HISTORIC GREEN: meet our “krewe”
Advisory Krewe
Bob Berkebile | Chair, Historic Green Advisory KreweKansas City, Missouri: Principal, BNIM Architects
Bob is a leading authority in the field of sustainable design. As Founding Chairman of AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) and advisor to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), he has devoted more than 40 years to restoring the social, economic and environmental vitality of our communities. He has led numerous sustainable design initiatives such as the Greening of the White House, lectured extensively at universities including Harvard, Cambridge, Stanford and Rice, and served as a delegate to international conferences including The Earth Summit in Rio. In addition to his work on USGBC’s New Orleans Principles to assist Gulf Coast reconstruction, Bob has played an integral role in the planning and recovery process for New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward and the Holy Cross Neighborhood. He continues to work closely with both Global Green’s Holy Cross Project and the Make It Right Foundation, redevelopment of the Holy Cross School and many other initiatives in the city.
Charles Allen, IIINew Orleans, Louisiana: Neighborhood Organizer, Holy Cross, and Assistant Director, External Relations, Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research
Charles is Assistant Director for External Relations at the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research (CBR), where he directs the Sustainable Urban Ecosystem Initiative (UrbanEco) to study the dynamic interface between the built and natural environments. Through this initiative, CBR is working to help the Holy Cross/Lower 9th Ward community of New Orleans chart a path toward an energy efficient, sustainable post-Hurricane Katrina recovery. He also serves as president of the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association (HCNA), represents the neighborhood as a member of the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission, and is co-chair of the REACH-NOLA partnership, which works to improve access to quality health care for New Orleans residents. In addition, Charles is on the Board of Directors for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Bill BeckerDenver, Colorado: Executive Director, Presidential Climate Action Project
Through the University of Colorado’s Presidential Climate Action Project, Bill is charged with creating a plan to jump-start federal leadership on global warming during the new president’s first 100 days in office. Previously, he served as the Central Regional Director for the U.S. Department of Energy. During 15 years at DOE, he became the agency’s principal expert on sustainable community development and specialized in helping disaster-stricken communities plan sustainable recovery. In 2005, Bill participated on expert teams that traveled to Thailand to advise foundations and the government on tsunami reconstruction. He helped the residents of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans to plan their reconstruction after Hurricane Katrina. He also organized and led a team of U.S. experts to Beijing to consult with Chinese officials on the "greening" of the Olympic Village for the 2008 Games.
Majora CarterNew York, New York: President, Majora Carter Group, LLC
An environmental leader in her South Bronx community as well as nationwide, Majora specializes in empowering people to advocate for environmental justice. She founded Sustainable South Bronx in 2001 after writing a $1.25 million federal transportation grant to design the South Bronx Greenway – and has been instrumental in creating riverfront parks, building green roofs, working to remove poorly-planned highways in favor of positive economic development, and successfully implementing the Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) program. Her vision, drive and tenacity earned her a MacArthur "Genius" Grant; in 2007, she was named one of Newsweek's "25 To Watch" and one of Essence Magazine's "25 most Influential African Americans". She is also a board member of the Wilderness Society and host of a special national public radio series called "The Promised Land".
Pam DashiellNew Orleans, Louisiana: Director, Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED)
Pam Dashiell is a long-time civic and environmental activist in New Orleans' Holy Cross and Lower Ninth Ward neighborhoods. She is past president and current chairperson of Holy Cross Neighborhood Association and serves on the boards of SmartGrowth Louisiana and the Alliance for Affordable Energy. In addition, she served as an advisory board member for Global Green’s Holy Cross Project. Pam is an advisor for the Gulf Coast Fund, employed by the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and was recently honored with the national Damu Smith Prize for her work in environmental justice.