Our Board of Directors
- Christine Kelly, Educational Designer, Anagennao - Regenerative Living and Learning by Design
- Ted May (President), Academic Dean of Math and Science, WI Indianhead Technical College
- Teena Racheli, United Methodist minister serving the Ashland and Sanborn.
- Tessah Wickus, Seed Savers Alliance Founder/Director
Christine Kelly, Consultant, Anagennao - Regenerative Living and Learning by Design
Growing up in Austin, Texas, Christine developed a connection to the natural world at an early age. Today, Christine is an independent sustainability educational designer working within her own consulting company, Anagennao. She holds a doctorate in Science Education from the University of Maryland and has over 15 years experience as an environmental and sustainability educator. Within her work, Christine has a passion for transformative learning, collective action and complex systems thinking. She has worked for agency’s such as the California Department of Education Office of Environmental
Education, Austin Independent School District, the University of California Long Beach, Marquette University, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and NASA Goddard. Prior to her work as a consultant, Christine was the Associate Executive Director at Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg, Wisconsin. Christine, with the support of numerous colleagues, also created the Midwest Regional Collaborative for Sustainability Education, a 220 member community of practice. Christine enjoys biking, kayaking, gardening and all things outdoors. Christine proudly began her career as an elementary school teacher. She is excited to help the Alliance for Sustainability continue to be a leader in sustainable community development.
Growing up in Austin, Texas, Christine developed a connection to the natural world at an early age. Today, Christine is an independent sustainability educational designer working within her own consulting company, Anagennao. She holds a doctorate in Science Education from the University of Maryland and has over 15 years experience as an environmental and sustainability educator. Within her work, Christine has a passion for transformative learning, collective action and complex systems thinking. She has worked for agency’s such as the California Department of Education Office of Environmental
Education, Austin Independent School District, the University of California Long Beach, Marquette University, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and NASA Goddard. Prior to her work as a consultant, Christine was the Associate Executive Director at Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg, Wisconsin. Christine, with the support of numerous colleagues, also created the Midwest Regional Collaborative for Sustainability Education, a 220 member community of practice. Christine enjoys biking, kayaking, gardening and all things outdoors. Christine proudly began her career as an elementary school teacher. She is excited to help the Alliance for Sustainability continue to be a leader in sustainable community development.
Ted May, Academic Dean of Math and Science at WITC (Board President)
Ted May has been a resident of Bayfield County since 2001, attracted to the area by the environmental richness (lake, trees, fresh air, open space and outdoor recreational opportunities) of the region and the strong environmental emphasis of Northland College, where he worked in Teacher Education for five years. He has been involved in environmental education for over three decades as a teacher, 4–H agent, activist, teacher educator, presenter, ran for political office, started a new Audubon Chapter, and so forth. He worked with the AFS in developing the initial Sustainable Chequamegon Initiative and our five-year plan. He has multiple passions linked to the environment (birding, gardening, hiking), activities in the outdoors (cross-country skiing, camping, kayaking, bicycling), people who share a joi-de-vivre for life here, and supporting a sustainable lifestyle and regional economy. He has one daughter, who will be graduating from Carroll University this May, 2015. He currently works at WITC as an academic dean for math and science, and this is where the majority of the time he has during the week is invested, though coupled with enjoying his multiple passions and caring for his home and yard. For trivia, he just finished his 38th Birkie (2015). He looks forward to opportunity to forge collaborations with others in the region to advance a vibrant and sustainable regional economy.
Ted May has been a resident of Bayfield County since 2001, attracted to the area by the environmental richness (lake, trees, fresh air, open space and outdoor recreational opportunities) of the region and the strong environmental emphasis of Northland College, where he worked in Teacher Education for five years. He has been involved in environmental education for over three decades as a teacher, 4–H agent, activist, teacher educator, presenter, ran for political office, started a new Audubon Chapter, and so forth. He worked with the AFS in developing the initial Sustainable Chequamegon Initiative and our five-year plan. He has multiple passions linked to the environment (birding, gardening, hiking), activities in the outdoors (cross-country skiing, camping, kayaking, bicycling), people who share a joi-de-vivre for life here, and supporting a sustainable lifestyle and regional economy. He has one daughter, who will be graduating from Carroll University this May, 2015. He currently works at WITC as an academic dean for math and science, and this is where the majority of the time he has during the week is invested, though coupled with enjoying his multiple passions and caring for his home and yard. For trivia, he just finished his 38th Birkie (2015). He looks forward to opportunity to forge collaborations with others in the region to advance a vibrant and sustainable regional economy.
Teena Racheli, United Methodist minister serving the Ashland and Sanborn
Teena has always been drawn to the potential for transformative change when personal stories are linked to advocacy and community action. Opportunities for this occurred when she worked on the Veterans of Hope Project while serving as PBS producer for Colorado Public Television and created documentaries,“magazine” teaching pieces on community issues (homelessness, teen preganancy, AIDS, energy and environmentalism, gang violence, etc.) non-violent social justice activism. She has also served as a co-grantwriter and founding team member of “Westside Family NetWorks” a community-base center for the identification of “markers” and creation of resources to support resiliency and multi-faceted health for
families in challenged northwest Denver neighborhoods. Her work has introduced her to many of the tenets of non-violent communication and restorative justice – this continues to be her passion within both her personal and professional life. While in Colorado, she was active with “The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado”. One project that was especially fulfilling were the interfaith dialogues several of which focused on relationship with environment, energy, and resiliency in communities from our various faith and culture lenses. And...she has fallen in love with the progressive and “action-oriented” spirit of the people that live in our Chequamegon region – and the north woods including our amazing in-land sea...especially how they “show up” in all the seasons!!
Teena is an ordained United Methodist minister and am currently serving the Ashland and Sanborn United Methodist churches as their Interim minister. Her reason for coming to the Chequamegon Bay area was to help her parents with their small local food business during the challenges of our current economy. During (and for quite a few years prior to) this time, her father, Ugo Racheli, has been an advocate for local economy – in all the parameters outlined within AFS' goals –and especially within the food systems. His admiration of the Alliance goals and vision was “contagious” and during several of her visits prior to moving here, she accompanied Ugo to some Alliance-sponsored events and was very impressed. Sadly, they have had to close the business, but over these three years she has met many persons affiliated with either the Alliance or an Alliance program or project that have engaged her heart and mind in the issues and needs of the work of sustainability. She especially resonate with the AFS goals of promoting regional self-sufficiency and development of innovative, replicable programs.
Teena has always been drawn to the potential for transformative change when personal stories are linked to advocacy and community action. Opportunities for this occurred when she worked on the Veterans of Hope Project while serving as PBS producer for Colorado Public Television and created documentaries,“magazine” teaching pieces on community issues (homelessness, teen preganancy, AIDS, energy and environmentalism, gang violence, etc.) non-violent social justice activism. She has also served as a co-grantwriter and founding team member of “Westside Family NetWorks” a community-base center for the identification of “markers” and creation of resources to support resiliency and multi-faceted health for
families in challenged northwest Denver neighborhoods. Her work has introduced her to many of the tenets of non-violent communication and restorative justice – this continues to be her passion within both her personal and professional life. While in Colorado, she was active with “The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado”. One project that was especially fulfilling were the interfaith dialogues several of which focused on relationship with environment, energy, and resiliency in communities from our various faith and culture lenses. And...she has fallen in love with the progressive and “action-oriented” spirit of the people that live in our Chequamegon region – and the north woods including our amazing in-land sea...especially how they “show up” in all the seasons!!
Teena is an ordained United Methodist minister and am currently serving the Ashland and Sanborn United Methodist churches as their Interim minister. Her reason for coming to the Chequamegon Bay area was to help her parents with their small local food business during the challenges of our current economy. During (and for quite a few years prior to) this time, her father, Ugo Racheli, has been an advocate for local economy – in all the parameters outlined within AFS' goals –and especially within the food systems. His admiration of the Alliance goals and vision was “contagious” and during several of her visits prior to moving here, she accompanied Ugo to some Alliance-sponsored events and was very impressed. Sadly, they have had to close the business, but over these three years she has met many persons affiliated with either the Alliance or an Alliance program or project that have engaged her heart and mind in the issues and needs of the work of sustainability. She especially resonate with the AFS goals of promoting regional self-sufficiency and development of innovative, replicable programs.
Tessah Wickus, Seed Savers Alliance Founder/Director
Tessah is a graduate of Northland College with a degree in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She has translated her degree into the realm of food and education, specifically focusing on the origin of our food: seed. Tessah most recent;y worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA for Bayfield County UW Extension.Tessah coordinates Seed Savers Alliance, a project of the Alliance for Sustainability. Seed Savers Alliance provides communities in our region with the necessary support to start and maintain seed libraries-an open seed exchange focused on enhancing bioregional seed by engaging the community in the tradition of seed saving. Tessah is actively studying and teaching the art of seed saving to audiences throughout the region.
What excites Tessah the most about being on the Board of the Alliance for Sustainability is that it will allow her more opportunities to help people throughout the region share their passions alongside her own. She sees much potential for our region in creating a sustainable, and relatively self-reliant food system that she would very much like to be fostered and thinks that the Alliance for Sustainability has the potential to help.
Tessah is a graduate of Northland College with a degree in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She has translated her degree into the realm of food and education, specifically focusing on the origin of our food: seed. Tessah most recent;y worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA for Bayfield County UW Extension.Tessah coordinates Seed Savers Alliance, a project of the Alliance for Sustainability. Seed Savers Alliance provides communities in our region with the necessary support to start and maintain seed libraries-an open seed exchange focused on enhancing bioregional seed by engaging the community in the tradition of seed saving. Tessah is actively studying and teaching the art of seed saving to audiences throughout the region.
What excites Tessah the most about being on the Board of the Alliance for Sustainability is that it will allow her more opportunities to help people throughout the region share their passions alongside her own. She sees much potential for our region in creating a sustainable, and relatively self-reliant food system that she would very much like to be fostered and thinks that the Alliance for Sustainability has the potential to help.
Annual Intern
We are not currently hosting an intern.