Mamadou Balde (he/him/his) Board Member, Medford

Mamadou is a senior program manager at All In Energy, where he leads the implementation of the Community First Partnership in seven municipalities across Massachusetts. In this role, he collaborates closely with municipal partners to develop outreach strategies aimed at expanding Mass Save access, particularly among historically underserved populations.

Mamadou's journey at All In Energy began in 2019 as an intern. From educating and helping Massachusetts residents navigate energy efficiency and clean energy programs to organizing and overseeing community outreach events to boost Mass Save participation, his dedication to sustainability was evident as he quickly progressed through various roles.

Mamadou's passion for sustainability extends beyond All In Energy. He recently served on the steering committee for the Malden Climate Action Plan. There, alongside other committee members, he worked with technical consultants and Malden residents to craft a roadmap for the city to address climate change at a local level. Originally from West Africa, Mamadou brings a global perspective to his work.

Khadija Hussaini (she/her/hers) Board Clerk/Secretary, Allston

Khadija Hussaini is a sustainable development professional and Fulbright scholar dedicated to advancing climate solutions and social equity. Her work focuses on energy justice, community-driven climate initiatives, and equitable clean energy transitions. Having implemented community-based climate action programs in Afghanistan, Hussaini brings an international perspective to her climate advocacy work. Her recent entry into the U.S. energy sector through internships at Synapse Energy Economics and Climate has deepened her expertise in energy policy and renewable energy development while allowing her to work closely with frontline communities on climate education and community-led clean energy initiatives.

Throughout her career, Hussaini has focused on advancing conditions for vulnerable communities through humanitarian and development work. At the Norwegian Refugee Council, she managed program strategy development and project coordination across several area offices, while facilitating stakeholder engagement with local communities. As a researcher at the Afghanistan Analysts Network, she produced analysis papers and delivered findings on rural development, immigration, and gender issues that informed programs and policies for conflict-affected areas.

Hussaini holds a Master's degree in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University and a Bachelor's degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh. She recently completed a specialization in Renewable Energy Systems from the University of Colorado Boulder. Through her work with MCAN, she advances equitable climate solutions and community-centered approaches to clean energy development.

Janet Hartke Bowser, (she/her/hers) Board Member, Dover

Janet is an environmental attorney with over 30 years of experience working with federal, state, and local government and nonprofits on a wide range of environmental law, policy and regulatory issues, including climate change adaptation and mitigation, natural resources protection, clean energy, toxics reduction, and sustainable land use and smart growth. Janet served as Director of the Town of Wellesley Natural Resources Department for over 16 years and previously was Director of the Needham Conservation Department, working with the Mass. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, and began her career at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

Janet holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from Middlebury College and a J.D. from the Boston University School of Law, where she was elected President of the Environmental Law Society. She has worked on a wide range of political, community, and grassroots campaigns and has served on a number of governmental advisory committees and organizations, including the Mass. Municipal Association’s Committee on Energy and the Environment, Vice President of the Mass. League of Environmental Voters, President and Co-Founder of the New England Environmental Law Society, and the Dover Conservation Commission. She lives in Dover with her husband and has two grown children.

Halina Brown, Board Member, Newton

Halina Brown is a retired academic, former environmental policy maker, and a local climate activist. As a member of the Newton Citizens Commission on Energy since 2005, and its chairperson since 2019, Halina has been involved in numerous technical projects and campaigns in Newton. The Commission developed Citizens Climate Action Plan for Newton, which became the basis for an official Newton Climate Action Plan; it actively participated in a local campaign for Newton Power Choice, which currently provides almost 100% renewable electricity to residents and businesses; authored Newton Greenhous Gas Emission Inventory; and played a major role in the development of the 2024 BERDO policy in Newton (Building Energy Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance). Personally, Halina drives an electric car, heats and cools her house with heat pumps, and cooks on an induction stove.

Until her retirement in 2018 Halina was a Professor of Environmental Science and Policy at Clark University. Her research and teaching covered such areas as environmental health risk assessment, environmental and sustainability policy, technological innovations for sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. Prior to joining Clark University, she was a chief scientist at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.

Halina is deeply concerned with ecological impacts of household lifestyle choices and our consumerist economy. She is a co-founder and a board member of Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative, SCORAI, and international knowledge network. Halina has a doctoral degree in chemistry from New York University. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a fellow of International Society for Risk Analysis. Her website is at: http://wordpress.clarku.edu/hbrown/

Steven Nutter, (he/him/his), Board Member, Somerville, MA

Forged by his upbringing in an Appalachian town deeply affected by PFAS pollution and a family history in coal mining, Steven’s work is driven by a passion to connect people through design, planning, policy, and advocacy to create more sustainable and equitable communities. As Executive Director of Green Cambridge, he put this into practice by transforming the volunteer community group into a staffed non-profit focused on creating youth green jobs. His leadership extends to spearheading major infrastructure changes, like advocating for the redesign of McGrath Highway into a boulevard, and helping to form statewide advocacy groups like the Massachusetts Community Tree Coalition. He chairs the Cambridge Climate Committee and serves on the board of the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition. He has served on the boards of LivableStreets, the Mission Hill Neighborhood Alliance, the Gilman Square Neighborhood Council, and the GreenDOT Advisory Board for MassDOT. He received his Master of Public Policy in urban planning from Tufts University, and teaches sustainable real estate development through a justice and equity lens at the Boston Architectural College.

Utkir Adkhamov (he/him/his) – Board Member, Allston, MA

Utkir Adkhamov is a Senior Water Quality and Restoration Associate at the Nashua River Watershed Association (NRWA), where he leads programs that connect science, restoration, and community action. He manages the organization’s water quality monitoring initiatives, conducts research and data analysis, writes grants applications and technical reports, and guides on-the-ground ecological restoration projects. Since joining NRWA in 2024, Utkir has strengthened partnerships across the region and advanced climate resiliency through dam removals, stream crossing assessments, trainings and prioritization and volunteer coordination—helping communities better understand and restore the health of their rivers and streams. Before joining NRWA, Utkir worked on climate change adaptation, watershed planning, and stormwater management projects with the International Water Management Institute, Oregon State University, the Housatonic Valley Association, and the Western Connecticut Council of Governments.

Utkir holds multiple advanced degrees, including an MSc in Water Resources Policy and Management from Oregon State University, an MSc in Water Management and Governance from IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, and an MA in Water Cooperation and Diplomacy from the UN Mandated University for Peace. He also earned an MA in Economics from Andong National University.

Drawing on this experience, Utkir brings to the MCAN board a passion for integrating water resource science with community-driven climate action and advancing local resilience across Massachusetts.

 

MCAN Staff

Jack Lundgren (he/him/his), Program and Advocacy Director: Embodied Carbon, Sterling

Jack is proud to be leading MCAN's state-wide effort to reduce embodied carbon emissions. He is passionate about the design of smart environmental policy to create healthy and resilient communities, and is committed to bringing an equitable and science-based approach to MCAN's advocacy efforts.

He holds a B.A. in Environmental Policy with a minor in biology from Middlebury College. His work bridges science and policy, with experience in land-trust land management and marine policy research. He previously served as a research fellow at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where he assisted the study of Northeast coastal waste management policy outcomes.

Fatima Lopez, (she, her, hers) Climate Marketing Consultant, Everett

Fatima Lopez is a passionate advocate for environmental justice and diversity in STEM fields. A native of Everett, Massachusetts, she brings a unique perspective to her work, combining her deep commitment to protecting vulnerable communities from environmental hazards with her dedication to amplifying diverse representation in professional workspaces.

As a proud Latina in the STEM community, Fatima is deeply connected to her Latino roots and uses her platform to champion increased diversity and inclusion. Her intersectional approach to environmental and social issues reflects her understanding of how environmental challenges disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

Fatima graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in winter 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Communication and Environmental Science. This interdisciplinary background uniquely positions her to bridge the gap between scientific research and public communication, making complex environmental issues accessible to diverse audiences while advocating for policy changes that protect the most vulnerable populations.