Our Team
An interdisciplinary problem takes a team with a wide range of expertise. Meet our experts in everything from soil carbon dynamics to sorbents.
Erin Burns
Executive Director
As executive director, Erin guides our team as we think big to equitably scale carbon removal and address the climate crisis. She previously worked on energy, labor, and coal worker transition issues in the Senate. She is originally from West Virginia and currently lives in DC with her family. Follow her on Twitter: @erinmburns.
Sifang Chen, PhD
Managing Science and Innovation Advisor
Sifang works to ensure C180’s policy work is informed by the most up-to-date science and industry knowledge. She has previously worked in science policy, biotechnology, and nanotechnology and holds a BS from the University of British Columbia and PhD from the University of Washington. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, Sifang enjoys hiking and good coffee.
Alayna Chuney
Managing Environmental Justice Advisor
Alayna is a key player in Carbon180’s environmental justice work, pushing equity considerations across land and tech-based carbon removal policy. An attorney in the state of Maryland, Alayna received her JD from Western Michigan University and BA from Michigan State. Based in Washington, DC, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and son.
Gloria Dabek
Managing Policy Advisor
Gloria advises on Carbon180’s land-based carbon removal policy, leveraging her background in food and agriculture policy and advocacy. She holds a BA in public policy from Duke University and currently lives in DC where she can always be found with her nose in a book.
Alley Gant
Managing Operations Associate
As part of the ops team, Alley creates systems and processes that ready the organization for success. Prior to joining Carbon180, she supported survivors of homelessness and human trafficking through program management and direct services. Alley earned her MSSW from the University of Texas at Austin and is currently based in DC. She loves herbalism and BIPOC healing practices.
Maya Glicksman
Senior Policy Advisor
Maya uses her background in earth science to advance C180’s land policy work across both agriculture and forestry. After hours, you can find her practicing yoga and growing things in Washington, DC.
Brit Groucutt
Managing Director of Strategy and Operations
Brit shepherds cross-functional projects and helps develop and execute C180's strategy. Prior to joining the team, she held various administrative positions in the C-suites of major academic healthcare institutions. Brit resides in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland with her husband, two sons, and two mini Australian Shepherd puppies.
Courtni Holness
Senior Policy Advisor
Courtni supports the team’s tech-based carbon removal policy. She holds a BE in earth system science and environmental engineering from The City College of New York. Before C180, she led research that informed conservation efforts to preserve biodiversity in eastern Mexico’s montane forests. Courtni loves listening to music and creating playlists in her free time.
Dana Jacobs
Managing Communications Associate
Dana works closely with the policy and communications teams to educate and inspire policymakers on carbon removal solutions. She previously advised emerging brands on media relations and strategy, from autonomous vehicles to clothing resale. Dana holds a BA in political science and creative writing from Colgate University. She currently resides in New York.
Anu Khan
Deputy Director of Science and Innovation
Anu works to ensure that Carbon180's policy development and advocacy is backed by the best available research. Her previous experience includes climate philanthropy at Founders Pledge and materials science research at Northwestern University and the California Institute of Technology. A recent DC transplant, Anu welcomes recommendations for fun things to do in the city.
Ugbaad Kosar
Director of Environmental Justice
Ugbaad supports Carbon180's federal policy work, leading the organization's environmental justice initiative and forestry efforts. Ugbaad holds a dual MS in forest sciences and renewable resource management from the University of Alberta and the University of Freiburg and a BS from Carleton University. She's based in DC. Follow her on Twitter: @ugbaad_kosar.
Alyson Lee
Managing Government Affairs Advisor
Alyson uses her political advocacy experience to build effective relationships with stakeholders and advance C180’s mission. She holds a BS in environmental science from North Carolina State University and an MS in sustainability from Virginia Tech. Based in Washington, DC, Alyson spends her free time experimenting with new recipes.
Charlotte Levy, PhD
Managing Science and Innovation Advisor
Charlotte keeps the organization informed on the latest science for carbon removal. Previously, she worked on bioenergy, land use and management, and remote sensing in academia and government. She can be found at home in Washington, DC, doting on the citrus trees on her front step.
Ana Little-Saña
Senior Communications Associate
As a member of the communications team, Ana supports Carbon180’s work to elevate carbon removal solutions. She comes to the climate space having previously worked at a digital agency driving results for nonprofits and political campaigns. Ana is based in Washington, DC and can be found enjoying green spaces and training for open water swim races.
Maddie Mahoney
Senior Communications Associate
Maddie uses their background in fine art and creative writing to support the team’s visual brand and accessible language style. Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, these days you can find Maddie drinking kombucha and sketching pretty things in Brooklyn, New York.
Londyn Marshall
Deputy Director of Government Affairs
Londyn leverages her experience in political advocacy and fundraising to forward C180’s federal policy goals. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in political science. In her spare time, she enjoys reading (FEC filings, among other literature) and sipping on red wine. Londyn is based in Washington, DC.
Nhu Phung
Senior Operations Associate
Bringing a blend of experiences from startups and higher education, Nhu helps manage organizational processes at Carbon180. Prior to joining, Nhu conducted research on eco-anxiety, climate literacy, and Arctic policy at Brown University. She is most happy spending her free time roaming the woods, making tea, and splashing in the sea.
Emily Reich
Deputy Director of Communications
Emily leads our communications work across the organization. She previously worked at a sustainability think tank and before that a healthy snacks brand. She is based in New York and drinks iced coffee all year round.
Vanessa Suarez
Managing Environmental Justice Advisor
Vanessa works on federal policy across land-based and technological carbon removal with an emphasis on environmental justice. She holds a BS in conservation and resource studies from UC Berkeley, and prior to C180 she worked on environmental justice policy and rangeland soil carbon storage research. In her free time she loves dancing salsa. Follow her on Twitter: @VMSPerez.
Shuchi Talati, PhD
Senior Visiting Scholar
Shuchi advises on technology and policy strategy building towards just and sustainable carbon removal at scale. She was most recently the chief of staff at DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management in the Biden-Harris Administration. She received her BS From Northwestern, an MA from Columbia, and a PhD from Carnegie Mellon. Shuchi lives in DC with her family. Follow her on Twitter: @sktalati.
Treshia Thomas
Deputy Director of Operations
Treshia establishes and facilitates processes to support work that inspires the C180 team. In her previous position, Treshia provided legal, social, and language access services for immigrants in the Washington metropolitan area. She also holds an MS in organizational development. Treshia is based in DC and spends her free time finding the best culinary experiences.
Tracy Yu
Senior Communications Associate
Tracy supports the execution of Carbon180’s communications strategy. She holds a BS in journalism and previously worked at a creative digital agency driving impact for campaigns and nonprofits. She now resides in DC where she dabbles in yoga and creative writing.
Cristel Zoebisch
Deputy Director of Policy
Cristel’s focus is federal agriculture policy that supports carbon removal, informed by her previous work on conservation and climate policy solutions for sustainable farmers and ranchers. Cristel holds a BA in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin and an MA in Food Studies from New York University. She is based in Baltimore, Maryland and enjoys hiking with her family.
Our Board
Meet the powerhouses helping Carbon180 set strategy and stay on course.
Keely Anson
Director
Keely Anson leads investments and philanthropy for Incite. Incite’s mission is to empower teams with great ideas to solve important and underinvested-in challenges, with a focus on entrepreneurs and activists advancing climate solutions, civic engagement, and world-positive innovation.
She started her career as a health and wellness coach in Southern California after graduating from UCLA. She moved to the Bay Area to work with some of the most illuminating minds and legacy investors at Kleiner Perkins, as well as healthcare technology company Collective Health.
Keely finds the most joy running or cycling through sunny Southern California with her husband, terrier and toddler.
Roxanne D. Brown
Director
Roxanne Brown has served United Steelworkers from its Legislative and Policy Office in Washington, DC for 22 years, the past two as USW International Vice President at Large. She has extensive experience in policy around manufacturing, defense, energy, and the environment.
Roxanne was a founding Steering Committee member of the BlueGreen Alliance and is a member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. She serves on the boards of the National Endowment for Democracy, The League of Conservation Voters, Georgetown University’s Institute of International Economic Law, and the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Direct Air Capture Advisory Council. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Roxanne was raised in White Plains, New York.
Gabriel Kra
Director
Gabriel Kra co-founded Prelude Ventures in 2013, after almost 25 years as an investor, entrepreneur, scientist, and activist. He is responsible for overseeing the firm’s investments in advanced energy, food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, advanced materials and manufacturing, and advanced computing.
Gabriel serves on the Board of Directors for Renew Financial, Ripple Foods, Sense Labs, Natron Energy, ClearMetal, Raxium, and Form Energy, and is active with Zymergen, Planet, QuantumScape, Catalog, and Spark Thermionics. Gabriel also serves on the Board of Directors of Activation Energy and The CREO Syndicate, and on advisory boards for Cyclotron Road and Prime Coalition.
Erin Burns
Director
In addition to leading the organization as executive director, Erin has served on the Board since 2021.
Environmental Justice Advisory Council
We're committed to equitable and just work — and these leaders are supporting us along the way.
Dominique Lueckenhoff
As Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs, EHS & Sustainability, Dominique Lueckenhoff leads Hugo Neu Corporation’s global efforts related to business, policy, and the environment. Dominique is also an associate professor at Virginia Tech’s Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability and chairs the National Municipal Stormwater Association’s (NMSA) newly created Center of Excellence for Community-Based Public Private Partnerships. Additionally, she is on the American Sustainable Business Council’s Water Steering Committee and EarthEcho International’s board of directors.
Dominique’s prior experience is at EPA, where she developed and led initiatives in innovative, community-based public-private partnerships, next-generation technologies, and alternative, market-based approaches to climate resiliency. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in microbiology, chemistry, and biophysics.
Jasmine Sanders
Jasmine Sanders is a climate scientist, strategist, and advocate and native of Monroe, Louisiana. She is the executive director of Our Climate, an organization that empowers young people to advocate for the science-based, equitable, and intersectional climate justice policies that build a thriving world. She also serves on the Ocean Discovery Institute’s board of directors. Recently featured in a CNBC documentary about US climate migration and dubbed by CNBC as one of the six Black climate change leaders you need to know, she has been featured in POLITICO, The Hill, NPR, BNC News and PBSNewsHour.
Previously, she managed the strategic initiatives and special projects for HIAS, wrote legislative briefs for the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and lobbied for agricultural and environmental policy as an employee of Terpstra & Associates. She holds an undergraduate degree in biology and a graduate degree in tropical marine biology.
Our Values
One Boat
We work hard to ensure that we are rowing in one direction as a team, aligning our work and resources to shared goals.
Pencil to Pen
We think critically, do our research, and weigh multiple options. Then, we commit to move to action.
Win and Lose Together
When one of us succeeds, we all win. When we encounter challenges, we determine how best to redirect the energy and resources of the team to solve them.
Person in the Professional
Our team is composed of real people with real passions, interests, and needs, within and outside of our work. To be our best and most productive selves at work, we believe we need to care for ourselves and others.
Make Space, Share Space
We believe in making space for all voices to be heard, within our team and our broader work — particularly and especially voices historically disenfranchised and disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change.
Be a Window, Not a Door
We’re committed to transparency and shining light on how and why decisions are made. We are honest with one another, ask for clarity, and operate with integrity to build a culture of trust.
Grow the Braintrust
We are committed to constantly learning and staying up to speed on the science of our field. We work to grow our knowledge, sharpen our skills, and bring great minds to the field of carbon removal.