Robert Wendelgass, President & CEO

Bob Wendelgass has been President and CEO of Clean Water Action and Executive Vice President of Clean Water Fund since November of 2010.  Prior to that, he spent five years as National Deputy Director for Clean Water Action, working with its state offices on planning and implementation of campaigns, elections and fundraising.  He also served 15 years as Pennsylvania State Director for Clean Water Action, guiding our work on water, pesticides and toxics issues in the state and helping organize and lead a statewide watershed coalition.  He has been a member of Pennsylvania’s Water Resources Advisory Committee and the Small Systems Workgroup of the US EPA’s National Drinking Water Advisory Committee.    

Wendelgass has been an activist for over 35 years, starting work while a college student during the Watergate era for the Committee to Impeach the President.  He directed a neighborhood based community group in a low and moderate income community in Rochester, New York for five years.  He also spent 11 years directing the Action Alliance of Senior Citizens, a Philadelphia based advocacy organization that mobilized a network of 300 senior citizen organizations to lobby for change on issues related to health care, transportation, income security and utilities.  He is an avid bicyclist, enjoys the outdoors and has recently become a sculling enthusiast.

Philadephia Office

f: 215.545.2315

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Kathy Aterno, National Managing Director – Florida and Colorado

Kathy started her environmental career in 1974 and has worked on numerous local, state and national campaigns. She has worked for Clean Water Action over 20 years in a variety of capacities. She maintains an MPA from George Mason University and received her Bachelors from George Washington University. Before Clean Water Action, Aterno worked on Capitol Hill as Chief of Staff for former Congressman David Bonior (D-MI) and Congressman Bill Richardson (D-NM). During the first term of the Clinton Administration, Aterno worked for the EPA Administrator Carol Browner.

Boca Raton Office

f: 561.672.7657

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Program Staff

Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director

Lynn is the National Campaigns Coordinator for Clean Water Action and oversees the organization’s national work on water, global warming and energy and chemical policy.  She is particularly involved in drinking water issues, and has served two terms of the National Drinking Water Advisory Committee which advises the US Environmental Protection Agency on drinking water policy.  Lynn has also served on a number of other Federal Advisory Committees and other bodies working on drinking water regulation. 

Before coming to Clean Water Action in 1999, Lynn worked at Greenpeace for 9 years with an emphasis on toxics and health issues.  She began work in the advocacy community 25 years ago after completing undergraduate and graduate work in American History at Georgetown University.  Lynn is a DC native, has two children who are currently attending school and living in Olympia WA and lives in Mt. Rainier MD.  In her spare time she contributes to a local music blog.  

Jennifer Peters, National Water Campaigns Coordinator

Jennifer joined the Clean Water Action team in December 2011.  As National Water Campaigns Coordinator, she spearheads our work on issues ranging from restoring Clean Water Act protections for streams, wetlands and other waters, to regulating toxic coal ash to protect water quality.  Growing up in the arid southwest gave her an early appreciation for the importance and preciousness of clean water, and Jennifer has worked on clean water issues for nearly a decade. 

After graduating from Humboldt State University with a degree in Environmental Science, she served two years with the AmeriCorps Watershed Stewards Project and worked with the California Conservation Corps to restore and protect critical habitat for Pacific salmon.  She left California in 2005 to pursue a M.S. degree in Environmental Policy at Bard College.  During her graduate studies, Jennifer was awarded an EPA National Network for Environmental Management Studies (NNEMS) fellowship to conduct research on watershed based approaches to protect and restore wetlands in rapidly urbanizing areas.

Most recently Jennifer was Deputy Director of the Clean Water Network, the largest coalition of national, state, and local public interest organizations advocating for strong protections for rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands and other waters.  In her free time, Jennifer can be found outside biking, running, or hiking.

District of Columbia Office

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Communications/Information Services

Michael Kelly, Director of Online Communications

Michael directs Clean Water Action's online communications.  Everything from the design and management of the website to working with program staff across the country to implement dynamic online campaigns to the blog, Facebook, and Twitter.  He's always on the lookout for the next way to connect people to Clean Water Action - so if you have something, send it his way.

Michael came to Clean Water Action in May 2011 because "working to build the Clean Water Movment to ensure everyone has access to safe and clean water is a no-brainer."  He's thrilled to be a part of the dynamic staff and excited to work alongside Clean Water Actions's millions of
grassroots members to do what we have to do to ensure clean water for all. 

Most recently Michael was a communications consultant based in Seattle and worked with organizations such as Rock the Vote and United Way of King County.  Before that he spent two years mobilizing thousands of housing and homelessness advocates in Washington State.  He also worked with residents of low-income neighborhoods in Seattle to fund, design, develop, and build parks, playgrounds, and other greenspaces in their neighborhoods with the Seattle Parks Foundation.   

You can usually find Michael wandering through any of the Smithsonain Institutions (Free! Museums!) or searching for a decent record store in DC during his free time.   If he's not there, look in the nosebleed section of RFK Stadium or Nationals Park.

John Tresize, National Information Services Manager

District of Columbia Office

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National Development Staff

Andrea Herrmann, Director of Foundation Relations & Development Director

Andrea has worked for Clean
Water since 1998, and currently oversees the organization's Development
Department.  Water has always played an important role, growing up in the
Lakes Region in New Hampshire, and attending college in the Ocean State.
Andrea's undergraduate degrees are in Marine Affairs and German from the
University of Rhode Island, and she has a Masters in Environmental Law from
Vermont Law School. In her free time, she likes to spoil her water loving dogs,
Max & Maya, and spend time outdoors.

Jon Scott, Director of Corporate Relations and Legacy Gifts & Acting Director of Communications (Media Relations and Publications)

Jon began working with Clean Water Action in 1983, assuming responsibility for Corporate Relations, Legacy Giving and National Communications/Media Relations in 2010. His experience with Clean Water Action includes canvassing door-to-door and on the phones, organizing, electoral and issue campaigning, and various development, communications and publications roles. He has visited Clean Water Action staff, members, partners, allies and supporters in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Jon represents Clean Water Fund on the national Board of Earth Share.

Fun Fact: Jon is the only Clean Water Action staff person to have climbed Denali (North America's highest peak) and is also one of the only people in the world to have tossed -- and retrieved -- a Frisbee from its summit.

Caroline Slobodzian, Major Gifts Officer

Caroline has been with Clean Water Action since May 2011.  She has eleven years of fundraising experience in various areas of fundraising.  She came here because she wanted to work for a grassroots organization focused on making the world a better place to live in.  As the major gifts officer, her responsibilities include identifying major gift prospects, setting up donor visits, creating solicitor teams, developing strategies, and determining amounts for donation asks.  She also produces individual and major donor fundraising and marketing materials, and develops and manages events for major donors. 

Fun Facts: Caroline grew up in Germany, and plays soccer on a DC women’s league.  She is on the board of US National Committee for United Nations Women (the gender arm of the UN), has the cutest dog EVER, Rascal P. Coltrane, and loves to cook. 

District of Columbia Office

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National Canvass Staff

Chris Bathurst, National Canvass Director

Sarah Randolph, National Canvass Administrative Coordinator

Sarah supports Clean Water and CCN canvass programs and staff in many ways, including handling central communications, reporting, budget development, materials, driver approvals, and coordinating national meetings and conferences. Sarah has extensive canvass and campaign experience, starting in 1982 with the League of Conservation
Voters/CCN Philadelphia Field Canvass, working in over twenty election campaigns, and cross-training with four organizations in offices around the country. Sarah came to Clean Water in DC as the National Office Manager in 1985, and became the Canvass Administrative Coordinator in 1987. Ever the avid walker, Sarah loves living in Washington with its tree-lined streets and
distinctive neighborhoods. Her other interests include textiles and re-using resources, particularly when discarded objects can be transformed into useful, eye-appealing new things.

Northhampton Office

District of Columbia Office

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National Financial Staff

Dianne Akabli, Director of Finance
Dianne joined Clean Water Action's national finance office in Clinton Township, MI in November 1999 as a staff accountant. Over the years, Dianne has performed accounts payable functions, bank deposits, payment of payroll taxes, state registrations, as well as other financial staff
duties. Dianne's major duties currently consist of grants management, bank reconciliations, banking, general ledger maintenance, and the Internal Management Reports processing and production. Dianne lives in Warren, Michigan with her husband, Redouane, and son, Adam. Dianne has an Associate Degree in Science, majoring in Veterinary Technology; a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Organizational Administration; and a Masters of Science, majoring in Public Accountancy.

Tanya Carter, Payroll/Benefits Administrator
Tanya joined the Clean Water Action financial staff in the Clinton Township office in August 2005. Tanya's major duties consist of payroll,personnel, unemployment, benefit time, and 401(k) and flexible spending administration. Tanya lives in Port Huron, Michigan with her husband,
Jude, and son, Dakota. Tanya has an Associate Degree in Business, a Bachelor of Business Administration and is currently working toward a Master of Science with a concentration in Human Resources.

Jill Chismody, Financial Representative
Jill joined the Clean Water Action national finance office in Clinton Township, MI in January 2006 as a financial representative. Her duties include managing vehicle transactions and inventory, bank deposits/logs,workers compensation claim processing, health insurance enrollment, as well as other financial staff duties. Jill currently resides in New Baltimore, MI across from beautiful Lake St. Clair. She is a 2000 graduate from Dakota High School in Macomb Township, MI and earned an accounting certificate in 2007. In her free time she enjoys watching and attending Tiger and Piston games, bowling, camping and spending quality time with her boyfriend Steve, as well as family and friends. 

Clinton Township Office

f: 586.783.4033