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.

Neha Newatia

Board Secretary

Neha is a passionate advocate for UN SDGs. She holds a diverse academic background, she completed her legal studies in India, where she honed her legal expertise in a myriad of contexts. She is a Teach for India alum. She further pursued her education at Duquesne University, specializing in Sustainability in her MBA program.  The unique blend of legal acumen and sustainability knowledge equips her with a distinctive perspective on addressing complex global challenges.

She also wears many hats - a dedicated mother, an insightful professor, and an accomplished sustainability professional. She holds dear the sentiment expressed by Mahatma Gandhi - “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. This philosophy serves as a guiding principle in her mission to foster sustainability and positive transformation. 

Matty Wingfield

Board Treasurer

Matty's unwavering dedication to environmental sustainability began in college. They were a member of the Emory and Henry College’s Climate Collaborative and also sat on the Green Committee of James Madison University’s Graduate Student Association.

Formerly a college professor and scuba diving instructor, Matty seamlessly weaved environmental appreciation into every lesson. In 2020 Matty transitioned to a role as a fundraiser. Since that transition, they have successfully raised over $2 million for various nonprofits. Notably, Matty recently secured grant funding for environmental education at Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh's Garden Exhibit. In their free time, Matty finds joy playing with their cat Oskar, hiking, paddle boarding, and exploring the art museums of Pittsburgh.

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.

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.

Ethan Woodfill

Board Member

Ethan graduated from Allegheny College with a degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability and Political Science focusing on environmental policy. Ethan currently serves as the Glass Program Coordinator at the Pennsylvania Resources Council, working with municipalities, industry, and residents across the state to improve recycling access and promote a circular economy. He is also the Environment and Health Reporter at NEXTpittsburgh.

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.

Alex Sonson

Board Member

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!

Daniel Dickerman

Board Member

Senior Program Officer at Institute for Sustainable Communities