Staff
Meet the Women of WVE!
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Erin Switalski
Executive Director
Before joining Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE) in 2005, Erin worked in a variety of fields, including affordable, green-built housing and human rights. At WVE, Erin led statewide initiatives to reduce women’s exposure to mercury from mercury-containing products and introduced comprehensive legislation to ban the sale of mercury products in the state of Montana. She was also responsible for developing and implementing all aspects of the national Safe Cleaning Products Initiative, which has garnered international media attention, moved major corporations to make unprecedented policy changes, and resulted in the introduction of federal legislation that will reduce women’s exposure to cleaning product chemicals.
Erin has given numerous presentations about the unique role women play as advocates to diverse audiences across the Unites States. Erin is a 2010 winner of the “40 Under 40” leadership award for advocacy from the New Leaders Council. Erin has traveled to Colombia twice to act as a human rights observer. She holds a B.A. in Spanish from the University of Montana.
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Jean Claire Duncan
Director of Finances & Administration
Jean Claire Duncan has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Montana and a Bachelor’s of Science from University of Kentucky. Jean oversees the financial, human resource and technical systems management of the organization. She brings eight years of experience with business and financial management, office systems and other entrepreneurial endeavors.
Most recently, Jean spent the last six years working with Montana-based Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) as an Interim Executive Director and board member. She also served three years as the Business Manager for Jeannette Rankin Peace Resource Center in Missoula, as Executive Director of the Montana Hunger Coalition, and as the General Manager of a California-based food cooperative. The pursuits that keep her happy are the great out of doors, fresh local organic food consumption and being with her wonderful children, all but one of whom are up and out!
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Alexandra Scranton
Director of Science and Research
Alexandra Scranton is the Director of Science and Research at Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE). Alex authors WVE’s scientific reports and provides scientific review for the organization’s programs. Prior to working at WVE, she worked in the epidemiology and statistics unit at the American Lung Association headquarters in New York. Alexandra currently sits on the Research Advisory Committee for the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and on the Institutional Biosafety Committee for Rocky Mountain Laboratories (a National Institutes of Health facility). She has a Masters degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana and a BA from Amherst College. Alexandra lives and works from Pullman, WA, with her husband and two beautiful daughters.
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Jamie McConnell
Director of Programs and Policy
Jamie’s work focuses on advancing policies and strategies that will reduce women’s exposure to toxic chemicals in both the home and occupational settings. She is the National Coordinator of the National Healthy Nail and Beauty Salon Alliance, and serves on the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics national steering committee and legislative subcommittee.
Jamie is also a state steering committee member of Montana Women Vote, a coalition dedicated to educating and mobilizing low-income women to participate in the democratic process. She has a Masters degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana and a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles. While attending the University of Montana, Jamie was named a Doris Duke Conservation Fellow by the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (2005-2006).
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Cassidy Randall
Director of Outreach and Engagement
Cassidy oversees WVE’s market-based campaigns and coordinates efforts to mobilize and engage women in WVE’s work. She develops the organization’s engagement tools and social media, and leads WVE’s Actionista team.
Cassidy brings organizing experience as an Outreach Coordinator with the Surfrider Foundation Malibu Chapter, co-founder of Students for Economic and Social Justice at the University of Montana, and as a campaign organizer and subsequently a board member with Montana Conservation Voters. Cassidy has also served on the board of Community Action for Justice in the Americas, on the steering committee for the Fair Trade City Missoula campaign, and as Advisor to Eduquemos a La Nina at Ak’Tenamit, a Maya cooperative in Guatemala.
Cassidy has an M.S. from the University of Montana in Environmental Studies, and a B.A. in American Literature from UCLA. She is the author of Fighting for the Dream: Voices from a New Generation of Maya Women. In her free time, Cassidy likes skiing snowy slope, paddling fast rivers, and hiking through Montana’s wilderness.
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Britta Bloedorn
Program Associate
Britta joined WVE in spring 2011 to help support WVE’s communications, membership, organizing and database management efforts. As a clinical herbalist, health practitioner and educator, she is committed to finding holistic, respectful and supportive approaches to personal, community and environmental health and to social and environmental justice.
Britta has also worked in watershed restoration, environmental and community-based conservation efforts in Western Montana, as a school community garden coordinator and educator, and as sales manager and consultant for a local natural health business. She holds a B.S. in Resource Conservation and a B.A. in Geography from the University of Montana, has studied midwifery and women’s health in Oakland, CA, and western botanical medicine at the Pacific School of Herbal Medicine and the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine. Britta enjoys her close friends, family and animal companions, baking delicious bread and cakes, and loves swimming in rivers.
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Sara Close
Director of Development
Sara oversees the diversified funding strategies and programs for the organization, including those related to donations, major donors, community & corporate partnerships, events and earned income strategies. Sara was a consultant with WVE for one year prior to joining on staff, during which time she worked on fund diversification and WVE’s Strategic Plan: our “Road Map to a Toxic Free Future.”
Sara’s past clients as a nonprofit consultant have included the Colorado Ocean Coalition, Adventure Film Festival, Elements Mixed Media, EarthFest Boulder, Marine Fish Conservation Network, the 5 Gyres Institute, and working with several individuals and boards to help advance their visions and missions for affecting change in our world. Prior to consulting, Sara spent four years as Membership & Development Manager of the international nonprofit, Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. Sara graduated suma cum laude from Bucknell University with a Bachelors in International Relations, French and Economics, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the American Association of University Women. Sara is a certified Dive Master, yoga teacher, and lover of all elements – especially the water.
Key Consultants
Maria Gonzalez Mabbutt, Bilingual Outreach Advisor, brings many years of experience organizing women on environmental health and justice issues as well as civic engagement. Maria works on contract with WVE to translate materials into Spanish and represents WVE in the Spanish-speaking media.
Sian Wu, Senior Account Executive, Colehour + Cohen
Sian Wu is an experienced public relations professional, specializing in the fields of environment and public health. Since arriving at Colehour + Cohen in March, she has launched an unprecedented blogger and social media strategy for the Environmental Protection Agency’s new initiative aimed at kids and families, Team ENERGY STAR and placed stories in national outlets The New York Times, Huffington Post, Parents magazine and dozens of local TV stations. Prior to C+C, Sian worked at a nonprofit public relations firm where she worked as Women’s Voices for the Earth’s communications consultant for four years, releasing WVE’s Household Hazards report, Green Cleaning Parties and Brazilian Blowout investigation. She also worked with local, national and international NGOs and foundations on communications and outreach strategy around public policy campaigns, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Ocean Conservancy, People for Puget Sound and the National Wildlife Federation. Her first job out of college was as a magazine editor, which was followed by a freelance writing career spanning over 11 years. Sian has also served as board president of The International Examiner, the northwest’s first print publication for the Asian American community.
