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Rebecca joined Acterra in May of 2008 as the Director of Be the Change. Prior to Acterra, Rebecca served as the Executive Director and Director of Training at Community Boards, a pioneer in the field of community mediation and conflict resolution programs for schools and youth. Through Community Boards, Rebecca conducted training and consulting in the field of conflict resolution and cultural diversity locally, nationally and internationally and co-authored school curricula and articles for journals. Rebecca has also worked as a paralegal, Montessori teacher, outreach librarian and owned an import business. Rebecca has a graduate degree from Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont and extensive training in mediation, facilitation, cultural diversity, storytelling, coaching and leadership. Rebecca has had an avid interest in sustainable environmental practices and is currently a volunteer and advisory board member for Pacifica Gardens, an urban agricultural demonstration project.
Be the Change has an outstanding group of experienced environmental leaders who act as advisors for this program. Participants will have several opportunities to meet these advisors during the year. Some will offer lectures on program days, while others will serve as mentors for participants' practice projects.
Ephi Banaynal dela Cruz, Director of Sustainability
Duane Bay, Housing Director, San Mateo County
Phil Bobel, Environmental Compliance Manager, City of Palo Alto
Jill Boone, Climate Change & Sustainability Manager, County of Santa Clara
Gail Brownell, Engineer, Sustainable Spaces, San Francisco
Margaret Bruce, Center for Climate Action, Los Angeles
Jesse Cool, Organic Chef, Restaurant Owner and Author, Menlo Park & Stanford
Mary Davey, Elected Board Member, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Los Altos Hills
Rod Diridon, Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute & Former Supervisor, County of Santa Clara
Jerry Hearn, Educator, Peninsula School, Menlo Park
Rose Jacobs Gibson, Supervisor, County of San Mateo
Carl King, Business Leader, Mayfield Mortgage, Palo Alto
Terri Lobdell, Former Board Member, Hidden Villa, Palo Alto
Emy Mendoza, Zero Waste Planner, City of San Jose
Clem Molony, Environmental Manager, Lyngso Garden Supply, Redwood City
Rachel Meyer, Executive Director, Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo
Debbie Mytels, Associate Director of Programs, Acterra, Palo Alto
John Northway, Architect, Stoecker and Northway, Palo Alto
Kay O'Neill, Green Collar Jobs Manager, San Mateo County, and Co-Founder/Former Director of Be the Change
Barry Posner, Dean of the Leavey Business School and Professor of Leadership, Management Department, Santa Clara University
Steve Preminger, Director, Union Community Resources, Working Partnerships USA, San Jose
Ted Smith, Senior Strategist and Founder, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, San Jose
Judith Steiner, Retired Executive Director, Hidden Villa, Palo Alto
Don Weden, Retired Planner, Santa Clara County, Mountain View