Staff and Board
STAFF
Paul Sloan, Executive Director
paul.sloan@cumberlandrivercompact.org
Prior to joining the Compact, Paul served as Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) where he directed the Tennessee’s Bureau of Environment. Previously, Paul was an founding partner of the law firm Harwell Bar Martin & Sloan (now H3GM); co-founder Little Planet Learning; founder Partners-in-Conservation; a founding board member for Cumberland Region Tomorrow and the Cumberland River Compact.; and former board member The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee.
Mekayle Houghton, Deputy Director
mekayle.houghton@cumberlandrivercompact.org
Mekayle Houghton began with the Compact as Stream Restoration Manager for the Building Outside the Box’s Antioch site. Prior to joining the Compact, she worked as a consultant to YMCA of the USA, program manager for projects in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Africa in the International Division of the YMCA of the USA. With Hull House Association in Chicago, she launched refugee economic development programs. Not least, she and husband John have four sons who share their love of Nashville’s streams. Mekayle earned an interdisciplinary M.A. in Social Science and a B.A. in Anthropology both from the University of Chicago.
Dr. Gwen Griffith, Program Director
gwen.griffith@cumberlandrivercompact.org
Dr. Gwen Griffith is a veterinarian turned conservationist, who applies her science and health training to promoting ecosystem health at the landscape level. Gwen serves as the Curriculum Director for the Climate Solutions University: Forest and Water Strategies (CSU) program. Gwen also directs the Green Homes Tour of MIidle Tennessee, featuring homes that demonstrate green building design and sustainable living practices. Her background includes 20 years of veterinary practice followed by several positions related to conservation and environmental policy, including with the U.S. Senate Environment Committee, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Tennessee Environmental Council.
Janet Regen, Human Resources & Finance Manager
janet.regen@cumberlandrivercompact.org
Janet brings over two decades experience in Administration and Human Relations at the corporate level with a wide variety of organizations. Her position with the Compact is in Finance and Administration. Prior to coming to the Compact in 2004, Janet worked with the Putnam County Rural Health Clinic in HR, Epic Technologies as Corporate Administration and Service Corporation International, HR Training.
Carolyn Wright, Project Coordinator
carolyn.wright@cumberlandrivercompact.org
Carolyn coordinates and supervises various urban stormwater management projects, including rain garden and tree plantings, riparian restoration, and stream cleanups. She also coordinates events, directs community outreach, website content, social media outreach, and weeky newsletters. Carolyn has six years of experience in the environmental field as an outdoor leadership facilitator, including two years of experience as a trail conservation and restoration supervisor in State Parks and National Forests. Prior to joining the Compact team, Carolyn was a Fulbright scholar in Brazil. She received her B.A. from Grinnell College in Iowa.
Rhonda Ellis, Little River Watershed Project Coordinator
Rhondae@cumberlandrivercompact.org
Rhonda is the part-time coordinator for the Little River Watershed project. She holds 13 years of experience in water and soil conservation. Prior to joining the Compact, Rhonda held positions with World Wildlife Fund’s Southeast Rivers and Streams Program and the Cheatham County Soil Conservation District, working with landowners to implement soil and water conservation practices. Rhonda is a sixth-generation farmer who understands the challenges farmers/producers face when merging production with environmentally acceptable practices.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman
Skip Lawrence, Lawrence Bros., LLC
Emeriti
Shirley Caldwell-Patterson
George Cate
Pete Kopcsak
Officers
Phil Armor, Vice Chairman
Andy Michael, Treasurer; US Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management
Valetta Watson, Secretary; WM Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
Board Members
Berdelle Campbell, Retired
Won Choi, Happy Campers Food Service Group
Bill Coble, Neely Coble Truck Center
Ed Cole, Transit Alliance of Middle TN
Paul Davis
Bill Forrester
Robert Foss, Vision Real Estate
Cynthia Lee, University School of Nashville
Margaret Littman, Writer and Editor
Courtney Masters
George McDonald, Catesa Farms
Art Newby, AECOM
John Patrick, Farmer and Adjunct Professor Lipscomb University
Durham Pettigrew, Avenue Bank
Lonnie Sharpe, Tennessee State University
Susan Siegel, CEO, DOHI/Be well
Gerard Stranch, Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings
Harriet Warner
