Board

Quena Batres is Community Engagement Manager at The Nature Conservancy. Quena is an EarthCorps alumna having served as a Corps member in 2016 and a Volunteer Specialist in 2017. Since serving at EarthCorps she has continued working for a variety of environmental nonprofits such as the Student Conservation Association and Washington Environmental Council. Quena received her BA from the University of Kansas in International Studies.

She is an avid hiker and rock climber, and also enjoys spending time in parks close to home.

Shava is the Director of Fiscal Services at Seattle Parks Foundation, where she partners with community groups to champion thriving and equitable open spaces. She has over 25 years of experience in finance with small businesses and nonprofits as well as relationship building and collaboration with community and strategic partners. Shava formerly served on the board of Historic South Downtown, a community preservation organization that serves Seattle’s historic communities of Pioneer Square and Chinatown International District. When not working or volunteering, Shava spends as much time as she can in nature; hiking, camping, or biking, and traveling with her family. Born and raised in the PNW, a Beacon Hill resident for the last 22 years, she is a graduate of the University of Washington, where she received her bachelor’s degree in art and metals design.

Newsome currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Sound Transit in the Western

Washington region. Previous to this assignment, he was the CFO for an automotive

manufacturer with over $3 billion in annual revenue that provides assemblies for electric

vehicles. Before that, he had CFO assignments for multiple local governments, including

Wayne County Michigan (which includes Detroit and has an annual budget of $1.6B) and Flint

Michigan post water crisis.

Newsome’s time as an executive has allowed him to perform in mission-focused organizations.

At Sound Transit, he supports providing mass transit in the spirit of addressing climate change

and providing economic mobility to many citizens of the Seattle region. At Piston, he

experienced the wave of electrification in a role that challenged him to think about how ESG

impacts strategy and finance. Newsome’s public sector assignments helped show him the

importance of establishing ways to measure risks from climate change and social injustices, as

well as assess how organizational activities impact climate change and social injustice.

This has culminated into his becoming a champion for finding ways for the Finance function to

serve society as a whole.

Adam Nebenzahl is a Management Analyst with the City of Bainbridge Island. He has a Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Washington and a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Policy and Education from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Adam has a background in environmental conservation from his work in Senegal in the Peace Corps, Crew member for Excelsior Conservation Corps, and as an EarthCorps Alumni when he was a Volunteer Specialist in 2019. Adam is excited to continue to support the work of environmental conservation and expand his knowledge and support in environmental justice. In his free time, you can find him outdoors hiking, camping, and exploring new restaurants.

Ayesha was born in Washington and was first exposed to the region’s natural beauty through family trips camping and hiking in the Puget Sound area. She has a passion for nature and the outdoors and preserving natural spaces for community enjoyment. After becoming a mother, Ayesha moved to Seattle to plant roots in the Pacific Northwest and raise a family in a part of the country where outdoor activities are abundant, and breathtaking nature is at her doorstep.

Ayesha is a Vice-President at Brightwheel where she focuses on delivering high-quality curriculum to preschools and child care centers across the country.  She has over 20 years of experience in high-growth companies, including 15 years at Amazon where she led multiple retail businesses. She enjoys working in high-performing teams, building beloved brands and growing talent. Outside of work, Ayesha enjoys boating, hiking and skiing and exploring the Pacific Northwest’s mountains and waterways.

Danny Rees is a Senior Advisor for Partnerships & Philanthropy at Save the Children. Danny’s previous roles include Northwest Director of Philanthropy at Trust for Public Land and Director of Development at the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. Danny hails from England and has a BA in Philosophy and an MSc in International Relations from Bristol University. He enjoys running, hiking and backpacking and all things food related. 

Emily Tomita (she/her) currently serves as the Executive Director at City Fruit. She previously served as the Grants Manager for Arms Around You and as the Youth Programs Manager at Refugee Women’s Alliance. In addition to serving on the board of EarthCorps, Emily is a member of the board of directors of the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition (SESEC). She also loves to bake cakes, be outside, and spend time with her dog Velcro.

Evlyn brings not only a passion for the environment and youth development but also extensive experience in management, finance, fundraising, organizing, and advocacy across the academic, government, and nonprofit sectors. Evlyn served as EarthCorps’ Executive Director for three years and before that served as a Policy Advisor on Land Use, Environment, and Environmental Justice to San Diego County Board Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer.  Evlyn’s experience also includes serving as the Development Director at Climate Action Campaign, and Manager for both the Office of Diversity and the Center for Public Health Practice at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health. She has also served in numerous volunteer positions supporting low-income families on topics ranging from college admissions to substance abuse and addiction. Evlyn has been a passionate proponent of social, economic, and environmental justice and has served on various executive boards for Democratic clubs throughout the San Diego region, as well as the Sierra Club. She also has experience working on local, regional, and national political campaigns.

Joanna Pickup has spent most of the past two decades in a variety of communications roles at The Boeing Company, and currently leads its Executive, Employee and Functional Communications for its Commercial Airplanes division. Prior to Boeing, Joanna worked for a Seattle-based consulting firm focused on sustainable development, leading its communications and supporting client activities. 

She has Master of Business Administration from Seattle University, bachelor degrees in Business Administration and Communications from the University of Washington, as well as holds Masters Certificates in Sustainable Business, Project Management and Women in Leadership. 

Outside of work, Joanna enjoys exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest. 

Malia is currently a Leadership Development Manager at Amazon. Malia has a background in managing and delivering learning experiences for adults in corporate and university settings. Malia holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College. Originally from Hawaii, Malia has called Seattle home for nearly 20 years. In her free time Malia loves reading, gardening, and hiking in the beautiful PNW with her family.

Maya Sullivan (she/her) works as a Program Manager at Insight Global in its Talent Services division where she applies her background in disaster response and development. She is also an MBA Candidate, Class of 2027 at the Foster School of Business, University of Washington. She hopes to build a career in environmental justice work in the PNW. Maya grew up in Seattle and enjoys rock climbing, skiing, hosting themed dinner parties, and curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee.

Paul J. Wright is Director of Workplace Safety for Boeing in Renton, Washington, and South Carolina. He has been with Boeing for over 25 years, holding senior leadership roles in Flight Sciences, Product Development Environmental Performance, and System Safety and Regulatory Affairs. Paul earned a BSME in Control Systems from Santa Clara University.

Shanon Tysland is a physical therapist as well as a fitness and personal development consultant.  He is the founder and owner of Experience Momentum, a wellness company that offers physical therapy, massage therapy, personal training, and nutrition programs.  Experience Momentum participates in 1% for the Planet.  Shanon is active with 1% for the Planet nationally and has served on school and rotary boards.

Shruti currently leads North America Safety and Quality programs team at Amazon. She has a background in manufacturing, technology and product development . Originally from India, Shruti has  had the joy of calling Seattle home for the past 10 years. She has a Masters in Food Science from Cornell University and is currently pursuing MBA at University of Michigan. She is an avid reader and had travelled to. 20 + countries. She is passionate about sustainability, restoration and women’s health advocacy.

Stephanie LaBoo works as a Principal Safety Engineer and Risk Manager for Amazon Fulfillment Technologies and Robotics. Her team is responsible for making sure safety is designed into the new automation developed by the organization. Her passion is to not only design safer systems but develop ways to make their designs sustainable. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys running full and half marathons all over the world and enjoying the outdoors. 

Tillman “Zack” Erb most recently served as Director of Digital Product Management at Starbucks, guiding cross-disciplinary teams across product, operations, and organizational change. After completing the Terra.do Learning for Climate Action fellowship in 2025, he is focused on applying systems thinking to climate resilience and environmental justice. Drawn to EarthCorps’ mission, Zack is passionate about restoring and protecting urban forests and green spaces to ensure equitable access to nature for all. A long-time Seattle resident, he enjoys exploring wilderness areas near and far through hiking, camping, and running.