Raina Rippel, Executive Director
Raina Rippel has over nine years of experience researching and working on energy and environmental public health issues. She was previously the Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Maine, and helped build coalitions around climate change and other progressive issues. During her studies at the University of Pittsburgh, she spent six months in Newcastle, Australia, where she witnessed daily lines of
35 or more coal ships on the horizon, living next door to one of the busiest coal ports in the world. As an avid supporter of climate change prevention and mitigation, she eagerly witnessed Australia's sign-on to the Kyoto protocol, and believes firmly that the local is the global, particularly when it comes to the devastating effects of coal as our number one energy source in America.
Debbie Harter, Office Manager
Deborah Harter joined the Center for Coalfield Justice recently as the Administrative Coordinator. She has a background in the fields of banking, office management, payroll, budgets, accounting and County government. Debbie was born and raised in Washington, moving to Claysville after marriage, and returning to Washington two years ago. Over the past three years she has experienced the impacts of longwall mining in her own neighborhood.
Terri Davin, Greene County Community Organizer
Terri Davin lives in Greene County in the heart of longwall mining. She graduated from Waynesburg University with a degree in Biology and has worked on environmental issues for the past 8 years. Terri grew up playing and exploring the streams on her grandfathers 150 acre farm in Washington County. In her position with CCJ, Terri assists our member groups as well as organizes individuals to defend their homes, property and water supplies when faced with longwall mining.
Emily Bloom, Washington County Community Organizer
Emily Bloom grew up in the historic coal mining regions of central Cambria County, and completed her undergraduate studies at Washington and Jefferson College. During a one-year Americorps term with Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's Freshwater Conservation Program, she performed fieldwork for watershed assessments, developed a Coldwater Conservation Plan, and assisted with environmental education events. She then worked for two years as an Agricultural Conservation Technician with the Indiana County Conservation District, where she reviewed nutrient management plans and assisted local farmers with the implementation of agricultural best management practices. Emily is excited to work with CCJ on addressing longwall coal mining impacts in our communities.
Cassie McCrae, Campaign Organizer
Cassie McCrae started working on coal issues during an internship with Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO) on Chicago’s Southside. As part of her graduate work in Environmental Anthropology, she researched Chicago activism focused on the area’s two aging coal-fired power plants. After working on power plant activism, Cassie headed to Appalachia to begin work on another aspect of the coal cycle: mining. As an AmeriCorps VISTA serving with the George’s Creek Watershed Association in western Maryland, Cassie worked with local community members to address environmental and health threats connected to pre-regulation mining.
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