STAFF
DIRECTORY

Jamie Heipel is The Green Institute's Executive Director. Jamie brings ten years of business and human resource management experience in the areas of financial and risk management. Before joining The Green Institute in October 2003 as Director of the ReUse Program, Jamie served as Strategic Business Unit Regional Manager for Affiliated Computer Services, a Utah-based company providing business and information technology outsourcing, whose clients include the American Express Midwest Region. (612) 278-7113

Julia Eagles is the Metro CERTs Community Organizer. Julia comes to the Green Institute from its colleague organization, the Philips Community Energy Cooperative (PCEC)-a Metro CERTs affiliate-and has extraordinary community organizing skills and experience. Her organizing has been focused on community energy for the past three years. Julia holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Macalester College.(612)278-7117

Tony Boxwell is Fleet and Procurement Manager with the ReUse/DeCon. He originally joined the Green Institute in 2005 as a store employee and pick-up coordinator. Tony brings construction and retail experience. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology and Management from Concordia University.(612)281-9844

Nancy Kelly is the Community Energy Project Manager. She has over twenty years of experience on both small and large scale energy projects, including the Riverside Power Plant where she was employed by Xcel Energy to oversee plant upgrades and improvements in environmental health and safety. Nancy holds an M.S. in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Minnesota and a B.S in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a licensed professional engineer and certified Energy Manager. (612) 278-7119

Diana McKeown is Metro-CERT Network coordinator. Prior to joining The Green Institute, Diana worked for over fourteen years at Clean Water Action where she gained experience with media work, grassroots organizing, campaign planning, lobbying, and fundraising. Diana has experience building strategic campaigns and coalitions. Diana holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Minnesota. (612) 278-7125

Mick Pulsifer is DeConstruction and Sales Manager. Prior to joining The Green Institute in the winter of 2005, Mick was a Consultant specializing in reclamation, helping to develop business strategies for the reuse of salvaged building materials. He brings special knowledge in the salvaging, recycling and selling of quality wood products, construction equipment, cast iron, and non-ferrous metals. (612) 278-7121

Martin Simmons is a Crew Leader for DeConstruction Services. Martin has been with The Green Institute since 2007 and brings experience in both construction and management. (612) 235-9417

Helen Spry is Building and Office Administrative Assistant for The Green Institute. In addition to her administrative duties, she provides support to the fifteen commercial tenants at the Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center. Before joining The Green Institute, Helen worked for thirty years at AT&T in Minneapolis and Chicago. She holds an M.A. in Telecommunications from DePaul University in Chicago. (612) 278-7122

Venbing Jogwuia is the Energy Efficiency Technical Specialist for the Green Institute. Prior to that, he worked as a Development Engineer for Seagate Technology in Shakopee, Minnesota where he developed and designed test strategies circuit boards and microchips. Venbing graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and from Hennepin Technical College - Eden Prairie, Minnesota with an A.A.S. in Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR). He holds a six sigma certification, special Engineers Boilers License and is a Universal Certified Refrigeration technician. (612)278-7111

Agatha Vaaler is Associate for the Energy and Building Program. She has been an affiliate of The Green Institute since 2006 having served on its Board of Directors. Agatha brings experience in architecture, urban planning, and community economic development. She holds an M.A. in Housing and Urbanism from the Architectural Association (London) and a B.A. from Middlebury College. (612) 278-7142

Jamie Heipel is The Green Institute's Executive Director. Jamie brings ten years of business and human resource management experience in the areas of financial and risk management. Before joining The Green Institute in October 2003 as Director of the ReUse Program, Jamie served as Strategic Business Unit Regional Manager for Affiliated Computer Services, a Utah-based company providing business and information technology outsourcing, whose clients include the American Express Midwest Region. (612) 278-7113

Nate Ptacek coordinates online communication and contributes to marketing efforts at the ReUse Center. A graduate of St. John's University, he brings environmental perspective to his creative work. In his spare time, he has been developing a documentary focused on perceptions of wilderness in the 21st Century. (920)544-2085

Nancy Kelly is the Community Energy Project Manager. She has over twenty years of experience on both small and large scale energy projects, including the Riverside Power Plant where she was employed by Xcel Energy to oversee plant upgrades and improvements in environmental health and safety. Nancy holds an M.S. in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Minnesota and a B.S in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a licensed professional engineer and certified Energy Manager. (612) 278-7119

Jamison Gillitzer is the Community Energy Program Assistant at The Green Institute. Graduating from the University of Minnesota with degrees in Entrepreneurial Management and Sustainability, he seeks to better align the goals of businesses and environmentalists, as well as one day own an environmentally focused organization. (952) 239-9411

Diana McKeown is Metro-CERTs Network coordinator. Prior to joining The Green Institute, Diana worked for over fourteen years at Clean Water Action where she gained experience with media work, grassroots organizing, campaign planning, lobbying, and fundraising. Diana has experience building strategic campaigns and coalitions. Diana holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Minnesota. (612) 278-7125

Mick Pulsifer is DeConstruction and Sales Manager. Prior to joining The Green Institute in the winter of 2005, Mick was a Consultant specializing in reclamation, helping to develop business strategies for the reuse of salvaged building materials. He brings special knowledge in the salvaging, recycling and selling of quality wood products, construction equipment, cast iron, and non-ferrous metals. (612) 278-7121

Carl Samuelson is the Metro CERT Saint Paul Organizer. Carl recently completed Green Corps, a one year-long training fellowship in environmental organizing, through which he ran campaigns in North Carolina, New York, and Minnesota. Carl also has experience organizing in the faith community in Minnesota. He has a B.S. in Political Science from St. Olaf College. (612) 278-7123

Martin Simmons is a Crew Leader for DeConstruction Services. Martin has been with The Green Institute since 2007 and brings experience in both construction and management. (612) 235-9417

Helen Spry is Building and Office Administrative Assistant for The Green Institute. In addition to her administrative duties, she provides support to the fifteen commercial tenants at the Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center. Before joining The Green Institute, Helen worked for thirty years at AT&T in Minneapolis and Chicago. She holds an M.A. in Telecommunications from DePaul University in Chicago. (612) 278-7122

Diane Tilseth has been Financial Accounting Clerk for The Green Institute since 2001. Prior to joining The Green Institute in 2001, Diane worked at the American Indian Opportunities Industrialization Center (AIOIC) as a bookkeeper. (612) 278-7115

Agatha Vaaler is Associate for the Energy and Building Program. She has been an affiliate of The Green Institute since 2006 having served on its Board of Directors. Agatha brings experience in architecture, urban planning, and community economic development. She holds an M.A. in Housing and Urbanism from the Architectural Association (London) and a B.A. from Middlebury College. (612) 278-7142