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Our Board

Alexandra Grayson

Defend Our Future

Alexandra Grayson (Pronouns: She/Her) is an undergraduate at Howard University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies. She is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Currently a Defend Our Future Campus Ambassador, where she promotes environmental policy engagement on her campus, some of her first experiences with organizing were with Baltimore Beyond Plastic, Arts Everyday and the Baltimore People's Climate Movement. Her first experience in the environmentalism space was as an intern in her alma mater’s sustainability office. Since then, she has enhanced her environmental science and policy acumen through internship and research experiences. She's passionate about a just transition and the empowerment of young leaders most impacted by the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
 

Katie Kirchner

Treasurer of PSN Board

Roosevelt Network

Katie Kirchner is the National Director for the Roosevelt Network. An alumnus of the Network, Katie’s academic and professional experience has largely been focused on the intersection of sociology and education. As National Director, Katie is expanding the work on diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy with priorities for network growth and policy work through the management of Network team members. Previously at Roosevelt, Katie was a Program Manager for chapter growth and membership development. As a student, she served as the chapter head at Roosevelt @ American; and was a member of multiple campus organizing efforts including Education not Debt and Fossil Free AU. Katie has a BA in Public Communications and Urban Education Studies from American University.

Michél Legendre

Board Chair

Michél is the Associate Campaign Director at Corporate Accountability. In his role at Corporate Accountability he focuses on the running long-term corporate campaigns to counter the tobacco industry and it's role in the global tobacco epidemic. He helps direct the work to monitor, expose, and challenges the tobacco industry towards long-term and lasting impact.This includes supporting the development and implementation of the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and supporting the application of the lessons learned from tobacco control to the climate crisis like conflicts of interest policies. Michél is a proud immigrant from Trinidad and Tobago and is deeply invested in supporting global climate activism that is anti-imperial, anti-racist, and intersectional. 

Jay Monteverde

Secretary of PSN Board

Breach Collective

Jay has advocated for human rights and social justice through organizing and law and policy advocacy for 20 years, focused on environmental justice, immigrant rights, and protection of civil liberties. He leads the US Environmental Justice Program at Namati, where he focuses on infusing legal knowledge into grassroots community organizing. Jay is also a co-founder of Breach Collective, which partners with climate activists and frontline communities on locally-driven strategies to advance climate justice.

He started his legal career at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where he handled environmental justice and other public interest litigation, investigations, and policy matters. He later moved to China and worked with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, supporting grassroots organizations to push for environmental enforcement, government transparency, and access to justice. Jay was born and raised in the Chicagoland area.

Cecili Thompson Williams

Beyond the Bomb

Cecili (Pronouns: She/Her) is the Executive Director of Beyond the Bomb, leading a team of kick-ass campaigners and activists to mobilize against the threat of nuclear war and weapons. She has nearly two decades of experience leading mission-driven campaigns with organizations including Amnesty International USA, RESULTS Educational Fund, and the National Partnership for Women & Families. Most recently she founded and served as the Chief Strategist for We Divine Water, a consulting group helping smart and passionate changemakers build strategic and effective campaigns. A strong believer in continually building power and capacity, Cecili has trained thousands of campaigners on how to maximize their impact within their organizations and in the world at large. She also serves as a faculty member at the Center for Social Design at the Maryland Institute College of Arts where she teaches a graduate seminar on campaign strategy. When she’s not campaigning, she can be found freezing at an ice rink with her skating daughters or running slowly in a forest.