As a Green Business Network Member, you can vote for your representatives to the Green America Board. This year, there is one seat up for election, and we want to hear from you.
Green America's democratically elected Board of Directors represents all of our various stakeholders—our individual members, our business members, and Green America's worker members. Your participation is vital to our ongoing work to grow the green economy.
Browse your candidates' personal statements below and cast your vote by February 11. The winner will be announced in an upcoming issue of Connections.
Kimberly Griego-Kiel
Horizons Sustainable Financial Services
I am President and majority shareholder of Horizons Sustainable Financial Services, Inc. in Santa Fe, NM, in operation since January 2007 and have been a Financial Advisor since 1999.
I currently serve as a member of the Mayoral appointed board of the Santa Fe Sustainability Commission which has just had approved our 2040 Sustainability Plan for the City of Santa Fe. I have also been a founding member of the Santa Fe Green Chamber and served for 6 years with 2 years as board chair. Other previous volunteer commitments include 6 years as a member of the governing board for a local bilingual charter school with 2 years as board chair, a member of PFLAG, and a member of Equality NM’s statewide board. Additionally I have had other local volunteer stints over the course of my 20 years in NM.
With a growing business in the Sustainability sector and an Advisor who only focus’ on Sustainable Investments in my 20 years in this industry, I feel I can bring a distinctive perspective to the ever-changing landscape of sustainability. I have a unique idea of what consumers are looking for in the current marketplace, it is not just about investments, but about how our purchasing power can shift the economy and make a statement in these uncertain political times. Our money tells our story, now more than ever and consumers want that story to be heard, and they want their voices carried into the next generation.
Deborah Momsen-Hudson
Self-Help Credit Union
I am honored to currently serve as a board member of Green America and would be honored to continue to serve. I have been involved with formerly Co-op America and now Green America for over 20 years. Currently I serve as Vice Chair of the Board, on the Board’s Finance committee as chair of the Endowment Committee, and as chair of the Personnel Committee.
I come to this work from a social justice perspective, believing that equal access and opportunity for all is critical for the new economy to thrive and grow. Green America is a critical piece of building the new economy. Committed to environmental responsibility and social justice, Green America is an important piece of the puzzle in furthering a new structure for economic change.
The programmatic successes of the last few years at Green American have been tremendous. From Verizon's recent announcement to commit to 50% renewable energy, to 'skip the slip' campaign against CVS on Time Square on Giving Tuesday, to systems changing work on regenerative agriculture, the organization has been incredibly successful in changing corporate behavior and making a difference in the Green Economy.
In my opinion, Green America and Green Business Network does the best job of consumer and business education & engagement of any organization. It is critical that Green America grows and strengthens so alternative voices can be heard, especially against the vitriolic rhetoric of today.
I believe my experience as a leader, manager, board member and strategic thinker allow me to work well with current board members and staff to continue and increase Green America’s significant impact and sustainability.
Veejay Patell
Beyond GREEN, LLC
I wish to serve on the Green America Board, representing green business in order to actively design and promote eco-efficient products and practices that can be used in harmony with the natural world as an alternative to the eco-destructive single-use plastic products existing in the market.
Today, when I look back on my career of 20+ years of management in the field of plastic processing and manufacturing, I recall the entire life cycle of plastics, from the birth of commercial plastic products to the declining demand for plastic products due to climate change, global warming, plastic pollution and consumption of natural resources.
I was torn and deeply saddened. Plastics had long been my passion, but I could not look away from the difficult truth: they are dangerous for our environment and planet. My increased awareness of plastic pollution motivated me to continue my learning in Sustainable Management and Environmental Science.
Currently I am working on various projects of renewable material technology as an alternative to environmentally harmful single-use plastic products, as an effort to cut-down landfill waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint.
Through my passion for sustainability and an efforts to change, I launched bioDOGradable™ Bags in November 2015. As the industry’s truly alternative to plastic bags, our mission at bioDOGradable Bags is to actively design and build eco-efficient products that can be used in harmony with the natural world. Our passion for sustainability comes from our innermost care for the health of humans, pets, and the environment overall.
