Hoosier Resilience Heroes

Hoosier Resilience Heroes

Indiana is full of individuals—in every corner of the state and from every walk of life—who are working to make Indiana more resilient in the face of environmental change. Each year, the Environmental Resilience Institute recognizes a few of these individuals by naming them a Hoosier Resilience Hero.

Hoosier Resilience Heroes are educating others about climate change, addressing environmental inequity, and taking action to prepare for environmental change. Their inspiring efforts are making a difference today and for generations to come.

Nominations for 2025 Hoosier Resilience Heroes are open now through March 7.

Nominate a 2025 Hoosier Resilience Hero

| A - E | F - J | K - O | P - T | U - Z |

A - E
Toby AdamsToby Adams
Inspector, Indiana Department of Natural Resources' Division of Water

Year: 2020

Location: Indianapolis

Angel-Hannah AkinleyeAngel-Hannah Akinleye
Senior, Riverside High School

Year: 2021

Location: Indianapolis

Shannon AndersonShannon Anderson
Assistant Director, Earth Charter Indiana

Year: 2020

Location: Indianapolis

Juan Carlos ArangoJuan Carlos Arango
Co-owner, Sobremesa Farm

Year: 2024

Location: Bloomington

Alex BazánAlex Bazán
Sustainability Director, City of South Bend

Year: 2024

Location: South Bend

Aster BekeleAster Bekele
Director, Felege Hiywot Center

Year: 2020

Location: Indianapolis

Iris O’Donnell BellisarioIris O’Donnell Bellisario
Junior, Purdue University

Year: 2019

Location: West Lafayette

Siavash BeikSiavash Beik
Principal Engineer, Christopher B. Burke Engineering

Year: 2020

Location: Indianapolis

John BlairJohn Blair
Founder, ValleyWatch, Inc.

Year: 2024

Location: Evansville

Darrell BoggessDarrell Boggess
Volunteer, Solar Indiana Renewable Energy Network

Year: 2023

Location: Bloomington

Phyllis BoydPhyllis Boyd
Executive Director, Groundwork Indy

Year: 2021

Location: Indianapolis

Jim BrainardJim Brainard
Mayor, City of Carmel

Year: 2023

Location: Carmel

Paula BrooksPaula Brooks
Environmental Justice Coordinator, Hoosier Environmental Council

Year: 2021

Location: Indianapolis

Liz BrownleeLiz Brownlee
Executive Director, Oak Heritage Conservancy

Year: 2021

Location: Crothersville

Todd CavenderTodd Cavender
Director of Environment and Sustainability, Indianapolis Airport Authority

Year: 2023

Location: Indianapolis

Jessica DavisJessica Davis
Director, IUPUI Office of Sustainability

Year: 2019

Location: Indianapolis

Dan DeSutterDan DeSutter
Farmer, DeSutter Farms

Year: 2020

Location: Attica

Megan Eigsti and Maggie HolohanMegan Eigsti and Maggie Holohan
Medical students, Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend

Year: 2023

Location: South Bend

F - J
Liz GoreLiz Gore
Chair, Martindale Brightwood CDC Environmental Justice Collaborative

Year: 2024

Location: Indianapolis

Stephanie Goodrid LawsonStephanie Goodrid Lawson
Executive Director, McKinney Family Foundation

Year: 2022

Location: Indianapolis

Pamela GuerreroPamela Guerrero
Program and Policy Analyst, Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs

Year: 2024

Location: Indianapolis

Dana HabeebDana Habeeb
Assistant Professor, Indiana University Bloomington

Year: 2023

Location: Bloomington

Gwen HalstedGwen Halsted
Local facilitator, Richmond Advocacy Team for the Friends Committee on National Legislation

Year: 2024

Location: Richmond

Lorrie HeberLorrie Heber
Former director, White Violet Center for Eco-justice

Year: 2024

Location: Terre Haute

K - O
Tyler KanczuzewskiTyler Kanczuzewski
VP of Sustainability, Inovateus Solar

Year: 2022

Location: South Bend

Jesse KharbandaJesse Kharbanda
Executive Director, Hoosier Environmental Council

Year: 2022

Location: Indianapolis

Elena KrueperElena Krueper
Senior, Elkhart High School

Year: 2024

Location: Elkhart

Mike KeenMike Keen
Managing Partner, Hometowne Development LLC

Year: 2023

Location: South Bend

Gregg KeeslingGregg Keesling
President, RecycleForce

Year: 2021

Location: Indianapolis

Julia LoweJulia Lowe
Chair, Sierra Club Hoosier Chapter

Year: 2023

Location: Columbus

Tim MaloneyTim Maloney
Senior Policy Director, Hoosier Environmental Council

Year: 2023

Location: Indianapolis

Julia McKennaJulia McKenna
Senior, John Adams High School

Year: 2019

Location: South Bend

Allyson MitchellAllyson Mitchell
Vice President, Mobile reCell

Year: 2023

Location: Indianapolis

John MundellJohn Mundell
President, Mundell & Associates

Year: 2021

Location: Indianapolis

Caroline NellisCaroline Nellis
Founder, Tri-State Creation Care

Year: 2020

Location: Evansville

P - T
Debbie PalmerDebbie Palmer
President, Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund

Year: 2024

Location: Plymouth

Marianne PetersMarianne Peters
Director, Marshall County Recycle Depot

Year: 2024

Location: Plymouth

Zuleyja PrietoZuleyja Prieto
Heirloom seed preservationist, Heritage Corn project

Year: 2023

Location: Goshen

Vernice RiegoVernice Riego
Senior, Hamilton Southeastern High School

Year: 2020

Location: Fishers

Reed RouchReed Rouch
Senior, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School

Year: 2019

Location: Indianapolis

Ethyl RuehmanEthyl Ruehman
Organizer, Northwest Indiana Youth Climate Council

Year: 2020

Location: Portage

Aaron Sawatsky-KingsleyAaron Sawatsky-Kingsley
City Forester, City of Goshen

Year: 2019

Location: Goshen

Katharine SchertzKatharine Schertz
Senior, West Lafayette Junior-Senior High School

Year: 2022

Location: West Lafayette

Jamie ScottJamie Scott
Farmer, Jamie Scott Farms

Year: 2021

Location: Pierceton

Kathy SippleKathy Sipple
Resiliency Coordinator, Earth Charter Indiana

Year: 2021

Location: Valparaiso

Allie SkalnikAllie Skalnik
Senior, University High School

Year: 2022

Location: Carmel

John SmillieJohn Smillie
Congressional liaison, Citizens' Climate Lobby

Year: 2024

Location: Crawfordsville

Brad TalleyBrad Talley
Director, Lafayette Renew

Year: 2022

Location: Lafayette

Jennifer TankJennifer Tank
Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame

Year: 2019

Location: Notre Dame

Adam ThadaAdam Thada
Director of Ecological Relationships, The Center at Donaldson

Year: 2021

Location: Plymouth

Leah ThillLeah Thill
Senior Environmental Planner, Michiana Area Council of Governments

Year: 2019

Location: South Bend

U - Z
Marcia VeldmanMarcia Veldman
Co-state coordinator, Citizens' Climate Lobby

Year: 2022

Location: Bloomington

Connie WachalaConnie Wachala
Founding member, Highland Neighbors for Sustainability

Year: 2023

Location: Highland

Billie WarrenBillie Warren
Founder, Jibek Mbwakawen Inc.

Year: 2024

Location: Valparaiso

Leslie WebbLeslie Webb
President, Carmel Green Initiative

Year: 2021

Location: Carmel

Sister Claire WhalenSister Claire Whalen
Chair, Oldenburg Renewable Energy Commission

Year: 2019

Location: Oldenburg

Robert Whitaker and Madeline HirschlandRobert Whitaker and Madeline Hirschland
Co-founders, Creation Care Partners

Year: 2020

Location: Bloomington

Curtis WhittakerCurtis Whittaker
Founder, Faith Farms

Year: 2022

Location: Gary

Ray WilsonRay Wilson
Board Chair, Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light

Year: 2022

Location: Indianapolis

Melissa WidhalmMelissa Widhalm
Operations Manager, Purdue Climate Change Research Center

Year: 2020

Location: West Lafayette

Alison ZajdelAlison Zajdel
Resiliency Coordinator, Earth Charter Indiana

Year: 2021

Location: Richmond

Hoosier Resilience Heroes Coloring Book

To introduce Hoosier Resilience Heroes to Indiana's youth, ERI created a coloring book that is free to download. The book tells the stories of nine heroes and what they are doing to protect Indiana's environment.

Download the coloring book   

View an accessible version