Our Team

Together with our partners, we walk shoulder-to-shoulder with frontline communities for social mobility, environmental and energy justice, and climate resilience. We believe in the need for meaningful change to build a future where all communities can thrive.

Jeffrey Severin

Senior Program Manager
After a few years exploring Kansas landscapes and waterways as an environmental educator, Jeff spent the next 17 years of his career at The University of Kansas (KU), first managing the campus recycling program, then developing and leading the Center for Sustainability, whose vision included building a community “empowered to protect natural resources, create economic prosperity, and treat all people with equity and respect.” Jeff joined the Environmental Finance Center at Wichita State University in 2021, incorporating principles of environmental justice and inclusion into projects focused on developing the water workforce, reducing exposure to toxins, and addressing household hazardous waste. Read more

Michelle DeHaven

Program Manager
Michelle has served communities in various capacities through volunteerism, advocacy, and service. From organizational development to fundraising, Michelle has led groups to build their capacity to ensure that education and policy impact everyone equitably. She has served on multiple steering committees and policy groups that led to more equitable funding to schools, program development for food access for older adults and preschool-aged children and their families, food access for neighborhoods in food deserts, and advocacy for inclusive schools.
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Anna Archer

Community Program Coordinator
Anna brings more than a decade of work supporting environmental nonprofits to advance their mission through program development, fundraising, advocacy, and strategic communications. Before returning to her home state of Kansas, she worked as the Director of Policy at an environmental justice nonprofit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In that role, Anna helped community members leverage resources to align investments with their community vision and implement beautification projects on vacant lots. Read more

Mandy La Brier

Community Program Coordinator
Mandy’s interest in economic, environmental, and social sustainability and resilience to better communities’ environment and natural resources access drives her public service. She has dedicated her career to accelerate community projects, education programs, workforce development, infrastructure, building, and transportation needs that empower equitable environmental progress and prioritize carbon emissions reduction and wise resource use. Read more

Chris Reimer

Community Program Coordinator
Chris has spent ten years supporting community-led development programs across twelve countries. He has also dedicated the past six years to studying anti-colonial and anti-racist approaches to science and development. While working on his doctorate in Geography at the University of British Columbia, Chris most recently worked with the Secwepemcúl’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society (SRSS) to develop an environmental monitoring and evaluation program as part of their federal grant for salmon habitat restoration. Read more

Leslie Kimble

Communications/Marketing
Leslie has ten year’s experience creating communication and marketing collateral for environmental programs that are catered to diverse audiences. She is passionate about writing engaging and inclusive content and building strong brands. Her work spans a variety of environmental topics, including public water, sustainability, air quality, green infrastructure, food insecurity, and environmental justice, with a focus on community outreach and education on these topics. Read more

Elsie Asante

Graduate Assistant
Elsie is a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Administration at Wichita State University. She assists with research projects at the Heartland Environmental Justice Center. She is excited about the opportunity to contribute to serving the community and looking forward to collaborating with others who share a vision of creating a brighter, more equitable future for all.

Tonya Bronleewe

Environmental Finance Center Director
Tonya is committed to building capacity in communities and organizations to tackle environmental challenges through community-centered support. Prior to joining the Environmental Finance Center, Tonya worked at City of Wichita as an air quality specialist and at K-State Research and Extension as a natural resources extension agent. A proud Shocker and Wichita native, Tonya is highly active in the community, leading volunteer work like the Arkansas River Trash Roundup, Wichita’s g2gOutside program and Passport to Nature fundraisers. She also serves as the president-elect on the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center board. Read more

Jeanne de Grasse

Grant Coordinator

Jeanne grew up on the East Coast in a socially and politically progressive environment. Her parents were engaged in social justice activities from being civilian observers during the Walpole Prison uprising, supporters of Shirley Chisholm and George McGovern, peace and racial/ethnic justice activists through the Packard Manse and Unitarian Universalist Church, to organic farming practices, and food coops. These values are still an important part of her world view. Read more

Partners

Get in touch

Heartland Environmental Justice Center
316-945-6615

1845 Fairmount St.
Wichita, KS 67260-0155

heartlandej@wichita.edu

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This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement 96701501 to Wichita State University Environmental Finance Center. The contents of this website do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the EPA endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned.