Learn about ExCom candidates 

It’s time to vote for the next group of people who will be joining the Great Waters Group Executive Committee. They will help shape the work of the Group over the next two years. We have four candidates.

This year, once again, you have the option of filling out and mailing back the paper ballot included in your newsletter, or you can vote electronically using the link sent to you by email in early November. You’ll need to have your member number handy. You can find that above your name on a Sierra Club mailing label or by going to https://myaccount.sierraclub.org.

Before voting, please read the statements from our candidates. The deadline to return your ballot is Dec. 15.

Jenny Abel

I am happy for the chance to run again for a seat on the Great Waters Group Executive Committee. Between Virginia and Wisconsin, I have served on a Sierra Club group executive committee since 2006 and have been chair for the past five years.

This is a pivotal time for environmental action. While the federal government is rolling back key environmental protections and billions of dollars in funding that was earmarked to address climate change, the local level is one place where individuals can make a difference. Over the past year GWG contributed to the Fish for the Future project to raise awareness about the dangers of the Line 5 pipeline, helped with the 6th annual African American Environmental Pioneer awards, and led many exciting programs and outings on topics including protecting sturgeon, planet-friendly food choices and accessible trails in the Milwaukee area. 

I look forward to the chance to contribute to future similar efforts as a member of the GWG ExCom. 

Janet Dietert

I became involved with the GWG in 2022 after moving to Milwaukee (I grew up in Chicagoland) from Florida, where I was a Sierra Club member.  I have since enjoyed discovering Wisconsin’s diverse natural beauty.

The Sierra Club’s mission strikes a chord with me as one sees the positive impact that recreating in nature, whether in an urban or rural setting, can have on individuals.  The effects of climate change that we see happening across the nation and world are also evidence of the need to be intentional about critical environmental legislation. 

I was asked to join the Volunteer Leadership Council in 2024 as the volunteer coordinator.  Through this, I have been able to table for the GWG at numerous community events.  It has been uplifting to see the many organizations in the Milwaukee area that are involved in so many aspects of environmental justice. 

Through the VLC’s  environmental justice workshops, we were encouraged to “thread  environmental justice in all issues,” not just as a symbolic add-on issue.  This is an area that I view as critical at the grassroots level of a large, national organization.  I support the GWG’s current priorities of equity and climate change.      

Victoria Gillet

I have been an ExCom member since I moved to Milwaukee in 2021. I recently switched from serving as the conservation chair to the programs chair. I'm excited to leverage this new role to create a forum for our membership to come together as a community and build power to make Milwaukee a greener, healthier, place to live. 

Clean air, clean water and access to green spaces should be available to every inhabitant of the GWG counties. Climate change should be a priority until Wisconsin hits carbon neutrality goals. I’m passionate about conservation and climate change and about improving the built environment in neighborhoods with concentrated poverty. I am a physician and want to protect Wisconsinites’ health for decades to come and I see these as key.

John Plummer

I have been a Sierra Club member for over 40 years, which has included doing service trips, backpacking and canoeing. I have a great love of nature and the outdoors, and have been a lifelong tent camper. I enjoy the Milwaukee County Parks, which are a great place to walk, bike and birdwatch.  I am a friend of three Milwaukee parks, and volunteer in nearby Lincoln Park. 

My impulse to apply for the Great Waters Group Executive Committee is to do what I can to assist this group. I would enjoy a chance to step up and help the GWG. I feel that there is a lot of work there that can be shared, and want to make a difference as a volunteer. This is a critical time to protect our planet, while being equitable and inclusive to everyone involved.