Policy & Program Staff

Jesse Kharbanda
Executive Director

Jesse Kharbanda is the Executive Director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, Indiana’s largest environmental policy organization.   He oversees HEC’s strategic and program development, legislative initiatives, operations, and fundraising.  Jesse has spearheaded focusing HEC’s efforts on three core initiatives: clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and 21st century transportation systems.  Jesse has made it a priority of HEC to build bridges with groups that may not have been as engaged with the organization in the past, such as the business community and religious conservatives.   Jesse was named to the “Forty Under 40″ list by the Indianapolis Business Journal in 2011, and was the sole Indianapolis-based community leader named to Delta Omega, the national public health honorary, in 2010.  Jesse has a graduate degree from Oxford University and undergraduate degrees from the University ofChicago.

Jesse can be reached at jkharbanda@hecweb.org and (317) 685-8800, ext. 103

Tim Maloney
Senior Policy Director

Tim leads the Hoosier Environmental Council’s programs on forestry, land use, and public transit. In addition, Tim is the Council’s principal presence at the Indiana legislature. He has served as the Council`s Executive Director and previously as its Natural Heritage Director. He has also been chair of the Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club as well as a field organizer for the Sierra Club and National Clean Air Coalition. Among his extensive volunteer activities, Tim has served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. He was a Founding Member of the HEC Board of Directors. He has a bachelors degree in Forensic Studies /Psychology from Indiana University.

Tim can be reached at tmaloney@hecweb.org and (317) 685-8800, ext. 115

Kim Ferraro
Water & Agriculture Policy Director and Staff Attorney

Kim Ferraro is HEC’s Water and Agriculture Policy Director and Staff  Attorney.  Kim comes to HEC from the Legal Environmental Aid Foundation (LEAF), the state’s only non-for-profit legal aid services organization focused on the environment.   Kim served as the Executive Director of LEAF from its founding until its merger with HEC in Dec. 2011.   As LEAF’s ED, Kim achieved several legal victories that have helped communities impacted by industrial pollution, factory farm waste, reckless residential development, and coal ash contamination.   Kim’s honors include “Up and Coming Lawyer” by Indiana Lawyer, “Legal Advocate of the Year” by HEC, and Dean W. Kohlhoff Memorial Award for Excellence in Environmental Law.   Kim has a law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law, and a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University.

Kim can be reached at kferraro@hecweb.org, and at HEC’s Valparaiso office at (219) 464-0104.

Falon French
Outreach Coordinator & Policy Researcher

Falon works out of our office in Lafayette and educates supporters on HEC`s key issues through presentations, phone and email.  Falon also does energy and water-policy related research for HEC.   She comes to our organization with bachelor degrees in English and Philosophy fromPurdueUniversity. Falon has a strong coursework background in ecology, and extensive volunteer experience with several environmental organizations.

Falon can be reached at ffrench@hecweb.org, and at HEC’s Lafayette office at (765) 742-6050.

Amelia Vohs
Legal Associate

Amelia is part of our legal team, as well as our Aveda Fundraising Campaign Coordinator.  She also works directly with citizens impacted by factory farm pollution as part of our new initiative, the Community Assistance for Sustainable Livestock Farming project.  Amelia completed her undergraduate studies at Coe College where she earned a degree in English and went on to attend Valparaiso University School of Law where she graduated magna cum laude.   Amelia joins us after volunteer experience clerking for both state and federal judges as well as numerous legal assistance organizations including Legal Environmental Aid Foundation of Indiana, Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, and the New York Legal Assistance Group.

Amelia can be reached at avohs@hecweb.org and at HEC’s Valparaiso office at (219) 464-0104.

Development, Marketing & Media Staff

Nancy Dietmeyer
Development Director

Nancy oversees HEC’s major donor development, direct mail campaigns, and engagement with green-minded businesses.  Nancy comes to HEC from the United Way of Central Indiana’s Hamilton County office, where she focused on donor relations.  Nancy has a passion for sustainability, as reflected by her years working at Whole Foods  in a supervisory capacity.  Nancy has a B.A. in management from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Business.

Nancy can be reached at ndietmeyer@hecweb.org, or (317) 685-8800, ext 118.

Mary Brock
Senior Development Coordinator

Mary works to cultivate continued support from our donors through management of our database, print and e-communications, event planning and many other development-related efforts. Mary comes to HEC from WFYI, where she served in development and marketing capacities for 9 years. Mary has a B.A. in English from Wittenberg University.

Mary can be reached at mbrock@hecweb.org or at (317) 685-8800, ext. 114.

Marianne Holland
Media Consultant

Marianne Holland is the Media Consultant for the Hoosier Environmental Council.  She is responsible for the public relations and media outreach efforts of the organization.  Before undertaking work for HEC, Marianne had a long and distinguished career in broadcast journalism, most recently, working for WFYI Public Broadcasting in Indianapolis.  Her more than a decade in public radio took her to stations across the country, from Dillingham, Alaska, to Burlington,Vermont.  She first came toIndiana as News Director for WVPE in Elkhart.  She’s known to many public radio listeners as the Statehouse Bureau Chief of Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations, a post she held from 2006 to 2011.  Marianne has won numerous awards in both journalism and public relations and holds a journalism degree from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont.

Marianne can be reached at media@hecweb.org and (317) 702-4847.

Wanda Lewis
Part-time Database Associate

Wanda has over 10 years of data entry and administrative support experience, primarily in the non-profit sector.  Wanda ensures our database is accurate and performs many essential responsibilities related to keeping our donor records updated.