Our Board
Liz Luc Clowes, ASLA
Board ChairLiz is Owner/Designer, Luc Clowes Landscape Design
Andrew Droste
Member & Chair of Nominating and Governance CommitteeAndrew is VP, ESG Engagement, Stewardship & Proxy Voting (Co-Head North America), Columbia Threadneedle Investments
Amanda Rich
Co-Founder, Clerk, & Board MemberAmanda is an independent sustainability consultant with a Master’s in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University.
Tracy Sopchak
Interim Treasurer and Chair of Finance CommitteeTracy Sopchak is Director of Development and Engagement at the Ipswich River Watershed Association.
Danielle Kaplan
Board MemberDanielle Kaplan is an MBA candidate at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and founder and maker of DaniJayne.
Grey Lee
Board MemberGrey Lee is a sustainability subject matter expert and manages S&P Global's ESG service offerings for the northeast US.
Christine Araujo
Board MemberChristine Araujo is a consultant at Zuaria Partners and is the former Executive Director of the American City Coalition in Roxbury.
Kareema Scott, Esq.
Board MemberKareema Scott is a Family and Community Engagement Liaison at Melvin H. King South End Academy of Boston Public Schools.
Joel Marquis
Board MemberJoel Marquis is Executive Director, Innovation Economy, Technology at JP Morgan
Our Staff
David Meshoulam (he/him)
Co-Founder & Executive DirectorDavid (pronounced Dah-veed) co-founded Speak for the Trees in 2018. Since a young child, he has always been fascinated with nature, trees, and leaves. After a brief stint thinking about science and philosophy in college, he turned to teaching high-school science. In the classroom, he focused on ways to increase students' understanding of the connections between science, culture, and history as a way to empower them to be change agents and active participants in the politics of science. He is a Senior Fellow at the Environmental Leadership Program, a graduate of the Green Communities Leadership Institute, and just completed his term as co-chair of the Urban Ecology Collaborative. You can reach him at [email protected].
MarS McCormick (Li/They/All Pronouns)
Associate DirectorMarS was born and raised in Boston and spent half their life working with marginalized youths that are new immigrants, living in group homes, on the spectrum, or with visual impairments and other disabilities. Previously, they worked as Community Manager at Tech Goes Home building community in the fight against digital inequities and other systemic oppressions by co-creating spaces for healing and liberation. MarS has certifications in Social Justice Mediation from Vital Village Networks at Boston Medical Center and in Community Leadership and Social Change from Tufts University and the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. They are also a Registered Behavioral Technician and have a BA in Management, Operations & Logistics from Southern New Hampshire University. MarS is also a co-circle-keeper for Come thru, Sis. They are a loving parent, partner, & community member. Their favorite things to do include arcades, field games, joking, and being in community with their friends.
Jerel Ferguson (he/him)
Community Outreach ManagerJerel has a profound love of nature, trees, and the Great Outdoors. A true tree hugger, he encourages urban youth and families to participate in and experience an active life in the outdoors by hiking, camping, and more. Jerel is an herbalist, a forager, and an established outdoor leader. He has a passion for growing and cooking food, he's also an urban farmer and gardener. Jerel has three boys and a cat named Oscar.
Victoria Frothingham (she/her)
Development ManagerVictoria has made her career in the nonprofit sector in Boston, working in a range of positions from ESOL Teacher, to Volunteer Coordinator, to Associate Director of Grant Programs in human services and education organizations. She holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Paris III.
Jonathan Cheney (he/him)
Community Tree SpecialistJonathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from UMass-Amherst and certification from the International Society of Arboriculture. Previous to joining SFTT, Jonathan worked as an arborist for 4 years, maintaining trees from the canopy to the roots. Jonathan brings his experience and passion to help local community members make a connection with their urban canopy.
Joshua Reed (he/him)
Education CoordinatorJosh is interested in environmental and economic justice policy issues and passionate about volunteerism. He believes strongly in educating youth on environmental justice and sustainable development. Previous to SFTT, he served in the Peace Corps in Comoros as a TEFL Volunteer and also joined local Comorians in various sustainable environmental projects. In AmeriCorps he served as a Volunteer Manager for the nonprofit Opportunity Living. He is a lover of nature and explores new hiking and camping spots throughout New England. He recently completed his MA in Applied Politics at Suffolk University.
Jamila dePeiza-Kern (she/her)
TUTC Program CoordinatorJamila is an enthusiastic advocate of Boston's urban trees! Originally from Jamaica Plain, she grew up in and around many urban parks and community gardens. Today, she is passionate about creating and cultivating public green spaces and making them equitable, accessible, and healthy for all. Jamila began her work with Speak for the Trees after graduating from Smith College, where she studied Anthropology and Landscape Studies. Outside of work you can find her reading, cooking, playing a board game, or exploring new places to take walks.
Mekhi Edge Wallace (he/him)
Tree Care AssociateMekhi is a graduate of the first PowerCorps Boston cohort. He enjoys the outdoors whether it be working, walking, or hanging out. He believes working in the green industry is the most satisfying job because you get to watch the fruits of your labor blossom in real time. His hobbies include soccer, writing, and listening to music. He hopes to continue making an effort to fight climate change in the future.
Julia Rudolph (she/her)
TerraCorps Community Engagement CoordinatorTerraCorps is an AmeriCorps Program
Julia is originally from Upstate New York. Growing up, she spent much of her time skiing and hiking in the Adirondack mountains, which fueled her passion for the natural environment. This past May, she graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in Environmental Analysis and Policy. Living in Boston inspired her interest in the urban environment, especially in terms of resiliency, sustainable development, and environmental justice. In her free time, you can find her at a concert, walking along the esplanade, or trying a new restaurant.
Danya Rifai (she/her)
MassCEC Spring InternDanya is interested in environmental justice, environmental health, and policy issues. She recently graduated from Suffolk University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a concentration in Environmental Policy. Her senior thesis focused on the correlation between green space and gentrification. She is a lover of nature, especially somewhere with a nice view. When she’s not at work, you can find her traveling, at a concert, or exploring new green spaces.
Artie Stanley (he/him)
College for Social Innovation Spring FellowArthur Stanley, or Artie, is currently a sophomore at the University of New Hampshire majoring in marketing. Originally from Salisbury, MA, Artie enrolled in the Semester in the City program at the College for Social Innovation and will be spending the spring term year with us. He has a passion for the outdoors, as he grew up doing a lot of hiking, fishing, and camping in northern New Hampshire. He aspires to be an entrepreneur one day, incorporating sustainable practices and a green way of life into his operations. In his free time, he can be found playing guitar, skateboarding around Boston with his friends, and trying to find cheap tickets for concerts and sports events around the Boston area.
Diana Huber (she/hers)
College for Social Innovation Spring FellowDiana Huber is from New York City and an undergraduate at Wheaton College in Norton, MA, majoring in English and Visual Art. Living in a city, she has seen the effects of pollution and how different communities face different environmental challenges. This experience led to her interest in becoming more sustainable individually and in enlightening others. This semester, Diana joined the College for Social Innovation to use her love for working with students to grow their knowledge of environmental injustices. She hopes to increase awareness of urban spaces that need environmental attention and provide experiences that reduce tree inequities. In her free time, she likes to go to new cafes, take walks, share stories, and bake.
