Climate Alliance Board and Core Members

Board

Tom Schlesinger

holds a Ph.D. in Political Science specializing in health care policy, and a master’s in international environmental policy focusing on climate change. He worked at Gundersen Health for almost twenty years where he led the strategic planning work. After retiring from Gundersen, he helped found the Climate Alliance for the Common Good. Tom is the Chairman of the Board and the Executive Director of the group.

Sheila Riley

Sheila is an active volunteer in the La Crosse community. She is a co-founder of the Exchange – La Crosse Area Furniture Bank. She served as a volunteer administrative lead with Gundersen Global Partners Central America for many years, developing partnerships and community development initiatives. Sheila is the Secretary to the Board.

Joe Kruse

served as a longtime Mayo executive and former Chamber Community Leadership Award winner, and interim CEO of the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Viterbo Ministries – the Catholic sponsor and corporate member for Viterbo University and an affiliate of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. He and his wife, Barb Kruse are drawn to issues facing our environment and promote conservation and care of the earth

He is Vice President of the board of the Climate Alliance for the Common Good.

Sigurd B Gundersen III, MD 

is a pediatric surgeon and decades of experience working at Gunderson Health Systems.

He is a member of the board of the Climate Alliance for the Common Good.

Wade Miller

is retired from Organic Valley as VP of Farm Resources and Sustainability. He is a regenerative and organic agricultural leader and expert in reducing agricultural greenhouse gas.

He is a member of the board of the Climate Alliance for the Common Good.

Scott Bradford

is a financial planner with extensive experience in managing investments and financial strategies.

He is a member of the board of the Climate Alliance for the Common Good and serves as Treasurer.

has been the Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region in La Crosse, Wisconsin, since 2016. Before taking on that role, Kahya was the Housing Assistant Director for Couleecap, Inc. With over 20 years of affordable housing experience, she has worked with many housing and community development programs, including neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation, home purchase, weatherization, housing counseling, flood assistance, land trust housing, and new housing construction. Working extensively with low-income families, Kahya has a very strong commitment and understanding of the issues faced by individuals in poverty.

She is a member of the board of the Climate Alliance for the  Common Good.

John C. Madole

is co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Continuum Carbon Services, LLC that develops carbon credits, with an expertise in environmental and social co-benefits. He helped found the Climate Alliance for the Common Good and has decades of experience in environmental planning.

is a writer with an MFA from Vermont College, an MLS from the University of Michigan, and twenty years of experience researching and writing nonfiction for the technology industry and for non-profits. She has multiple publications, including some award winners.

Janet Woolam

Janet came to La Crosse from Boston as a pastor in 1981. She is skilled in mediation, facilitation, conflict, systems, and decision design. She helped form a creation care team in the La Crosse Area Synod ELCA in 2018-20, and volunteers for refuge activities, birdwatch and Climate Alliance initiatives.