About Next 100 Coalition

Chela Garcia Irlando is the inaugural Executive Director of the Next 100 Coalition. She received her B.A. in Ethnic Studies and International Affairs, and Masters of Environmental Studies in Planning and Community Engagement from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

She has worked on several state and local campaigns, including running the successful campaign to elect Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2018. Chela was formerly the Director of Conservation Programs at Hispanic Access Foundation, the Colorado Regional Coordinator at Latino Outdoors establishing
the Colorado chapter, and a founding leader of Brown Girls Climb.

In her most recent role, Chela was the inaugural Executive Director of the Colorado Democratic Latino Caucus, supporting fourteen Latino state legislators in their efforts to represent and engage Latino voices in state-level advocacy in Colorado. She currently resides in Denver with her family and enjoys spending time outdoors with family, friends, and community.

Karyn is the Director of Programs and Advocacy at the Next 100. She earned her M.Div from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and her undergraduate degree in Social Relations and Policy from Michigan State University. She also has a graduate diploma in Global Food Security and Nutrition focusing on sustainability.

She is a former Co-Executive Director at Creation Justice Ministries. She has served in policy and analysis roles at Bread for the World, focusing on the intersections of climate change, food security and racial equity.

Karyn is also starting a small apiary (bee farm) as a trained beekeeper in Washington, D.C.

Born and raised in Colorado, Jackie began her journey in natural resources following the completion of her B.A. in Environmental Science from the University of Denver.

Her career path has been rich and diverse, spanning different nonprofit organizations across the Front Range region. Jackie’s hands-on approach and extensive field experience have led her to spearhead numerous ecological restoration projects and collaborative initiatives alongside community members, federal agencies, and volunteers throughout Colorado. Her portfolio includes wildfire mitigation, post-wildfire restoration, high alpine trail construction, as well as youth leadership and stewardship programs, among other endeavors.

Transitioning from ‘boots on the ground’ work, Jackie has now shifted her focus to policy and advocacy, bringing her unique perspective to the forefront to drive change. Notably, Jackie’s leadership extends beyond her professional role; she also serves on the Board of Directors of Mile High Youth Corps, contributing her leadership experience and prior service within AmeriCorps.

Beyond her professional commitments, Jackie finds joy in hiking and camping, paddleboarding, gardening, and she continues to volunteer in ecological restoration projects.

Celina Mahabir is the Senior Government Affairs Manager at the Next 100 Coalition. She brings several years of experience in policy work, including with community-based organizations and government agencies. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Prior to Next 100, her most recent role as Federal Policy Advocate with Community Water Center focused on delivering water and climate justice to farmworker communities. Celina is a strong advocate for equitable access and engagement in critical policy development, especially alongside historically underserved communities.

Outside of work, Celina can be found taking care of her plants or spending time outdoors with her dog, Leila. She is currently based in Northern Virginia and is proud to have deep Miami roots.

Jonathan Tyrrell is a program manager for the Next 100 Coalition. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tewa Land, Jonathan’s professional journey began as a young student in the precious waters of the Middle Rio Grande.

As a former environmental educator, planner, and facilitator, he brings a multidisciplinary approach to his professional pursuits, centered in building relationships across perspectives to deliver environmental justice. He’s especially proud of his contributions to conservation planning for endangered aquatic and riparian species and ecosystems in the Middle Rio Grande; gray wolf restoration in Colorado; and supporting young people to pursue their passions in the environmental field through education and mentorship.

Like in his professional life, he maintains a holistic approach to his extracurriculars, whether that be frequenting DIY art and music venues in the southwest, getting outdoors to local green spaces and state or federal public lands or parks, or breaking bread and spending quality time, always in the cradle of community – his dearest family and friends.

He currently resides in Denver, Colorado and has a Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology with a minor in chemistry from the University of New Mexico.

Teresa holds a B.S. and M.S from the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife in the College of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech. She’s worked for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance, and since 2012 has been the Executive Director (and co-founder) of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. She serves on the Trail Leadership Council of the Partnership for the National Trails System and has served as the Chair of the Federal Advisory Committee to aid the USFS in the development of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Teresa is actively involved in the creation of equitable spaces for all people in the outdoors and currently serves as the Chair of the Board for the Next 100 Coalition.

Eboni Preston Goddard is the Southeast Regional Director and National Park Service Diversity Lead for the National Parks Conservation Association. Led by a call to action, Eboni is a management professional with a background in non-profit administration, program operations, partnerships, and workforce development. She holds a BA from Duke University, an MSW from Columbia University, an MBA and MPA from Kennesaw State University, and a PhD in Public Policy from Southern University and A&M College. Outside of work, Eboni is an avid hiker and Crossfit enthusiast.

Cassandra Carmichael is the Executive Director of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment where she oversees the advocacy and programmatic work of an alliance of 7 major national faith organizations. She is a senior fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program and a previous board member on the Chesapeake Bay Alliance, and has served on the White House Faith-Based and Neighborhood Advisory Council Task Force on Climate and Environment and the Advisory Council of the Green Bible. She received her graduate degree in environmental education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Ava believes a sustainable future is dependent on simultaneously working towards social and environmental justice. She has devoted the last decade to working and researching in this field. As a graduate student at the University of Washington in the department of Anthropology, she was able to deepen her understanding about justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts and challenges in environmentalism, conservation, and outdoor recreation. She left graduate school to put theory into practice at the Avarna Group, an organization that supports outdoor and environmental organizations to integrate equity and justice into every aspect of the organization.

Ayushi Vig is a philanthropy advisor and strategist who partners with individual donors, foundations, and funder networks to advance liberatory giving strategies. Across a range of environmental issues, her portfolio centers on building bridges between financial institutions and the grassroots.

Ayushi currently serves on the boards of New Economy Coalition, a network of 200+ organizations building an economy that prioritizes people and planet above profit, as well as of Clean Energy Works, accelerating inclusive investments to make the clean energy economy accessible to all. She was a 2023 Fellow at the Just Economy Institute, and was also honored as a 2023 Climate Leader by the People’s Climate Innovation Center. In 2019, she was named a Dalai Lama Fellow.

Previously, Ayushi was a founding staff member of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, advocating for balancing funder-grantee power dynamics in philanthropy, and a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society. Ayushi holds a BA from Stanford University and an MPA from Princeton University. She grew up in New Delhi, and now lives in the Bay Area. She works towards a world where everyone is loved and loving.

Derek Johnson is the Managing Director of Research Collaborative, a narrative strategy hub working with national, state, and local organizations to realize the promise of a truly equitable, multiracial democracy. He has over 15 years of experience bridging full-spectrum advocacy initiatives, brand and narrative strategy, social movement infrastructure, and people-centric organizational design. Alongside his work at RC, Derek is a member of the Munich Young Leaders group of next-generation experts working on new approaches to foreign and security policy, as well as the European Young Leaders group, which aims to bridge the gap between citizens and political elites and rebuild trust in democratic institutions. Prior to joining RC, Derek served as Chief Executive Officer of the international Global Zero movement, a Nobel-nominated initiative for nuclear disarmament backed by hundreds of world leaders, luminaries, and experts. He also co-founded Beyond the Bomb, a U.S.-based grassroots operation focused on centering equity and justice in nuclear advocacy. In 2021, the National Iranian American Council named Derek one of 40 under 40 Iranian Americans who have “inspired, trail-blazed, and made a lasting impact in the world.”

Lesford Duncan, MPH, is the Executive Director of the Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the outdoor industry dedicated to increasing equitable access to nature and the outdoors through community investment and groundbreaking research. Lesford is a collaborative leader in outdoor equity and youth development who has leveraged philanthropy, nonprofit leadership, and programmatic best practices to promote the resilience and well-being of children, families, and communities.

Lesford previously served as the Chief Executive Officer for Greening Youth Foundation, an international nonprofit working to cultivate the next generation of diverse environmental leaders through workforce development. Prior to that he served as the Senior Director of Programs and Associate Executive Director of Outdoor Outreach, a San Diego-based nonprofit introducing youth to the transformative power of the outdoors.

With over a decade of experience in public management in both the government and nonprofit sectors, Lesford has worked collaboratively to lead and support coalitions and develop innovative programs addressing issues at the intersection of outdoor recreation, environmental justice, and health. He has led and collaborated on local, state, and federal public policy efforts to reduce barriers to outdoor access, advocated for equitable conservation and environmental justice, and promoted the health and well-being of communities.

Lesford earned his Bachelor of Science (BA) in Biology from the University of Florida and his Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Policy and Leadership from Loma Linda University. He currently serves as a board member of the Next 100 Coalition and National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and is a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity. Lesford is also an avid kayaker, ultramarathon runner, and mountaineer. Born to Jamaican parents who instilled in him the values of adventure, persistence, and curiosity, Lesford is proud to have placed a small Jamaican flag at Mt. Everest Base Camp. He has also summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, traversed the Grand Canyon, and kayaked through the swamps of the Everglades, all while encouraging youth of color to explore their world in new ways.

Mariana focuses on strategic planning for GreenLatinos organizational initiatives of centering and supporting our membership, building on our own research and priorities, community building, and sustainable growth. Mariana works to positively impact change for a sustainable, clean and healthy madre tierra with our comunidades in mind.

Mariana is a dedicated advocate for environmental liberation, devoting her life to championing the cause for the Latine community and beyond. A proud immigrant and mother of two, Mariana’s journey began in México and evolved on California’s central coast, where she earned her bachelor’s degree as a first-generation student in the environmental field.
Previously, she started her career near the ocean at a local aquarium where she honed in her skills in public education, community engagement, advocacy campaigns and the creation and implementation of the first of its kind bilingual blended programs. Mariana brings award-winning experience in collaborating on community-led policy action campaigns at the local, state, and national levels, providing her with a nuanced understanding of environmental justice and the imperative for the community to lead these initiatives.Mariana loves to spends her time with her kids connecting to her roots-La Madre Tierra and immersing herself in music and dance.

Tiffany has spent 13 years managing and implementing complex initiatives that drive organizational growth and foster cross-sector collaboration. She has extensive experience in community and campaign organizing, program management, and strategic execution, bringing a depth and breadth of perspective that has added value to political campaigns, critical grassroots efforts, and leading cultural and philanthropic organizations. She has designed and implemented innovative grantmaking programs, led community engagement initiatives, and built internal operational strategies to support team alignment and impact.

Prior to joining Imagine Deliver, Tiffany was the Advancement Director at The Constellation Fund, an evidence-driven philanthropic institution committed to alleviating poverty, and the Development Director at Theater Mu, the second-largest Asian American theater in the United States. In addition to serving on the Next 100 Coalition board, Tiffany is actively involved in community leadership and civic engagement. She serves on the board of the Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL), co-chair of the Twin Cities chapter of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Minnesota’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access Committee (AFP-MN IDEA), and is a member of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)’s Core Values Committee, where she helps recognize creative and inclusive civic participation projects nationwide.

A mother of three children and three dogs, Tiffany is an avid fisherwoman who loves spending time outdoors. Whether it’s hiking or camping at state parks or casting a line in Minnesota’s many lakes, she believes in protecting and expanding access to nature for all communities.

Dr. Vanessa Constant is the Associate Director for Resilience (Senior Science Advisor) for the Adrienne Arsht Community-Based Resilience Solutions Initiative at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

Prior to joining the Smithsonian, Vanessa served as the Policy Director at the National Ocean Protection Coalition where she worked with individuals and organizations to create and enhance effective U.S. marine protected areas.

Vanessa was previously a Program Officer with the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where she led a range of activities from fisheries management to ocean science for sustainable development. She also co-authored The MPA Guide, a science-based tool and framework for identifying different types of MPAs and their expected outcomes, and was Lead Scientist with the Our Ocean Accountability Project at Oregon State University, evaluating the accountability, transparency, and status of global ocean conservation commitments. As a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the U.S. Senate, Vanessa advanced a progressive ocean, energy, and environment portfolio.

She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Integrative Biology from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Marine Biology from Cornell University.

Wordna Meskheniten is a Change Management Strategist and Executive Coach. She formerly served as the Vice President of People & Culture with The Wilderness Society where she led the Equity and HR teams. She has 20 years of experience leading in the non-profit and education fields having served as a teacher, trainer, coach and manager across many organizations. Wordna earned her B.A. in History from Harvard University and an M.A. in Change Leadership from Columbia University. She, her husband, and their two children live in Washington, DC.