ERI Staff
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
Cheyenne Brenton
Administrative Assistant
Brenton serves as a primary point of contact for incoming inquiries, handles scheduling requests and provides general administrative support to the team.
clbrento@iu.edu
812-855-8539
They/Them
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
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
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
McKinney Climate Fellows Program 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
Communications & Outreach Manager
Hines supports ERI's communication and outreach initiatives by 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
Audrey Kaul
Value Chain Professional
Kaul connects food businesses with market channel opportunities in the Uplands region of Indiana. Focused on farm to institution, she works to align values and strengthen connections as part of the FARMWISE Indiana project.
audkaul@iu.edu
812-855-8539
She/Her
Greg Koehler
Value Chain Professional
Based in South Bend, Ind., Koehler coordinates efforts to strengthen connections across the food chain, focusing on institutional food procurement in the North Central region of Indiana as part of the FARMWISE Indiana project.
grkoehle@iu.edu
812-855-8539
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
Jennifer Musall
VALUE CHAIN PROFESSIONAL
Musall is based in Logansport, Ind. and focuses on values-based food procurement and actions for institutions in the North Central region as part of the FARMWISE Indiana project.
jenmusal@iu.edu
812-855-8539
She/Her
Stephanie Odaffer
Manager for Finance and Operations
Odaffer oversees administration and operations for ERI, working closely with the Office of the Vice President for Research at Indiana University and her fellow members of ERI's leadership.
sodaffer@iu.edu
812-855-0684
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
Jodee Smith
Resilient Food Systems Manager
Smith manages the resilient food systems projects that focus on values-based food supply chains and the policies and infrastructure to support a food secure Indiana. By aligning efforts in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, Smith works through networks and individual outreach to build a foundation for change.
ellett@iu.edu
812-855-8539
She/Her
Laura Stoltz
Value Chain Professional
A school nutrition-experienced value chain professional, Laura is based in the Southwest Indiana region. Stoltz focuses on values-based food procurement for institutions as part of the FARMWISE Indiana project.
lastoltz@iu.edu
812-855-8539
Student Staff
Ellie Albin
Digital Communications Specialist
Albin works on ERI's communications team to engage the public through social media, feature articles, graphic design, and more. Albin is currently in the Master of Environmental Sustainability Program in the O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 2024 from The Media School at IU.
ealbin@iu.edu
She/Her
Brianna Christensen
Community Resilience Local Government Engagement Coordinator
Christensen supports the management, development, and administration of ERI's Resilience Cohort program and Indiana Resilience Funding Hub. She is a senior Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs student majoring in environmental management and minoring in environmental science through IU's O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.
chrisbre@iu.edu
She/Her
Neil Tong Yoong Sin
Community Resilience Coordinator
Neil works with Stephanie Freeman-Day on the Urban Green Infastructure Resilience Cohort for the McKinney Climate Fellowship, on map visualization, and GIS tutoring. Neil also works with the Indiana Resilience Funding Hub on grant applications.
tongyoon@iu.edu
He/Him
