About Us

The Tennessee Chapter of Sierra Club  

Who We are

The Tennessee Chapter, with 44,000 members and supporters across the state is dedicated to protecting communities and wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying and litigation. We build power by connecting people across the state to address environmental and social change issues and our campaigns are strong because they are guided by local leaders.  This gives us the ability to address community concerns and how these issues impact health and quality of life and our natural resources.

Volunteer Leaders  

The chapter is governed by a twenty-two person Executive Committee (Excom) made up of three representatives from each of our five local groups across the state and seven At-Large members. The Excom is headed by a chair and officers who serve three year terms and oversee administrative duties.
Issues are identified by our conservation committees, made up of grassroots volunteers who work on a range of topics such as water and air quality, biodiversity, public lands and more. Conservation committees make recommendations to the Excom who then set priorities that are voted on by majority rule. Actions are implemented by the conservation committees in coordination with our local and statewide allies.   
 
 

Chapter Officers 2015 

Chair:  Cliff Cockerham, clifford.cockerham@comcast.net
Vice Chair:  Mac Post, mpost3116@aol.com
Secretary:  Barb Kelly, bk1rivers@gmail.com
Treasurer:  Alice Demetreon, demetreon1981@gmail.com
Asst. Treasurer:  Bob Perlack, perlack@aol.com

 

Administrative Committees

Budget: Alice Demetreon, demetreon1981@gmail.com
By-Laws & Standing Rules:  Charlie High, cahigh1722@aol.com
Communications: Barb Kelly, bk1rivers@gmail.com
Compliance Officer:  Charlie High, cahigh1722@aol.com
Fundraising: Barb Kelly, bk1rivers@gmail.com
Legal:  Brian Paddock, bpaddock@twlakes.net
Legislative:  Mary Mastin, marymastin@twlakes.net
Membership :  unfilled
Outings:  Phil Davis, phildavis2006@gmail.com
Outings Leader Training:  Emily Davis, emily.marr.davis@gmail.com
Personnel:  Sue Williams, z4cmv@juno.com
Political:  Penny Brooks, penny.h.brooks@vanderbilt.edu
Sierra Student Coalition Liaison: Spencer Kaaz, spencerkaaz@aol.com
Tennes-Sierran Editor:  Gene Van Horn, gvanhorn26@gmail.com
Webmaster:  William Wilson, williamrwilson@gmail.com
 

Conservation Programs

Chair:  Axel Ringe, onyxfarm@bellsouth.net
Issue Committee Chairs:
Rebuild & Repower America- Mary Mastin, marymastin@twlakes.net
National Forests - Davis Mounger, wdmounger@yahoo.com
Smokies - Ray Payne, rpayne10@bellsouth.net
Air Quality - David Bordenkircher, david_alan_bordenkircher@yahoo.com
Water Quality - Axel Ringe, onyxfarm@bellsouth.net
Biodiversity - Axel Ringe, onyxfarm@bellsouth.net
State Parks and Natural Areas - Bill Terry & Penny Brooks
Environmental Education - Cliff Cockerham, clifford.cockerham@comcast.net
Know Nukes - Donny Safer, saferdon@gmail.com
Transportation - Dennis Lynch, dmlynch1@gmail.com
State Forests - Vacant
West TN Megasite - Gary Bullwinkel, gbullwin@yahoo.com
Solid Waste - Brian Paddock, bpaddock@twlakes.net
 

Executive Committee 2015

Barb Kelly, bk1rivers@gmail.com Cherokee Group, Chair

John Doyal, baldie052@yahoo.com Cherokee Delegate

Taylor Lyon, taylor864@gmail.com Cherokee Delegate

Dennis Lynch, dmlynch1@gmail.com Chickasaw Group, Chair

Ed Jones, edshouse35@comcast.net Chickasaw Delegate

Susan Routon, susan.routon@gmail.com Chickasaw Delegate

Rocky Swingle, rockys512@gmail.com Harvey Broome Group, Chair   

Robin Hill, robin.hill8@gmail.com Harvey Broome Delegate

Mac Post, mpost3116@aol.com Harvey Broome Delegate

Penny Brooks, penny.h.brooks@vanderbilt.edu Middle TN Group, Chair

Dave Bordenkircher, david_alan_bordenkircher@yahoo.com Middle TN Delegate

Betsy Garber, garberb@hotmail.com Middle TN Delegate

Gloria Griffith, gla4797@embarqmail.com Watauga Group, Chair

Catherine Murray, mtncat7@earthlink.net Watauga Delegate

Dean Whitworth, mtncat7@earthlink Watauga Delegate

 

At-Large Delegates, Term 14-15

Cliff Cockerham, clifford.cockerham@comcast.net

Axel Ringe, onyxfarm@bellsouth.net

Keven Routon, kwratcs@me.com

Charles White, conscious.lightbeing@gmail.com

At-Large Delegates, Term 15-16

Gary Bowers, gb1nature@aol.com     

Alice Demetreon, demetreon1981@gmail.com

Sara Neumann, pkq384@mocs.utc.edu

Staff 

Conservation Program Coordinator

Scott Banbury, scott.banbury@sierraclub.org

 

Contract Organizer

Bonnie Swinford, bswinford1@yahoo.com