Staff Members
Staff Members
Dayna Stock
Interim Executive Director -she/her/hers
Dayna has provided strategic leadership to nonprofit organizations in the St. Louis Region for over 20 years, with results in planning, program delivery and fund development. Prior to joining the Rome Group, Dayna was the Chief Development Officer at United Way of Greater St. Louis, where she led a team to record campaign attainment in excess of $76 million. She is a skilled facilitator with extensive experience leading volunteers, boards of directors, and customized corporate philanthropy partnerships for community benefit.
Dayna earned a master’s degree in public policy analysis and a PhD in political science from University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a BA in communications from Missouri State University. She has taught courses in strategic planning and political science at UMSL and Washington University.
Executive Assistant - she/her/hers
Denise began her lifelong environmental non-profit career at Indiana's largest environmental organization, where she served as Administration Director, Assistant Development Director, and Managing Editor of Monitor, the statewide environmental magazine. Afterward, she served as Advancement Director for the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay in gorgeous northern Michigan. In St.Louis, Denise served as Director of Development at the Academy of Science. Denise graduated cum laude with a B.A. in journalism and English from Indiana University. She is the author of a book of poetry and the drummer for Swampcat Holler. Denise loves tending to her native garden and hiking.
Known & Grown Manager - she/her/hers
Jenn’s passions for the environment and St. Louis led her to join MCE as the Known & Grown Manager in July of 2019. Before coming to MCE, she worked as the Program Manager for the Green Dining Alliance, a program of earthday365. Jenn serves as a member of the City of St. Louis’s 100% Clean Energy Advisory Board and is a member of the US Green Building Council’s Green Schools Quest Committee. Jenn is a graduate of Washington University, a Focus St. Louis Emerging Leaders graduate, and a New Leaders Council fellow. Jenn enjoys working in her community garden, biking, exploring Missouri’s rivers and creekbeds, and spending time with her adorable cats.
River Advocate - he/him/his
For the past thirty years, Jim has combined his passion for wildlife, wild places and environmental issues with high quality video production. Transforming complex scientific concepts into compelling stories has become his hallmark, and the numerous awards and honors his work has received speak to the popularity of his programs with the general public. For over 20 years, Jim was a lead producer for the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Missouri Outdoors program. With over 100 story segments in the can, Jim evolved into long-form production, not only for the Missouri Department of Conservation, but other state and federal resource agencies as well. Jim has produced dozens of award winning documentary films concerning a wide range of natural history and environmental issues. In 2001, Jim stepped from behind the camera to found Missouri River Relief, a hands-on, on-the-river advocacy group devoted to physically cleaning up the wide Missouri. Thousands of volunteers have picked up hundreds of tons of trash on the lower Missouri as a result of this organization. Jim's river-adjacent Boone County property has served as the organizations boatyard and equipment headquarters for nearly 20 years.
Development Director - she/her/hers
Laura is thrilled to be part of MCE's passionate team, and is excited to build on the successful outreach strategies incorporated by staff and members over the decades. Laura's professional experience has covered a gamut of development and public relations initiatives, working for corporate, government, and non-profit entities on diverse environmental initiatives. She earned her Bachelors degree from Concordia University in Business Management and Communications. In 2011, she earned her MS in Sustainability at St. Louis University where her academic focus was on water management principles. Laura is inspired and energized by giving back, having served on many boards and committees in the St. Louis region. She is also very involved with her local church, specifically the food bank and tutoring program with an inner-city grade school. Laura is an avid hiker, biker, and gardener, and a life long lover of people and nature.
Rae Miller
Local Food Director - she/her/hers
Rae comes to MCE having worked on sustainable farms, with local non-profits, and as an environmental compliance Project Manager. Originally from St. Louis, Rae is connecting sustainable local farmers to new markets in the St. Louis area, with focus on public institutions. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities with her dog Woolly, especially gardening.
Food Justice Organizer - she/her/hers
Tosha joins MCE after working in social services for seven years, helping children, teaching, and creating programming. Tosha's passion for food justice and urban and rural farming stems from her work with local growers and other organizations, like New Roots. At New Roots, Tosha taught homeless children how to grow their own food and the importance of access to healthy foods. Along with her work and volunteer experience, she also serves on the board of City Greens Market. In her free time, you can find Tosha having fun and exploring local gardens with her seven-year-old son.
Melissa Vatterott
Food & Farm Policy Director - she/her/hers
Melissa graduated from Michigan State University College of Law in 2014, where she focused her studies in environmental and natural resource law. With a B.S. in environmental science and a minor in agricultural economics from the University of Missouri, Melissa has particular appreciation for soil conservation and environmental and agricultural policy. Since writing MCE’s St. Louis Regional Food Study published in 2014, Melissa works to support environmentally-responsible farming practices and local food systems across the state, which includes directing the St. Louis Food Policy Coalition.
Known & Grown Specialist - he/him/his
Chris Wimmer joined the Missouri Coalition for the Environment’s Food & Farm team as the Known & Grown Farm Specialist in July of 2019. Chris was born and raised in St. Louis and always dreamed of becoming a farmer. He received his BS in Agronomy from University of Missouri Columbia. Eager to combine his passion for environmental stewardship and growing food Chris founded The Farm at Kraut Run in 1995. The farm produced organic vegetables and meat sold locally through a Community Supported Agriculture program, farmers markets, and local restaurants. The farm’s hands-on educational field trips were designed to impress on visitors the importance of enhancing nature while producing food responsibly. In 2017 MCE sponsored a trip to the farm that introduced Chris to the effective environmental work they have been doing for the last 50 years. He is excited to join the newly formed Known and Grown Team, and to share his desire to expand the availability of locally grown, organic and humanely raised food.
Courtney Casteel
Communications Coordinator - she/her/hers
Courtney considers herself a deeply passionate individual, which shows in the work that she does. She has obtained her Bachelors in management, marketing, and sustainability studies from Webster University. She's also working on becoming certified in health and life coaching at the international Health Coach Institute. Prior to joining the MCE family, she has worked with the environmental nonprofits the Missouri Botanical Garden and earthday365. There, she helped to coordinate one of the largest Earth Day celebrations in the country, the St. Louis Earth Day Festival. Courtney truly enjoys working with nonprofits and furthers this commitment as a member of the Communications Committee of Nonprofit Marketers Network. In her free time, she indulges in reading about spirituality and metaphysical studies, doing yoga and meditation, appreciating nature, and loving on her cat, July.
David Behrens
Super Volunteer
David first became involved with MCE in the late 1970s circulating an MCE petition in St. Louis and Kansas City against of the Callaway Nuclear power plant. He returned to MCE in 2014 to work on several projects: reviewing MSD’s semi-annual reports on their compliance with the Consent Decree and working on MCE’s comments on the US Park Service’s revised management plan for the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. He is now the lead volunteer working on MCE's newest resources, The People's Guide to Environmental Action. David is a veteran of the United States Army and holds a BA in International Relations from American University in Washington, D.C. and an AS in Bio-Medical Engineering from Forest Park. Since his retirement in 2014, he has been volunteering one day each week in the MCE office working on everything from research to assistance with clerical work. He also heads up many of MCE's tabling efforts at community events. He is originally from Pittsburgh, PA, and has lived in Saint Louis for over four decades with his wife. He has two children and two grandchildren. He and his wife enjoy doing Laughter Yoga.
Anna Weber
Marketing & Communications Intern
Anna is a current senior at Webster University working toward her Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications, as well as Media Communications. Anna has been very passionate about the environment from a young age and is happy to be working towards a cause she believes in with the MCE. In her spare time, she enjoys visiting local parks, doing yoga, practicing photography, and spending time with her cat named Simba.
Jessica Lassen
Known & Grown STL Intern
Jess grew up in Northern Wisconsin before completing her B.S. in Communications and Political Science at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She created an eco-friendly living blog and volunteered on political campaigns during her time as a stay-at-home-mom while living in Minneapolis and San Francisco. These days she can usually be found in a coffee shop, walking in Forest Park, at the playground with her two daughters, or kickboxing at a local gym. Jess’s career goals include serving in high public office.Board Members
Kally Coleman
Board President - she/her/hers
After 3 years on MCE's Board in the early 2000's, Kally rejoined the board in the fall of 2015, and has served as Board President since 2019. Kally brings a unique environmental experience to MCE with her legacy as co-founder of Friends of Ozark Riverways, an affiliate organization of MCE. Friends of Ozark Riverways advocates for stronger enforcement of regulations on the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers, and works to foster awareness, appreciation, & respect for the history, culture, and natural splendor of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. She was a founding member of the Ozark Riverways Foundation, has served on the boards of Missouri Parks Association and The Green Center, and has been involved with the Missouri Arts Council as an advisor and grant panelist for the Missouri Folk Arts Program. Kally is co-chair of MCE's Anti-Racism Committee, chairs the Executive and Personnel Committees, and serves on the Policy and Board Development Committees. Having lived most of her life along the Current River, she is an avid fisherman and enjoys paddling, hiking, and camping along Ozark streams.
Eric Wilkinson
Board Vice President
Eric is an award winning Filmmaker and Media Developer at the Missouri Historical Society where he produces and creates videos, media, and interactive content for exhibits and other institutional needs. In 2017 he won an Emmy Award for his Missouri Historical Society produced documentary feature Show Me 66: Main Street Through Missouri. The film reframes the history of Route 66's birth and places the Missouri Ozarks as a central player in this story. Also in 2017 he won two Telly Awards and two Hermes Awards for his other works for the Missouri Historical Society. In 2014 his feature film Portrait of St. Louis at 250 Years was the cornerstone presentation for the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, screened at numerous venues, and was a key part of the Missouri History Museum's 250 in 250 exhibit. He has a life-long passion for environmental issues and enjoys paddling, camping, hiking, and, in his younger days, rock climbing.
Bernard Waxman
Board Treasurer
Bernard, "Buddy" Waxman is a retired professor of computer science from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. In that position, he served for six years as the chair of the Department of Computer Science and then as the acting dean of the School of Engineering before retiring. He has long been interested in environmental issues and has volunteered with the coalition as far back as the effort to stop the Callaway nuclear power plant. Because of their interest in renewable energy and energy efficiency, he and his wife have both solar heating and solar electricity on their home.
Steve Mahfood
Board of Directors
Steve has a 40-year track record as an innovator and leader in the environmental, energy, and natural resource fields. He was appointed for 8 years by three successive governors as Cabinet Secretary to lead the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. During his tenure, he added over 60,000 acres to the state park system and led the development and construction of the first LEED Platinum state office. He also represented Missouri and the US by chairing the NAFTA-US Governmental Environmental Advisory Commission (GAC), serving on the EPA's Environmental Financial Advisory Board (EFAB) for 13 years, and he received the "United States Presidential Environmental Achievement Award" in 1989. His work was also the subject of a "60 Minutes" episode because of his leadership in negotiating the first agreement in US history for a corporate buy out of the houses of Missouri citizens whose children were being exposed to lead contamination and smelter emissions. Currently, he is advising the Nature Conservancy and many influential organizations on climate change, energy, environmental, natural resource and carbon management issues. Steve holds a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University and is a graduate of the Yale University Environmental and Management Leadership.
David Garin
Board of Directors
David retired from the University of Missouri-St. Louis where he was Associate Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Science and Technology. He co-authored the textbook, “Chemistry: Its Role in Society” and served as the first chairperson of Missouri’s Hazardous Waste Management Commission. David was a Congressional Science Fellow in 1980-81 working in Congressman Al Gore’s office on environmental issues. In October 2019, David received the first UMSL Retiree of the Year Award.
He has served on MCE’s Board for more than 25 years in various roles.
David Lobbig
Board of Directors
As Curator of Environmental Life at the Missouri Historical Society, David is responsible for the acquisition, research, interpretation, and care of artifact collections representing environmental concerns, including transportation, agriculture, energy use, and natural resource exploitation and stewardship. His work documenting regional watershed history culminated in the Missouri History Museum's landmark Mighty Mississippi exhibit. A Board member of MCE since 2002, as well as past President, he has served on the Policy, Board Development, Fundraising and Development Committees, and the Smart Growth Action Team.
Steve Brewer
Board of Directors
Steve joined the board in early 2017. He has earned a BS in Social Studies and an MS in Park Administration. He has over thirty years experience in park management with Missouri State Parks, St. Louis County Parks, the city of Clayton Parks and the US Forest Service in Granby, Colorado. Steve also served in the US Army and the US Peace Corps-Afghanistan. He retired from the VA where he served as a budget analyst and finally as a national records officer. An avid canoeist, kayaker and self-acclaimed river rat.
Arlene Sandler
Board of Directors
When Arlene moved to St. Louis years ago, she was shocked to learn about St. Louis' legacy of the Atomic Age radioactive wastes. These wastes were dumped at many locations in the St. Louis metro area, and Arlene has been working toward their removal ever since. She joined MCE’s board in 1979, initially drawn to the organization to help with the ultimately successful referendum, “construction work in progress” or (CWIP), relating to the Callaway nuclear power plant. Collaborating with Kay Drey her mentor, Arlene helped write and edit fact sheets and pamphlets for the Nuclear Information and Resource Service and Beyond Nuclear. She offered her testimony for many public hearings. Arlene also remains concerned about land use and water pollution issues.
Arlene was initially attracted to MCE because it was the only local environmental activist organization around in the 1970’s. She still sees MCE as the best place for her volunteer energy. Her career as a librarian gave her the opportunity and the resources to do research on environmental problems, and the governmental regulations that are supposed to protect us.
Gwendolyn Verhoff
Board of Directors
Gwendolyn completed her Ph.D. in History at Washington University in St. Louis. Her work has been recognized with an Eisenhower-Roberts Fellowship, awarded by the Eisenhower Institute to support research into the Cold War; a Haas Fellowship promoting “understanding of the chemical industries in relation to societal, environmental, health, and safety issues and in the public understanding of science” completed in residence at the Science History Institute (formerly the Chemical Heritage Foundation) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the Rachel Carson Prize for Best Dissertation in Environmental History awarded by the American Society for Environmental History. She brings to MCE a life-long interest in education, advocacy, and preserving the environment for future generations. Her research focuses on the nuclear history of the United States, especially the implications of nuclear weapons production for human health and the environment.