DANIA ALI
Outreach & Engagement Coordinator
Dania is a senior at San Diego State University with a major in Urban Studies-Planning, Design, and Management and a minor in Sustainability. She's most excited about working with diverse communities throughout San Diego and educating others in sustainability. Fun fact about Dania is that she's a big reader and she loves Art History!
JESSIE ANDERSON (She/Her/Hers)
Outreach & Engagement Coordinator
Jessie is a recent graduate of the University of San Diego with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and a minor in Environmental and Ocean Sciences. She was born in Seattle, Washington, moved to San Diego in 2021 for school, and fell in love with the city. She is currently a Geospatial Data Collection Intern at the San Diego River Park Foundation and a dedicated volunteer for We All We Got San Diego. She is passionate about climate justice, community organizing, mutual aid, and field research. She is excited to work with IGC to make climate education more accessible to San Diegans and to connect the amazing work IGC does to other community organizing and mutual aid efforts in San Diego. In her free time she loves to spend time crafting with her friends and her corgi Gus in local neighborhood parks and going to dance and pottery classes.
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MARCUS BURDEN (he/him/his)
Legal Director
Marcus Burden is a lawyer at a private international law firm, and specializes in government contracts, international trade, and construction. A graduate of the George Washington University Law School, Marcus has authored notes on leveraging U.S. federal appropriations for its annual procurements to mitigate carbon emissions, and proposed an amendment to the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Government Procurement to include a carbon tariff on all goods and services utilized in international procurements that exceed a mutually agreed upon emissions threshold for its Member States. Always eager to serve, Marcus joins IGC with the belief that everyone should start where one is, use what one has, and do what one can.
RASHAD BURDEN (he/him/his)
Chair
Dr. Rashad Burden is a proud husband and father. His greatest joy is his family and impacting the world in which they live. He has enjoyed making a difference in the community as a pastor for over 13 years. He is the lead pastor of the Historical San Diego 31st Street Church that has been a cornerstone in the community for over 100 years. He is a sought after speaker and presenter for both his spiritual and organizational culture insight. During his pursuit of his PhD, he found his academic niche in Creative Leadership and multigenerational dynamics. He enjoys guiding leaders and organizations to be sensitive to problems, fluent in adversity, original in operation, and flexible in the face of change.
MAVERICK ESCALANTE (he/him/his)
Community Engagement Intern
Maverick is a Sustainability major at San Diego State University passionate about sustainability, social justice, and building community-driven solutions. Growing up hiking and camping in Montana instilled in him a lifelong respect for nature, which has only deepened through surfing and a personal commitment to ocean conservation. These experiences shaped his passion for connecting environmental well-being with social justice, and for working toward solutions that benefit both people and the planet. He is an advocate for climate awareness, clean water solutions, and grassroots engagement across San Diego.
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With a background in volunteering, community work, and gardening, Maverick is dedicated to making environmental responsibility accessible and impactful. Outside of IGC you’ll likely find him catching waves, exploring trails, or sparking conversations about sustainable living. He is excited to bring his love for nature and San Diego into IGC’s mission of building a more resilient, connected community.
ADRIENNE FUSEK (she/her/hers)
Executive Director & Founder
Adrienne is a lecturer at San Diego State University (SDSU), where she teaches Sustainability, Environmental Science, and Geography and serves as the proud faculty advisor for the student chapter of the global Save Soil movement. Adrienne is a 2024 recipient of the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative's Climate Leader Award, a certified Carbon Literacy Trainer, a member of Al Gore's Climate Reality Leadership Corps, and the Climate Fresk Local Ambassador. She serves on the board of People Planet ImpACT and on the advisory board of the International Education Sustainability Group (IESG).
Prior to founding IGC, Adrienne worked in the field of international education for 18 years. Her work included serving as a founding board member of the Climate Action Network for International Educators (CANIE) where she also served as the lead author of the CANIE Accord.
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Adrienne studied in Querétaro, México while earning a bachelor’s degree in Spanish Education from Cal Poly Humboldt, served as Peace Corps Volunteer in Bangladesh while earning a master’s degree in International Education from SIT Graduate Institute, and she holds a Doctor of Education in Postsecondary Educational Leadership from SDSU. She lives in University Heights with her wife and two unruly dogs.
SAGE GAUTIER
Secretary
Sage Gautier, a native of San Diego, recently graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor's of Science in Sustainability and is deeply committed to sustainability. Prior to serving on the Board, Sage was IGC's Climate Games Intern working with community volunteers and IGC leadership to make climate education more accessible and fun.
With a diverse background in administration and hospitality, as well as a fervent passion for environmental activism, Sage seeks to contribute to positive change. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, she enjoys engaging in leisure activities such as playing board games with friends, exploring new restaurants, and unwinding with a captivating show or movie. Sage aspires to work for The City of San Diego, where she aims to leverage her expertise to implement inclusive green policies that address the diverse needs of marginalized communities, fostering both environmental sustainability and social equity.
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HENAR HELLOW (she/her/hers)
Treasurer
Henar Hellow holds a Master’s degree from the University of California, San Diego in International Relations, where she focused on environmental policy and politics in Southeast Asia. She also holds a double Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian Studies (Chinese language) and in Studio Arts, specializing in oil painting and figure drawing. Her work experience has ranged from non-profit work in labor market, humanitarian aid, and energy to the private sector, where she uses her research and analytical capabilities to help communicate the story hidden in the data. Henar is committed to pursuing DE&I in the corporate space, and for the past few years has been the chapter lead for the Asia Pacific Network in San Diego, an employee resource group focused on the Asian experience and supporting its members and allies. She currently works as a senior research analyst in research consulting within CBRE, using a multi-disciplinary approach to analyze data and produce insights for clients.
A San Diego native, Henar spends her free time knitting, painting, and reading when she’s not working on personal analysis projects centered around climate change and ESG. She lives with her family in San Diego, along with their very funny and chatty cat. Henar is incredibly excited to working with In Good Company and make a positive impact in this space, as well as continue to deepen her experience working in the multi-disciplinary intersection of climate justice.
AVA MENENDEZ (she/her/hers)
Outreach & Engagement Coordinator
Ava is a Sustainability major at San Diego State University with a strong passion for community engagement and creative problem-solving. Before joining IGC, she founded UniExchange, a student-run secondhand marketplace app at SDSU, and led initiatives in outreach, event planning, and social media campaigns centered on sustainability and circular economy principles.
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Ava thrives at the intersection of climate education and community building; whether she’s coordinating outreach, designing engaging programs, or sparking conversations around environmental action. Outside of work, you’ll find her running along the beach, experimenting with thrift-flip DIYs, or training for her next HYROX fitness challenge. She’s energized by bringing people together and is excited to help IGC expand its impact across San Diego—turning climate curiosity into meaningful action, ideally with a coffee in hand and a playlist in the background.
MALAK MITCHELL (he/him/his)
Youth Climate Leader
Malak Mitchell is a San Diego high school student who spends his time on science, surf, math, and videography. Nature is his inspiration to learn and experience the magic of life. Time in the ocean serves as his constant reminder that we all share this planet. Living abroad taught him that we cannot transform our future without creating social and environmental justice. He wants to build a better future by designing investment models that regenerate communities and the natural world.
ARMANDO SEPULVEDA II (he/him/his)
Director
Armando Sepulveda II is an avid enthusiast of the outdoors. Having grown up in South San Diego, Armando’s main access to green space came in the form of Montgomery-Waller Community Park and the Silver Wing Recreation Center, with frequent visits to the Mission Trails Regional Park system. These visits shaped his view on the importance of nature and what it can do for one's mental and physical well-being. This became ever more apparent when his fellow peers did not have the same access to or connection with green spaces, and because of this Armando worked to advocate for his peers and community in any way he could. Currently, Armando works as a Community Organizer for SAY San Diego. In this role, Armando works to provide information to youth and adults on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug (ATOD) related topics.
INEMESIT WILLIAMS (she/her/hers)
Education & Training Specialist (Contract)
Inemesit "Ine" Williams transitioned into the international education sector in 2004 after studying and working in the sciences. As a higher education practitioner and manager, she has led efforts in cultural programming, international student orientation coordination, international student and scholar immigration advising services, exchange & study abroad program management, and more. Her deep belief in creative efforts and collaboration led her to join the Climate Action Network for International Educators (CANIE) to focus on the intersecting crises of climate change, racial justice, and other social inequalities. She completed her 3-year term on the CANIE global board and as co-chair of the Climate Justice Working Group in 2023, and continues to contribute as a general CANIE member and volunteer. She is an advisor for In Good Company (IGC) and joined the IGC team in December 2023 as an Education and Training Specialist.
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Ine is also a Climate Reality Leadership Corps alumna and mentor who collaborates with community members to educate, build, and support climate action in her local Arizona area and beyond. Her goals for 2024 include becoming a Climate Literacy trainer and Climate Fresk facilitator to help expand, normalize, and catalyze everyday climate and justice conversations into community action. She lives in Arizona and is developing a sustainable off-grid desert homestead and short-term vacation site to encourage family, friends, and guests to get outside and respectfully connect with nature.