Our Team

Our Board

  • Liz Luc Clowes, ASLA

    Board Chair

    Liz is Owner/Designer, Luc Clowes Landscape Design

  • Andrew D

    Andrew Droste

    Member & Chair of Nominating and Governance Committee

    Andrew is VP, ESG Engagement, Stewardship & Proxy Voting (Co-Head North America), Columbia Threadneedle Investments

  • Amanda R

    Amanda Rich

    Co-Founder, Clerk, & Board Member

    Amanda is an independent sustainability consultant with a Master’s in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University.

  • Head shot of board member Tracy Sopchak wearing a blue shirt and standing in front of trees.

    Tracy Sopchak

    Interim Treasurer and Chair of Finance Committee

    Tracy Sopchak is Director of Development and Engagement at the Ipswich River Watershed Association.

  • Danielle Kaplan

    Board Member

    Danielle Kaplan is the Director of Operations & Finance at InnerCity Weightlifting and founder and maker of DaniJayne.

  • Grey Lee

    Board Member

    Grey Lee is a sustainability subject matter expert and manages S&P Global's ESG service offerings for the northeast US.

  • Christine Araujo headshot

    Christine Araujo

    Board Member

    Christine Araujo is a consultant at Zuaria Partners and is the former Executive Director of the American City Coalition in Roxbury.

  • Our Staff

  • David Meshoulam, PhD (he/him)

    Co-Founder & Executive Director

    David (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. When he's not tending to trees, his 2 children, or his 1 very feisty mini Australian Shepherd.

  • MarS McCormick (Li/They/All Pronouns)

    Associate Director

    MarS 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 Manager

    Jerel 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 Manager

    Victoria 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.

  • Claire Corcoran (she/her)

    Community Tree Specialist

    Claire is a Massachusetts Certified Arborist and has a Master of Forestry from Yale School of the Environment as well as an undergraduate degree in Environmental Science from Barnard College. She has worked for the MA Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program as a Plant Community Ecologist as well as at the Arnold Arboretum as a Horticulturalist. She has volunteered for the Gas Leaks Allies since their inception in 2015, and is on the Board of Directors of Eastie Farm. A lover of trees and cities, she has lived in Boston’s South End for the past twenty years with her husband, three kids, and two dogs.

  • Joshua Reed (he/him)

    Education Coordinator

    Joshua 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. He served in the Peace Corps in Comoros as a TEFL Volunteer where he 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 is currently finishing his MA in Applied Politics at Suffolk University.

  • Jamila dePeiza-Kern (she/her)

    TUTC Program Leader

    Jamila 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 Associate

    Mekhi 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 Coordinator

    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.

  • Our Advisory Board

  • Howard Birnbaum, PhD

    Senior Advisor, Analysis Group, Inc.
  • Bob Chabot

    Chief Operating Officer, Zoo New England
  • Sonja Duempelmann

    Associate Professor at University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design
  • Anne Hager

    Founder, Fundraising Levers
  • Stephanie Kruel

    ENV SP, Senior Environmental Planner, VHB
  • Tariana Little, DrPH

    CEO, co-founder, EmVision Productions
  • Charlie Lord

    Principal, Renew Energy Partners, founder and former Executive Director of Urban Ecology Institute
  • Dr. S. Atyia Martin

    CEO & Founder All Aces, Inc.
  • Deanna Moran, AICP

    Director of Environmental Planning, Conservation Law Foundation
  • Hannah Saltman

    Data Center Energy & Sustainability at Microsoft
  • Jeff Speck

    Speck & Associates, AICP CNU-A LEED-AP Hon. ASLA
  • Joseph Stein

    SVP, Director of Quantitative Research, Natixis Investment Managers
  • Renata von Tscharner

    Founder and former president of the Charles River Conservancy
  • Katherine Walsh

    Sustainability and Environmental Resources Manager, Boston Public Schools
  • Interested in joining our team?

    Find out more on our Jobs & Opportunities page.