Cassandra Carmichael
Executive Director

Rev. Michael McClain
National Outreach Coordinator

Prior to joining NRPE in September 2013, Cassandra was the Washington Office and Eco-Justice Program director for the National Council of Churches USA. In her role at the NCC, she oversaw the Council's advocacy and eco-justice work and worked to set and implement strategic priorities in partnership with various stakeholders. Previously, she was director of faith-based outreach at the Center for a New American Dream. She received her graduate degree in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Ms. Carmichael is a senior fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program and a previous board member on the Chesapeake Bay Alliance, and she has also served on the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Advisory Council Task Force on Climate and Environment and the Advisory Council of the Green Bible. Cassandra can be contacted at [email protected].

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Katie Brown
Program Manager

Katie Brown works to support the various programs, partnerships, research projects, and advocacy efforts of NRPE. Katie graduated from Saint Mary's College of Notre Dame with a degree in Political Science and Philosophy, and is currently pursuing her Masters in Theological Studies at Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry. 
An active member of the Catholic Church, she also works with the USCCB's Laudato Si' Advocates Program and is passionate about lay leadership and utilizing Catholic Social Teaching to promote justice and the common good in the public square. Prior to NRPE, she worked with Rock Creek Conservancy in Washington DC and served in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. 
When not working, Katie can be found training for her next marathon, baking lots of bread, and spending time with her husband, Nathan. 

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On behalf of NRPE, Rev. McClain works with denominational leaders and congregations across the US to help educate them on environmental stewardship, climate change and clean energy. Rev. Michael McClain, a native of Statesville, NC, has been pastor of Historic Liberty Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Catawba, SC. He has held several leadership positions in his ministerial service including Treasurer of the Sandy River Baptist Association- Upper Division, Executive Board Member of the Baptist Educational and missionary Convention of South Carolina and Deputy Director General of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education of the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. Rev. McClain is also the founder and president of Green Bulb Lighting of Columbia, SC, a green energy and lighting efficiency company that specializes in green technology installations including solar and wind generation.

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Brigitte Bazie
Special Projects

Brigitte Bazie works on special projects for NRPE including National Monuments and communication projects. Brigitte has worked on antiracism and inclusivity issues as part of a Social Justice Inclusive Leadership Institute at Montgomery College. She has worked as a student assistant at the Student Health and Wellness Center at Montgomery College and served as assistant coach on the Girls on the Run of Montgomery College.

Brigitte has earned top honors at Montgomery College and earned the Excellence in Philosophy Award in 2021. She is active in the United Methodist Church and in the Summer of 2022 participated in a summer long Ethnic Young Adult program with the General Board of Church and Society-United Methodist Church in Washington, DC. Brigitte is passionate about health, economic justice and how that connects to environmental justice and advocacy.

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Partner Staff

Laudato Si' Advocates Program

Katie Brown, Program Manager

Creation Justice Ministries

Avery Davis Lamb, Executive Director
Derrick Weston, Theological Education & Training Coordinator
Jasmine Coles, Operations & Executive Assistant 
Tess Koontz, Communications Assistant
Farley Lord, Development Consultant
Caroline Hiler, Seminary Intern
Emma Craven, Email Design Volunteer
Molly Johnson, Environmental Justice Mapping Consultant

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life

Rabbi Daniel Swartz, Executive Director
Rabbi Fred Scherlinder Dobb, Rabbinic Consultant

U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops

Ricardo Simmonds, Environmental Policy Consultant

Catholic Climate Covenant

Dan Misleh, Founder and Executive Director
​Elana Gaona, Director of Communications
Kayla Jacobs, Program Manager, Youth Mobilization
Diana Marin, Program Manager, Young Adult Mobilization
Paz Artaza-Regan, Program Manager, Care for Creation
Emily Burke, Social Media Manager
Kathy Foley, Office Manager
Riley Talbot, Policy and Outreach Associate
Michelle Butler, Operations and Development Manager
Michael Wright, Homily Helps Editor
Nancy LaVerda, Public Health Volunteer

Evangelical Environmental Network

Rev. Jessica Moerman, President and CEO
Tori Goebel, Chief Operating Officer
Lauren Kim, National Organizer and Spokesperson, YECA
Dr. Rev. Jeremy Summers, Director of Church and Community Engagement
Kim Anderson, Associate Director for OH and PA Outreach
Lindsay Garcia, Director of Communications
Carolyn Heckman, Associate Director of Pennsylvania Policy
Jaime Butler, Communications Associate
Rev. Tim Olsen, Upper Midwest Coordinator