The NWEI Team

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"

Since 1993, NWEI founders, staff and volunteers have been working together to create cultural change rooted in taking responsibility for the Earth.  If you are in Portland, please feel free to come and say hello!

Mike Mercer

Executive Director 

NWEI welcomes Mike as the new Executive Director of NWEI on July 23, 2007. Prior to joining NWEI, Mike spent 25 years in non-profit management with the YMCA and College Housing NW, most recently as the VP for Financial Development and Communication for YMCA of Columbia Willamette.  Through these experiences, he brings a strong track record in financial development, strategic planning, volunteerism, and operations and program creation and delivery.  Over the past 13 years, Mike has performed most every volunteer role at NWEI, including the last three years as board chair.  Mike finds balance in his life through spending time with his children, friends and neighbors.  He enjoys backpacking, kayaking, backcountry skiing and cycling.

Monica Pham

Office Manager/Bookkeeper

Monica Pham joined NWEI in the Office Manager / Bookkeeper position in July of 2007.  She graduated with a B.A in Accounting at Portland State University. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her daughter Vy, family and friends. 

Athena Ehnot

Director of Government and Higher Education Outreach

Athena joined the Northwest Earth Institute staff in September of 2006. She comes to us with a B.A. in Journalism with an emphasis in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon.  Her past experience includes several action campaigns ranging from the McKenzie River Protection project, a save-the-forest campaign, and several political campaigns as an organizer and director. Athena finds joy living in the amazing city of Portland, finding new unique and inspiring music, reading good books, and spending time with family and close friends.

Deborah McNamara

Director of Business Partnerships 

Deborah began with the Northwest Earth Institute in February of 2006 with a B.A. in Philosophy and Environmental Policy from Boston University and an M.A. in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.  Deb has been an outdoor environmental educator for several years, working to inspire a sense of awe, wonder and care for the Earth in youth.  She also holds a graduate certificate in Ecopsychology and has led workshops on connecting people to place through engaging our senses more actively in the natural world. In her free time Deborah enjoys teaching hatha yoga at Root Whole Body Wellness Center, hiking in the mountains and writing.  She is most passionate about creating a culture that recognizes both the body and the Earth as sacred.

Meg O'Brien

Curriculum Coordinator

Meg joined the staff of NWEI in January of 2006.  She has a B.A. from Boston College in Political Science and a Masters of Education from Lewis and Clark College.  Meg's experience includes working as a congressional aide, a legal aid coordinator and a high school teacher.  Originally from the East Coast, she came to the Northwest as a Jesuit Volunteer and is happy to call Portland "home."  Aside from her work at NWEI, Meg enjoys spending time with family and friends, hiking, cross-country skiing, reading, and Irish music and dance.

Deirdre Donahue

Curriculum Assistant and Earth Club Program Manager

Deirdre is the newest addition to NWEI staff, joining the team in August 2007.  A Native New Englander, she has a BA in Sociology and History from Boston College, and been living in the Pacific Northwest since 2005.  Deirdre comes to NWEI from the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, where she spent the previous year working at a tribal school in North Central Washington state.  Deirdre enjoys eating produce of all types, biking and spending time in community.

Allison Hartlage

Director of Small Business Partnerships and Community Development

Allison joined NWEI in July 2007 with a B.A in Advertising / Journalism from the University of Georgia.  Since moving to Oregon in 2004 she has worked for several non-profit organizations in differing capacities.  Experience has included outreach, organizing and fundraising for both environmental and animal welfare organizations.  In her free time, Allison enjoys visiting her family in Kentucky, spending time with friends, reading, traveling and being outside.  

Martin Tull

Director of Organizational and Government Partnerships

Martin joined the Northwest Earth Institute staff in November 2005, coming with a professional background in management, sales and marketing, and outreach within the outdoor recreation and rock climbing industries.   His current focus and research explores the intersection between business practices and sustainability, both in organizations and at a municipal level.

Martin is regularly involved in a variety of local projects, varying from climate change activism to research on behavior change.  A central exploration of his past year has been the intersection between spirituality and ecology, the application of Integral Theory to daily interactions, and intentional network weaving to co-create and nurture communities of practice.

Jane Turville

Development Director

Jane began with the Northwest Earth Institute in July of 2006, formerly the development director for Project Pooch and a project architect for 10 years.  Jane has taken a grant writing course at PSU and is also a writer/screenwriter.  In addition to Jane’s passion for writing and directing movies, she also enjoys writing fiction for children and adults.   Other loves include gardening, traveling, and reading.  All animal species are close to her heart but rabbits, dogs and cows often get a little more attention!

Melissa Brumer

Shipping Coordinator, Part Time Development and Curriculum Assistant

Melissa started working part time at NWEI in October 2007.  She graduated from Western Michigan University with a BA in Creative Writing and Comparative Religion, and is currently taking post-bac classes in psychology and writing/editing.  Melissa has worked with several non-profits in different roles: Audubon Society, Red Cross, Visiting Nurses Association, and Greenpeace; and also works as a freelance editor.  In spare time she enjoys running, hiking and biking with her dog and boyfriend and competing in 10K's and triathlons; finding new music, playing guitar, reading and writing.