President

Braden Crooks is a founding partner at Designing the We, a social impact design studio operating in community-driven social and economic development. The DtW team designs programs, policies and enterprises that grow local communities and global networks dealing with deep crises, from the history of Redlining to the future of work. He has served as the president of the board of Sure We Can: a non-profit collective for canners, who are those who make their living by redeeming cans and bottles for five cents. Braden graduated from the innovative program MS Design and Urban Ecologies at Parsons the New School for Design in May 2014 with honors, taught ecological thinking in urban issues at Parsons and produced a live audience web series about New York. Braden lives and gardens in Brooklyn, NY.

Treasurer

A serial entrepreneur and mother of six, Jan started her first business, Silk Oak, in 1977. Now, 30 years later, Silk Oak continues to produce brightly colored, hand-silkscreened clothes for men, women, and children. Meanwhile, Jan has founded several other businesses, most recently Ithacamade — a gift shop that serves as a hub for bringing locally made goods to the Ithaca community and visitors. Jan is a cofounder of Local First Ithaca, a network of locally-owned businesses & services, farmers, non-profits, and community members.

Secretary

Chris is the president/owner of Horizon Enterprises, a 40-year-old resource management company engaged in computer programming. He has degrees in Chemical Engineering, Social Psychology, Public Administration, and Economics. He currently chairs the Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow (NeST). A former County Legislator, he has also chaired numerous boards including: Economic Development Council of the Southern Tier, Southern Tier East Regional Planning and Development Board, the Broome County Energy Commission, the Broome County Soil and Water Board, and Cornell University’s Eco-Justice Project. He vice chaired the Economic Development Council of the Southern Tier. He also serves on the Center for Civic Engagement, Environmental Management Council, and National Sierra Club’s Zero Waste Team.

Christine Appah is an attorney and consultant who specializes in environmental justice and sustainability. In addition to her work, Christine teaches environmental justice as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Her background includes several years of experience in the nonprofit sector, working on environmental, housing, food justice and civil rights issues.

Christine has worked as a senior staff attorney in the Environmental Justice Program at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and as a regional director at the New York State Division of Human Rights. She began her career as a staff attorney in the Civil Division of The Legal Aid Society of New York. She has served as a member of New York City’s Environmental Justice and OneNYC Advisory Boards and frequently speaks and writes on topics related to the environment.

Christine graduated magna cum laude from The City College of New York and received her law degree from Duke University School of Law. She is also a graduate of the New York City Environmental Law Leadership Institute.

Gladys Brangman is at her best when serving others and has set out to make the small business world more profitable by offering support services and networking opportunities. Her most recent venture is Business Leaders of Colors (BLOC). She believes that business owners of color(s) can not only survive but thrive as long as they are aware of and support one another. A gathering to celebrate Black History Month transformed into a network that became a business. BLOC offers business and financial training, marketing, and networking opportunities. Originally from Albany, New York, Gladys has a BA in Communications from SUNY Cortland and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation from Abilene Christian University. Gladys has lived in the Ithaca area for the better part of 30 years. She makes her home in Lansing, New York, teaches dance when she can, and believes that there is no higher calling than that of a servant.

Kathleen Curtis, LPN, is the former Executive Director and current Senior Policy Advisor of Clean and Healthy NY (CHNY). Kathy has 30 years of experience in the environmental health movement and is a widely recognized national leader whose policy expertise is in high demand. Her leadership has guided the enactment of several local, state, and federal policies regulating toxic chemicals. She co-coordinates the JustGreen Partnership and the Policy and Advocacy Workgroup of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments. She was a Senior Development Consultant at Healthy Building Network, co-leader of the Coming Clean Collaborative’s Policy Workgroup, and Executive Director at Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, where she was an author of Building Green without Going in the Red. Previously, she was Outreach Director at Environmental Planning Lobby (now Environmental Advocates of NY) and worked as a nurse.