Rachel Bukowitz

Board President

After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University’s Master of Science in Public Policy and Management program, Rachel began working as a sustainability consultant at 3R Sustainability. 3R is a full-service sustainability consulting solutions provider offering corporate strategy, reporting, and building consulting. As a sustainability consultant, Rachel helps organizations realize the value of sustainability while achieving their business goals in a way that is beneficial to their people, their operations, and the environment.

In her downtime, Rachel likes to go for walks in parks around Pittsburgh, listen to podcasts about the environment and current events, and attend community art and/or social justice-themed events. In the spring and summertime, Rachel volunteers at the Sheridan Avenue Orchard and Community Garden. Year-round, Rachel is involved with Pittsburgh’s young adult Jewish community. Rachel is excited to work locally on grassroots climate action!

Ellen Conrad

Board Vice President

Ellen Conrad has always been passionate about sustainability issues but has found her niche in youth climate action and education. Ellen graduated in 2017 with a degree in Environmental Science from Goshen College in Goshen, IN and moved to Pittsburgh to join the Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience (PULSE) fellowship program. Both her experience as an Environmental Charter School fellow and work with Green Building Alliance’s Green and Healthy Schools Academy (2018-2021) plugged her into an amazing network of passionate climate educators and activists. Now, Ellen is a Naturalist Educator with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy (PPC), leading outdoor youth programs and sustainability-based professional development with high school educators.

Serving on Communitopia’s board allows for so much joy and creativity to reach future climate leaders and the adults in their lives to find climate solutions. She looks forward to Communitopia’s future growth and is honored to be a part of it!

Outside of her professional life, Ellen loves being outdoors--whether that’s hiking, camping, or biking! She also serves on the board for Reimagined Recycling, a localized plastic recycling nonprofit. She enjoys finding new restaurants, creating things out of reclaimed material, and making friends with strangers.

Daniel Dickerman

Board Treasurer

Senior Program Officer at Institute for Sustainable Communities

Alex Sonson

Board Secretary

Alex was born and raised in the greater Pittsburgh area. He left for New York City to attend Fordham University where he obtained his Masters degree in Economics. Moving back to Pittsburgh in the spring of 2018, Alex worked briefly as a lecturer at Pittsburgh Technical Institute before beginning his career as a healthcare consultant. Since 2020, Alex has organized a monthly meetup for environmentalists under Pittsburgh’s Green Drinks chapter where local environmentally focused non-profits can network and share their initiatives with others.

In his downtime, Alex enjoys spending it hiking and camping out in Pennsylvania’s state parks, while vacation time is spent visiting the country’s national parks. He also partakes in filming music videos, playing D&D with friends, and attending improv shows. Alex is excited to give back to the hometown that has given him so much through his work with Communitopia!

Ethan Woodfill

Board Member

A Pittsburgh native, Ethan is an Electrification Project Associate at Duquesne Light Company, where he helps organizations develop a roadmap for electrifying their fleet. He also supports the installation of EV charging stations through DLC's Community, Fleet, and Transit program. Ethan previously served in roles at the Pennsylvania Resources Council and Oberlin College. He is also a freelance journalist, appearing in NEXTpittsburgh, Blue Sky News, and Public Source. He is a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public and International Affairs. Ethan graduated from Allegheny College with a degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability and Political Science, focusing on environmental policy.  

Angela Wiley

Board Member

Angela Wiley organized around environmental issues starting at her high school in West Virginia, when she learned about water quality and coal extraction concerns. She volunteered as a Sierra Student Coalition youth delegate to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and was part of the international climate justice movement through this work from 2011-2017. She has supported documentary film work on environmental and labor issues through editing and promotion. Angela also worked on regional environmental issues like coal ash and fracking as a youth activist. Now, she supports LGBTQ+ youth health equity as a Research Coordinator at University of Pittsburgh's School of Public Health.

Angela earned bachelor's degrees in Environmental Studies and Film & Digital Technology from Chatham University and a Master's of Library & Information Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a diligent pen pal to loved ones near and far.

NaTisha Washington

Board Member

NaTisha Washington is currently the Environmental Justice Organizer at One Pennsylvania where she works to advocate for environmental injustices in disinvested communities in Allegheny County with some efforts state-wide. Formerly she’s worked as a Green Initiative coordinator at Operation Better Block where she worked with the Junior Green Corp youth to garden, maintain, and improve upon vacant lots in Homewood. Her ultimate goal is to ensure that black and brown communities are provided with the resources and investment to create equitable, safe, and healthy communities. In addition to her organizing work, she also owns an environmental consulting business named Washington Green Solutions. She also co-owns a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) consulting business named Just by Nature. After running for the House of Representative special election in 2022, NaTisha looks to have a future as an elected official.

Beth Sondel

Board Member

For the past two decades, Beth Sondel has been working towards access, equity, and justice for young people in and outside of schools. She started her career as a public middle school teacher in Louisiana and California. After pursuing her MEd in Education Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education and her PhD in Curriculum Theory from the University of Wisconsin, she served on faculty at North Carolina State University and the University of Pittsburgh teaching classes and conducting research on education justice. Most recently, Beth has been working directly with young people and communities as an organizer and non-profit leader to ensure that teens, and those who know them best, have a voice in determining the policies that affect them. Currently, Beth serves as the Director of Organizing - Midwest for The Civics Center, a national non-profit organization working to guarantee that high school students across the country have a reason and an opportunity to register and vote.

Beth lives in Pittsburgh with her partner, daughter, and their three cats. Outside of work she likes to spend time with those she loves, explore new places, run, and dance wildly.

Daniela Shaughnessy

Board Member

After graduating with a dual degree in Finance and Economics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in May 2025, Daniela moved to the Pittsburgh area to pursue a Master's of Business Administration with a focus in Sustainability at Duquesne University. As a candidate in this program, she aims to develop knowledge on integrating sustainable business practices to create a more effective business model. Daniela has conducted undergraduate research on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors implemented in corporations and their impact on portfolio performance. This strengthened her passion and drive for sustainability and the importance of sustainable business practices.

As an Erie native, Daniela has grown up on the lake and loves to be outdoors. She played basketball up until her sophomore year in college. Daniela loves exploring new places and being around the people she loves.

Marissa Rosen

Board Member

Marissa Rosen is the founder and principal consultant of Climate Social, an agency she launched in 2015 to help mission-driven organizations and leaders share their stories and inspire positive change. Climate Social provides communications support including public relations, social media, branding, video, and podcasting, and has partnered with organizations across industries such as South Pole, US Plastics Pact, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, LanzaTech, and Biomimicry 3.8. The agency is also a recognized Ally of the Carbon Business Council.

Prior to founding Climate Social, Marissa worked with TriplePundit leading corporate-sponsored media campaigns, and directed marketing for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficient Buildings Hub. She also serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.

Marissa earned her B.A. in Communications from the University of Missouri and her Master of Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She is passionate about connecting people, amplifying stories of impact, and building community around sustainability.

Corey Glickman

Board Member

Corey Glickman is a global strategist, systems architect, and sustainability innovator with a deep commitment to regenerative governance and climate action. As Principal Advisor to AGE (Alliance for Global Environment) in the Himalayas (India), Corey helps shape international coalitions and field labs that bridge local wisdom with global systems. He is also a Professor of Practice at IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, and UPES, and founder of Greenman Black, a design-led sustainability studio.

Corey’s career spans decades of pioneering work—from co-designing foundational technologies like GPS for the U.S. Navy and Mosaic for Netscape, to leading Infosys to net-zero carbon status and building a $500M ESG consulting unit. He has advised U.S. defense and energy agencies, authored AI curriculum for Cornell, and architected SustainBridge (Norway), a platform for distributed climate innovation. He also serves on the MIT Technology Review Board, helping shape the dialogue around emerging technologies and their societal impact.

A Pittsburgh resident for over 40 years, Corey began his career at WQED, where he was part of the award-winning team that created the Pittsburgh History Series—documenting the city’s rich cultural heritage and industrial legacy. Joining Communitopia’s board allows Corey to contribute locally while advancing global impact—bringing systems thinking, cultural resonance, and practical execution to Pittsburgh’s climate movement.

Outside of work, Corey plays octave mandolin with the Pittsburgh Mandolin Orchestra, tends his garden, and finds relaxation in fishing.