Five Win Seats On The Chapter's Executive Board
November 14 marked the end of the Annual Angeles Chapter Elections. Members cast their ballots both for candidates for the Chapter’s Executive Committee (ExComm) and for leadership of the Chapter’s 13 regional groups.
The top vote-getters in the ExComm election were Ellis Raskin, John Monsen, Anneliese Piñeda Klein, Aura Vasquez, and Diane Trautman. These five will join the 2024-2025 Executive Committee as at-large members to serve two year terms. Congratulations to the new at-large members-elect and, of course, thank you to all the candidates who ran and those who cast a ballot.
Our thanks also to the Nominating Committee, chaired by David Haake and Donna Specht, for creating a roster of excellent candidates with a depth of knowledge and dedication to the Chapter. The Election’s Committee, made up of David Eisenberg, Margee Hills, and Nancy Barba counted ballots and communicated about the election to our membership. Thank you!
From the new board members:
"Throughout my years as a city planning commissioner, candidate for public office, and Sierra Club leader, I have been committed to environmental preservation that respects the rights and protects the health of everyone. For several years, I’ve served as the political chair of the Santa Clarita Sierra Club group and as our group’s representative to the Angeles Chapter Political Committee and Executive Committee. In January 2024, I look forward to joining the Angeles Chapter ExCom as an elected member.
In between my efforts within the Sierra Club, I work as a member of community groups to advocate for affordable housing and mental health services. These are essential needs as important to our existence as a clean, sustainable environment.
The Sierra Club is a highly-respected, volunteer-driven organization and a force to behold when we educate, organize, and vote. My priorities for the Angeles Charter include expanded public outreach and engagement, extensive and diverse membership building, long-term financial stability, and vigorous political engagement in the 2024 election cycle and beyond. These elements are key to achieving our environmental goals.
I’m excited about the future that we can build together. Let’s get to work!" -- Diane Trautman
“Hello, fellow environmentalists! I am honored to have received your votes to serve on our Chapter’s Executive Committee. I am an environmental attorney and Vice Chair of the Santa Monica Planning Commission. I have fought on the front lines to protect coastal access, open space, and public transit. I look forward to working with Sierra Club leaders to advance our shared goals of promoting environmental justice and conservation.” --Ellis Raskin
"I've dedicated my life to protecting our public lands and improving access to them, especially for people from park-poor communities. I'm part of an ambitious campaign to end litter at the East Fork of the San Gabriel River by the summer of 2024, and I'm campaign manager for an effort to create a national monument to cover the 185,000 acres of national forest north of Santa Clarita. I see supporting these campaigns -- and others like stopping the Cadiz water mining project -- as integral to the Chapter's work as well as my own.". --John Monsen
"Hello, I'm Aura Vasquez, an Afro-Latina immigrant from Colombia dedicated to environmental sustainability and renewable energy. With over a decade of experience, I've pioneered initiatives like the Solar for Renters program in Los Angeles and played a pivotal role in banning single-use plastic bags. As the youngest Commissioner and the first immigrant on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners, I led the adoption of a local Green New Deal, steering LADWP towards 100% renewable energy.
My journey is a testament to my unwavering dedication to a sustainable and just future, reflected in my current role on the Los Angeles Chapter Sierra Club executive committee. I love visiting hot springs, hiking, and dancing in my free time.
Let's continue our shared commitment to environmental advocacy and positive change." -- Aura Vasquez
"As a member of ExCom since January 2023, I am active on the Finance Committee, the Equity Advisory Committee and as an Advisor to the Activist Academy. In 2021, I served as Vice Chair of the Chapter’s Communications Committee and co-led a large team across multiple communication platforms.
As a member of ExCom, I would continue to play an active and supportive role in all of my projects and committees, helping to diversify our membership, and increase accessibility of information to Sierra Club members and non-members." -- Anneliese Piñeda Klein
Header image: Pictured from left to right - Ellis Raskin, John Monsen, Anneliese Piñeda Klein, Aura Vasquez, and Diane Trautman
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