and cultural level to protect water for future generations.
Hira Zeeshan joined Sierra Club Maine as Treasurer in March 2024. She is also a student at Northeastern University for MSc in Biotechnology. In her free time, she loves to do arts & crafts and train for long distance running. Hira is excited to serve her community for a better tomorrow.
Sierra Club Maine Staff
Jane Brekke, Chapter Director
Jane Brekke comes to Sierra Club Maine with a wealth of knowledge and experience. She holds a master’s degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, and is very passionate about the outdoors. As the Philanthropy Officer, Jane worked closely with staff and volunteer leaders to implement effective fundraising strategies and programs that actively center equity, justice, and inclusion. Jane stepped into the role of Acting Chapter Director in January 2025.
"Environmental stewardship has been at the heart of my professional calling for the past 20 years. Most recently I've been working for a local land trust in Southern Maine. I’ve loved working with my surrounding communities, but am also drawn to larger state efforts. Helping to connect people to natural places, to in turn create environmental stewards, is vitally important to me. I am also driven by my personal passion to show my daughter that you CAN make a difference in saving the planet and you CAN be a part of the solution—even if it feels infinitesimally small at times."
When not working, Jane enjoys all types of outdoor recreation with her family and friends. She also enjoys the work she does on her local town's conservation commission, working with medical herbs, and reading.
Matt Cannon started as a volunteer and then became a staffer at Sierra Club Maine in June 2019, quickly moving to Campaign & Policy Associate Director in March 2020, and then State Conservation & Energy Director in March 2022. In his position, Matt coordinates the Chapter's 30x30/conservation, outings, transportation, electrification, and clean energy work. Prior to his involvement with Sierra Club, 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 at land trusts 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. 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 Portland, and has his master’s in Public Policy from Tufts University’s Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Program.
