2019 Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter Executiv Committee Candidates
(Four candidates for three positions)
Andy Balinsky
When I joined Sierra Club 28 years ago, it was because I saw them as the most effective organization fighting to preserve the natural world. I have been privileged to serve as a leader at multiple levels, from Group Conservation Chair to Chapter Chair. The Chapter currently faces many environmental issues at the state level, and is always pushing to do as much as possible with limited resources. I view my role as strengthening the financial and volunteer base that fuel the amazing activists and staff to do conservation work. I have served as Chapter Chair the last two years at a time that those challenges have never been more pronounced. There are a number of projects that I would like to continue to see through. The first is the expansion of our leadership staff to better support our fundraising efforts. The second is helping to oversee the Chapter's transition to being a fully unionized workforce. The third is the reinvigoration of our fundraising committee and an effort to improve our major donor fundraising. Being newly retired from my job, I have more time now to devote to these projects. I enjoy working with our staff and volunteers and would like to keep working to build the strongest environmental activism organization possible in Texas.
Eric Rodriguez
My name is Eric James Rodriguez. I'm a 31 year old Corpus Christi native and a proud single father to a beautiful 10 year-old girl named Bailey. Bailey is the main reason I fight to see our country's future flourish. I come from a hardworking middle class family, raised on values such as integrity and honor.
My twelve year tenure for the Department of Defense focuses in the areas of environmental management, contract management, and Lean Six Sigma process improvements.
I am pursuing my bachelors in environmental management to better serve my community. I am also currently serving as the American Federation of Government Employees, L1005 Vice President. I have been able to fight for service employees against discrimination, ethics violations and install a safe working environment.
In January of this year the Coast Guard were furloughed. I decided step up and raised $8,000 along with other union leaders for our military and their families.
I ran for City Council in 2018 and was the youngest candidate to win the Corpus Christi Caller Times endorsement. My platform was pro-environment against a growing industrial based economy. Despite losing, I continue to serve my community and state as the chair of the Coastal Bend Group of Sierra Club, on the Texas Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club Political Committee, and as a board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
We are not judged through time on what we accomplished, but for what we chose to accomplish. I choose to fight for our future; a clean and green future for my daughter and her children someday. This is the passion and work ethic I plan to bring upon being elected. I would be humbled and honored to have your vote and voice for this election.
Juan Mancias
Juan B Mancias, Tribal Chairman of the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, was born and raised in Plainview, Texas. He was educated at Incarnate Word University and Texas Tech University, earning a Pastoral Certificate and degrees in Political Science and Sociology.
Juan has held roles as Tribal and Assistant Tribal Administrator and Grants Administrator. In recent years he organized marches against Dos Republicos coal mine, which produces substandard coal sold to Mexico where there are no EPA standards, and opposed proposed LNG terminal/pipeline sites. Juan worked alongside Sierra Club protecting prairie dogs and their habitat from encroachment and worked to save wild burros and mustangs in west Texas, which later grew into a program to reintroduce the bear and red wolf into Texas. He once wrote a proposal finding a way to protect box turtles from getting hit by vehicles on their migration. He also initiated two tribal organizations still thriving today.
Juan is a protector of true Texas people lifeways. He speaks from what he knows and the teachings common to tribal people. He brings his tribal history to the public forefront by doing extensive research on Texas Native history. His work today focuses on building resistance to the fossil fuel industry and its abusive impact on the environment, raising awareness of the destruction of border wall construction, organizing tribal people and others. He has written a 12-step decolonization program and presents it frequently at conferences.
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Brandon Morton
Brandon Morton is the sustainability officer for Brookhaven College and North Lake College in Dallas County. He has been a member of Sierra Club since 2008, and has served on the Chapter ExCom from 2014-17 including co-chairing the Equity Team for social and environmental justice training across the state, and served as the Chapter Delegate to the Council of Club Leaders in 2017. His other service activities include serving in advisory roles for Irving ISD Environmental Program, City of Farmers Branch, City of Irving, Dallas Arboretum, Texas Campus Sustainability Alliance, Sustainability Management Association, United Nations University Regional Centre for Expertise, and the DCCCD Hunt Consolidated Internship Program. Brandon holds a bachelor’s of science in biology from University of North Texas, professional certifications in water quality, trail building, zero waste management, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in natural resources management at Stephen F. Austin State University. His primary interest in supporting Sierra Club work is focused on is cross-sector collaboration strategies for conservation issues around water and energy, and growing a culture of inclusion and equity across the Club.