Board of Directors
Leslie Barclay, Founder/Director Emeritus
We are grateful for the legacy Leslie left through Earth Works Institute, the many thousands of acres she protected with conservation easements, and the numerous people whom she inspired to follow a career or avocation as stewards of the earth! Leslie continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Earth Works Institute from her home at Round the Bend Farm in South Dartmouth, MA.
Jennifer Wellington-White, President
Jennifer holds a BS from Northern Arizona University in Botany and Fine Arts with a teaching certification; and, a Masters of Landscape Architecture with an emphasis in Landscape Planning from the University of Arizona. She is a certified Master Gardener in Pennsylvania and New Mexico and has managed a community solar greenhouse, worked in planning the Arboretum at Flagstaff, and in the historic landscape restoration of Grey Towers National Historic Landmark in Milford, Pennsylvania. She has been an active volunteer with Taos Clean & Beautiful, the Santa Fe Alliance, GreenBuild, EcoVersity, the Community Farm of Santa Fe, and Keep Santa Fe Beautiful.
David Henkel, Vice President
David is a Professor of Community and Regional Planning at the University of New Mexico, where he coordinates the Natural Resources and Environmental Planning emphasis. He earned his PhD in the Sociology of Development (with minors in City and Regional Planning and in International Agriculture) from Cornell University, and his BA and MA from the University of Pennsylvania. His research and professional experience include regional master planning and job creation studies, rapid rural appraisal, land suitability analysis, ecotourism, transnational natural resource management, environmental justice, and agro-industrial systems research. Dr. Henkel’s regional emphases include Southeast Asia, Latin America, ethnic minority regions of Europe, and the US Southwest.
Kimberly Kiel, Secretary
Kim is a Financial Advisor with Horizons Sustainable Financial Services in Santa Fe and specializes in Sustainable/Green investments. Kimberly has spent several years on the boards of her children’s schools and currently serves as President of the Governing Council for Tierra Encantada Charter High School. She joined the board of Earth Works in 2008 because of her passion for social change.
Sigmund Silber, Treasurer
Sigmund is an expert in a variety of technology fields and has a higher education background in mathematics and economics. In his diverse career he worked as a developer of technology, a user of technology products in middle and senior management positions, a consultant to users of technology, and as a consultant to suppliers of technology products and services. In his consulting activities, Mr. Silber has served as an independent consultant, an individual contributor within large projects in mid-sized consulting firms and as management within a consulting environment. Mr. Silber also taught a graduate course in the economic justification of and contingency planning for technology investments. Mr. Silber is currently actively involved in water supply technology, climate modification strategies, local agriculture and local food security issues, and is passionate about conserving the beauty of his home area in the Galisteo Basin. He joined the Board of Earth Works Institute in 2007.
Bianca Sopoci-Belknap, Director
Has a BA in Social and Global Studies from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio. For six years, Bianca has been an educational leader in environmental sustainability with projects focusing on topics such as reduced oil dependence and community gardening. She is currently the Program Leader for Youth Allies for Sustainability at Earth Care International, and directs service learning projects for 150-200 youth per year.
