Miriam Gordon, State Director, California

While an undergraduate student at Vassar College, Miriam had several environmental internships in Washington D.C. and New York, that helped her realize a passion for helping communities address toxic exposures and contamination from hazardous wastes. In 1983, she became a toxics and waste lobbyist for Environmental Advocates in Albany, New York. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Vermont Law School in 1987, having held clerkships with the New York and Vermont Attorney Generals' environmental offices and the Vermont Legislative Counsel. In 1987, Miriam joined the U.S. E.P.A. Regional Counsel's Superfund program in New York before relocating to California in 1989. She has consulted with local, state, and federal agencies in California, developing pollution prevention programs for the boating and plastics industries, the California Clean Boating education program (at the California Coastal Commission), and state policies on non-point source pollution and marine debris. Miriam joined Clean Water Action / Clean Water Fund in 2008.

Jennifer Clary, Program Associate

Jennifer has served as a water policy and legislative analyst for Clean Water Action since 2003. She directs the Central Valley Program and serves on key state stakeholder committees, advising state agencies on actions to improve groundwater quality and allocate state funding for water infrastructure. Prior to joining Clean Water Action, Jennifer worked in the private sector, including a stint as a San Francisco tour guide, and advocated on environmental issues in San Francisco. She holds a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from U.C. Berkeley.

Andria Ventura, Program Associate

Andria left a 13-year career in publishing in 1995 to work on environmental issues for the New Jersey Environmental Federation, Clean Water Action's New Jersey chapter. There she served first on the phone canvass and then became an organizer working on a wide array of issues, supplementing her work by joining her town's environmental commission. Andria joined the California staff in May 2003, after a two-year hiatus in Hawaii volunteering with the Waikiki Zoo's elephant program and working at the Oceanic Institute. She represents Clean Water Action on the Environmental Justice Coalition for Water's Program Advisory Committee and staffs our TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load), drinking water contaminants, and chemical policy programs. Andria has a B.A. in history from U.C. Santa Barbara and did graduate work on immigration history at Utah State University.

Mary Carbone, Phone Canvass Director

Mary has been with Clean Water Action for 13 years, the past five of which she served as Phone Canvass Director. She has personally raised close to 2 million dollars in member contributions since she started working for the organization. Under her direction, the S.F. Phone Canvass has improved its gross by almost 100%, hitting its first million-dollar year in 2008 and being on track to raise 1.1 million this year. Before coming to Clean Water Action, she worked for Greenpeace for almost six years in their field canvass in the early '90s, in their Boston and San Francisco offices.

Dave Schwerin, Field Canvass Staff Director

Dave received his B.A. in American Studies from Dickinson College in 2007. He coordinates Clean Water Action's field outreach program for the Bay Area, increasing membership and building upon campaign victories. He says, "I feel incredibly fortunate that even in a recession, I have a job where I get to talk face-to-face with people about something that I'm passionate about. I also have an incredible staff who shares my motivation."

Virginia Madueño, Central Valley Organizer

Virginia works with communities in California's Central Valley to help community members get involved in their water decision making processes and to identify resources to address impacted areas that suffer from chronic septic problems, bacteriological contamination, and high levels of nitrates, and in some cases arsenic. She coordinates with multiple agencies throughout the Valley to share resources in addressing water quality issues.

Drew Blackman, Phone Canvass Lead Administrator

Joining Clean Water Action in March 2009, Drew is responsible for processing all of the pledges made by the canvass as well as tracking canvasser performance and preparing reports for Clean Water Action's national office. As an environmental activist, Drew believes in Clean Water Action's mission because the impact of its work plays an integral role in all forms of environmental protection, public health, and environmental justice.

Volunteers

Lori Chen, Legislative Coordinator

A mother of two and a nurse, Lori is concerned about children and disadvantaged communities and recognizes how essential clean water is to their well-being. Lori joined Clean Water Action in 2009 as a volunteer, learning the ropes of the California legislature. Being the legislative coordinator for Clean Water Action fulfills her long-standing desire to make a difference in politics and policy for the best interests of future generations. When not attending committee hearings or meeting with legislators, Lori enjoys organic gardening, running, and belaying her husband at the bases of rocky cliffs around the world.

Ernie Rideout, Communications and Web Editor

An avid sailor, kayaker, and follower of water and environmental policy, Ernie has nearly always lived within shouting distance of the Pacific, the Atlantic, or one of the Great Lakes. He was the editor in chief of Keyboard magazine for many years, and published numerous articles and books about music. Much of his career has been spent as an educator as well, and he's currently on the adjunct faculty of West Valley College in Saratoga, California. Though his own college days are long gone, his real education began when he started paying attention to the great things that Clean Water Action is doing to make sure all of our water resources are protected.