Our Team

Catherine Blankensop

Development manager

Blankensop directs ERI’s grant proposals and awards, fundraising initiatives, and event planning. She collaborates with funders, donors, and corporate partners to ensure lasting financial support for the institute.

catblank@iu.edu
(812) 855-2469
She/Her

Elissa Booras

Resilient Food Systems Data Analyst

Booras conducts data analysis and other research activities for projects that build and maintain resilient food systems in Indiana.

ebooras@iu.edu
812-855-8539
She/Her

Megan Bretz

Administrative Coordinator

Bretz serves as a primary point of contact for general inquiries, assists with procurement requests and processing, and provides general administrative support to the ERI team.

mcbretz@iu.edu
812-856-8061
She/Her

Bill Brown

Assistant Director for Strategy and Engagement

Brown leads institute and program planning, working alongside ERI’s leadership to advance strategic initiatives and strengthen stakeholder relationships. In a previous role at IU, he helped create the student internship program now known as the McKinney Climate Fellows, which ERI administers.

brownwm@iu.edu
812-855-0115
He/Him

Mark Corbin

Assistant Director for Finance and Operations

Corbin oversees ERI’s financial planning, budgeting, and operational processes, ensuring resources align with the institute’s strategic goals. He manages fiscal reporting, compliance, and process improvements to support program growth and resilience initiatives.

markcorb@iu.edu
812-856-0061
He/Him

Therese Dorau

Assistant Director for Policy and Implementation

Dorau directs ERI’s policy and implementation portfolio, including the McKinney Midwest Climate Project. She works alongside ERI’s leadership to deliver programming and support to local government climate initiatives. Previously, Dorau served as inaugural Director of the Office of Sustainability for the City of South Bend.

tdorau@iu.edu
812-855-3728
She/Her

Daniel Farrell

Resilience Coordinator

Farrell coordinates the Resilience Cohort, one of ERI's flagship programs, working alongside Indiana local governments to support sustainable initiatives and capacity building.

danfarre@iu.edu
He/Him

Stephanie (Steph) Freeman-Day

Resilience Programs Coordinator

Freeman-Day coordinates the Resilience Cohort program's urban green infrastructure track. She supports Indiana local governments and McKinney Climate Fellows as they work to co-produce tree planting and maintenance plans. The plans will identify priority areas for tree canopy expansion in each community, including sites for 100 trees planted and maintained through the program.

stjfreem@iu.edu
812-856-7076
She/Her

Gabriel Filippelli

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

A Chancellor’s Professor of Earth Sciences at IUI, Filippelli works on climate and environmental health, particularly in cities.

gfilippe@iu.edu
317-274-3795
He/Him

Elspeth Hayden

Academic Engagement Manager

Hayden manages the McKinney Climate Fellows green workforce development program, focusing on student engagement and partnerships with nonprofits and businesses across the state. She also supports other academic engagement initiatives across all of IU's campuses. 

haydene@iu.edu
812-855-8742
She/Her

Jonathan Hines

Assistant Director of Strategic Communications

Hines leads ERI's communication and outreach initiatives, promoting awareness of ERI's mission and activities within the university and among the public. He serves as a liaison to faculty and staff, media, and the general public.

johines@iu.edu
812-856-3610
He/Him

Janet McCabe

SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR

As senior policy advisor, McCabe leads several projects critical to the state, including a relaunch of the Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment, and further build out the institute’s network of municipal partners.

jgmccabe@iu.edu
She/Her

Julie McLenachen

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

McLenachen serves as a primary point of contact for general inquiries, provides administrative support to the team, handles initial fiscal document processing, and assists with maintaining and expanding ERI's online presence.

jmclenac@iu.edu
812-855-8539
She/Her

Sarah Mincey

MANAGING DIRECTOR

A clinical associate professor at the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Mincey studies urban forest management and environmental governance.

skmincey@iu.edu
812-855-8745
She/Her

Marie Renahan

Engagement Coordinator

Renahan leads community engagement for several ERI projects, including the Indiana Resilience Funding Hub. She collaborates with communities across the state to plan and implement sustainability and resilience projects. Additionally, she helps coordinate the annual Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference.

mrenahan@iu.edu
(812) 856-2332
She/Her