Kirk sets Resource Media’s strategic direction and provides organization-wide program, operational and administrative oversight. During his tenure, Resource Media has grown to work with over thirty foundations and hundreds of partner non-profits. Over this time, Resource Media has established itself as a national leader in leveraging the power of communications to achieve important environmental objectives, most often working within broad coalitions that encompass participants from all walks of life and a diverse array of political perspectives. Kirk has worked extensively on sustainable energy issues at the regional, national and international levels. Prior to Resource Media in the early 1990s, Kirk served as policy director for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy in Washington, D.C. His responsibilities included helping direct the Council's climate change advocacy efforts with business, national media, and national and international policymakers. In 2002, Kirk served as Assistant Director of the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions where he helped lead the organization's work supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency use in the United States. Kirk holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota and a master’s in public policy from George Washington University, Washington, D.C. He works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at kirk at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 308.
Holly Armstrong, Program Director
Holly Armstrong leads our efforts on oil and gas issues within the Energy Development team. Throughout more than 15 years in government and political communications, she worked with elected leaders, candidates for political office and business to create pro-active communications plans and protocols. Prior to working with Resource Media, she worked for the Democratic National Convention, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, U.S. Rep. David Wu, U.S. Sen. John Kerry and the Oregon State Accident Insurance Fund. Gov. Gregoire was named “Public Official of the Year” by Governing Magazine while Holly served as communications director. She works in our Boulder office and can be reached at holly at resource-media.org, (720) 564-0500 ext 12.
Liz Banse, Associate Director
A veteran of Resource Media's Seattle office since 1999, Liz leads our Oceans and Public Health teams where she provides overall management and sets strategic direction for projects. During her tenure at Resource Media Liz has developed communications plans for nonprofits across a wide spectrum of issue areas and orchestrated communications strategy and media outreach on policy and consumer-based campaigns on leading environmental concerns from pesticides and water quality to toxics in cleaning products to cleaning up Puget Sound. Her practice areas span all aspects of communications planning, media strategy and outreach, public opinion research, message development, branding, materials development and production, organizational marketing and crisis communications. She is also adept in deploying digital/social media strategies and conducting outreach to bloggers. Prior to joining Resource Media, Liz worked as a Senior Account Executive at the public relations firm, MWW/Savitt. She also has worked for several nonprofit organizations and volunteered extensively on political campaigns at the city and state level. She has a bachelor's degree in Asian Studies and Political Science from Carleton College. Liz works in our Seattle office and can be reached at liz at resource-media.org, (206) 374-7795 ext 100.
Këri Bolding, Vice President, Energy/Climate
Këri sets the strategic direction for and oversees Resource Media's work in the energy and climate areas. Këri has extensive experience in the energy and climate fields, most recently serving as the Senior Communications Advisor for the California Public Utilities Commission promoting the state's global leadership on clean energy climate policy. Këri brings deep expertise in energy efficiency, green power marketing, utilities, transmission and climate policy. She has travelled extensively both nationally and internationally to build partnerships and dialogue to advance clean energy, energy efficiency and policies to reduce emissions. Prior to her work with the California PUC, she helped build the nation's voluntary renewable energy power market as the Director of Business and Promotional Services at the Center for Resource Solutions. Over seven years, she provided the marketing and communication oversight for Green-e, the nation's leading independent consumer protection program for the sale of renewable energy and greenhouse gas reductions in the retail market, and other organizational efforts. A Stanford Graduate of Communications, Këri has spent over a decade in the field, putting communications fundamentals to work for energy organizations, agencies, corporations, start-ups and nonprofit organizations. Këri works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at keri at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 306.
Matt Brashears, Program Coordinator
Matt is the newest member of our Energy Solutions team. He comes to Resource Media with more than a decade of experience as a photojournalist and writer for Puget Sound area newspapers, including the King County Journal. Matt most recently worked at the Renton Reporter, where he trained staff in Web video production. Since 1997, he has worked as a freelance public relations photographer and videographer in the fields of public water and power utilities, healthcare, small business and tourism. Matt earned a public relations certificate from the University of Washington and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Penn State University. Matt works in our Seattle office and can be reached at mattb@resource-media.org, (206) 374-7795 ext 103.
Kim Curtis, Program Director
As a member of Resource Media’s Climate Research team, Kim has overseen recent efforts to increase public awareness of climate science, including the 2009 release of the U.S. Climate Impacts Report, which culminated in a high-profile White House event. Before joining Resource Media in 2008, Kim spent 12 years as a reporter for The Associated Press, where she held several positions, including embedded correspondent in Iraq, investigative crime reporter and daily supervisor who coordinated and edited local and national coverage. Previously, she served as an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Air Force. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Alaska, Anchorage and works from our San Francisco office. Kim can be reached at kim at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 305.
Julie Dixon, Senior Program Director
Julie joined Resource Media in 2001, and leads public lands and water conservation efforts in California and the West. Since establishing the Sacramento office in 2004, she has worked on the State of California’s petition for protecting roadless areas in the state’s 18 national forests as well as wildfire and water reform policy. A former television producer in Denver, Sacramento and San Francisco, she has been honored with several awards, including the Colorado Broadcaster’s Award for special programming. She works in our Sacramento office and can be reached at julie at resource-media.org, (916) 446-1058.
Eric leads Resource Media’s Energy Development team, overseeing our work on issues such as coal-fired power, oil and gas drilling, oil shale development, and the transition away from fossil fuels toward cleaner sources of generating electricity. Joining Resource Media in 2006, he led our work with the Western Clean Energy Campaign and its efforts to fight proposals for the construction of new coal-burning power plants in the West. He has more than 10 years of experience working as a journalist in Colorado. Most recently, he served as the city editor for the Longmont Times-Call covering government, science and environmental issues. He works in our Boulder office and can be reached at eric at resource-media.org, (720) 564-0500 ext 13.
Amy leads Resource Media's land use and agricultural work. She was the lead author of Beyond Planning, a comprehensive analysis of land use media coverage in fast-growing small and medium-sized communities in the West. Prior to joining Resource Media in 2006, she worked for the Northern Plains Resource Council, a Montana grassroots conservation and family agriculture group. She works in our Bozeman office and can be reached at amy at resource-media.org, (406) 582-5441.
Belinda provides communications strategy and direction for climate change and public health projects from the Oceans and Public Health team. She particularly enjoys working on campaign strategy and issue analyses. Her recent work includes a comprehensive framing analysis of climate change and water in the American West. Belinda is a former political reporter and editor, and a communications director with 10 years experience on electoral and grassroots campaigns. She is also a licensed attorney and mediator in both California and Washington. Belinda holds a bachelor’s degree in International Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. She works from our Seattle office and can be reached at belinda at resource-media.org, (206) 374-7795 ext 101.
Ken Jones, Chief Financial Officer
Serving as Resource Media’s CFO, Ken oversees our finance and accounting operations, 
human resources administration and information technology team. Ken prepares our annual operating budget and provides regular updates to the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. He also oversees our annual financial audit and preparation of the organization’s tax return. Prior to joining Resource Media, Ken was the Director of Finance and Administration at the Stuart Foundation, a family foundation focused on public education and child welfare in San Francisco. Ken has also held senior management positions at Community Gatepath, the San Francisco Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo. He works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at ken at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 312.
Nicole has been providing strategic communications support to the conservation community for seven years. Prior to joining Resource Media’s Oceans and Public Lands teams in 2008, Nicole managed public affairs for The Trust for Public Land's western regional office, overseeing media relations in California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada. She has worked on campaigns from the inner city to the wilderness, including urban park initiatives, coastal protection and land use planning. She works in our Portland office and can be reached at nicole at resource-media.org, (503) 719-5626.
Ben Long, Senior Program Director
Ben opened Resource Media’s first field office in Kalispell, Montana, in 2001 and now works on conservation issues in the West and nationwide. Before joining Resource Media, Ben worked as a newspaper journalist, magazine contributor, book author and conservationist in Idaho and Montana. For 10 years he has helped advance ballot initiatives and grassroots campaigns to conserve the water, wildlife and beauty of the northern Rockies for people to enjoy. He works in our Kalispell office and can be reached at ben at resource-media.org, (406) 257-8302.
Kathy Malley, Development and Communications Director
Kathy leads and manages our fundraising and external communications activities. Previously she was the Development Director for the Washington Environmental Council, putting in place a sustainable fundraising program that doubled their budget. She works in our Seattle office and can be reached at kathy at resource-media.org, (206) 374-7795 ext 106.
Brendan currently serves as Resource Media's Project Manager and is a member of the agriculture, land use, oceans and public health teams. Through partnerships with leading scientists, Brendan works to publicize the environmental impacts of nitrogen pollution, ways to stabilize our food system and the need for smart bioenergy policy. His research on land use planning is helping Westerners build healthy communities and chart their own visions for how they grow. Brendan is also part of the media team striving to create a network of underwater parks along the coast of California through the Marine Life Protection Act. Brendan has been with Resource Media since 2005 and works in our Seattle office. He has special expertise in digital media, writing and editing, and can be reached at brendan at resource-media.org, (206) 374-7795 ext 108.
Gaelen O'Connell, Digital Media Manager
Gaelen supports both Resource Media's digital media and marketing communications efforts. She has more than six years of marketing, PR and social media experience, combined. Prior to Resource Media, Gaelen spearheaded customer advocacy, social media and PR initiatives at a rapidly growing high tech start-up. Her experience and passions lie in building communities, staying on the cutting edge of new social media trends and helping to optimize websites. She works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at gaelen at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000, ext 303.
Harlin leads the work of Resource Media's Forests & Public Lands team. In her previous post as a Program Director, she developed media outreach around the policy and market-based campaigns for more responsible metal mining. Her work on these campaigns resulted in unprecedented media coverage, leading to major breakthroughs in the dialogue between mining reform advocates and industry and establishing new alliances with the jewelry industry. Prior to joining Resource Media in 2002, Harlin worked as a magazine editor and writer, conservation advocate, and U.S. Senate staffer in Washington, D.C. She works in our Boulder office and can be reached at harlin at resource-media.org, (720) 564-0500 ext 11.
Benita Silverman, Administrative Assistant
Benita works in the San Francisco office and provides administrative, facility and logistical support to staff in the eight Resource Media field offices She assists staff with event and travel planning and is responsible for coordinating and producing daily and weekly news and team reports through RM electronic communication systems. She also acts as liaison to the Resource Media Board of Directors and assists in quarterly Board meeting preparations. Her background includes over 20 years experience in the education, visual and performing arts, science and healthcare industries. She can be reached at Benita at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000, ext 301.
Debbie Slobe leads our energy efficiency work for the Energy Solutions Teams. She works with our partners to build support for policies and programs that help reduce energy waste in homes and other buildings, and ensure electric utilities are maximizing energy savings for their customers through greater efficiency. In her more than 15 years in the communications field, Debbie has worked in nearly every aspect of the industry, including film and radio production, website development and writing and editing for print and online publications. Debbie is also the proud owner of a net-zero home and plug-in hybrid electric car that both run on solar energy. Prior to joining Resource Media, she was the communications team leader for the Playa Lakes Joint Venture, a regional partnership of state and federal agencies, private companies and conservation groups working to conserve wildlife habitat in the Southern High Plains. Debbie works in the Boulder office and can be reached at debbie at resource-media.org, (720) 564-0500 ext 16.
Melinda Venable, Associate Director Digital and Ethnic Media
Working across all Resource Media teams, Melinda provides strategic consultation and support for digital and social media programs, ethnic media outreach, marketing communications and internal communications. Melinda has worked in high-tech marketing communications and PR for more than 15 years, creating strategies and programs in support of business objectives. Prior to joining Resource Media, she was at a software startup charged with global PR, customer advocacy and social media. She built a grassroots program to mobilize a community of loyal evangelists using Yahoo, Ning, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Digg and beyond. She works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at melinda at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 307.
Working from our Salt Lake City office, Tim joined Resource Media’s Climate & Energy Team in 2008. He comes to us with over 15 years of professional and volunteer experience in strategic communications, journalism and advocacy. Most recently, he served for four years as Director of the Utah Smart Energy Campaign at the Sierra Club where he also was an appointed member of Utah Governor Jon Hunstman’s Blue Ribbon Advisory Council on Climate Change as well as co-chair of the Governor’s Renewable Energy Initiative. He works in our Salt Lake City office and can be reached at tim at resource-media.org, (801) 364-1668.
Jillian Ward, Program Director
Jillian’s work at Resource Media has included leading our outreach to broadcast meteorologists on global warming, as well as working on media campaigns for numerous national climate-science report releases. Jillian worked as technology and top news editor at Bloomberg News for more than 8 years prior to joining Resource Media. She has also worked on news desks at the San Francisco Chronicle, The Denver Post and the Greeley Tribune. Jillian has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s in journalism from the University of Colorado. Jillian can be reached at jillian at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext. 309.
Zach is Program Director for the Climate and Energy teams. His recent work at Resource Media includes working on campaigns to stop new coal-fired power plants, promote consensus climate science and support international climate protection. He’s overseen the creation of numerous websites and led original research projects and media analyses on a variety of topics. Prior to joining Resource Media in 2005, Zach worked with Free Speech TV in Boulder, CO. He works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at zach at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 311.
As a Program Director on the Land Use and Sustainable Agriculture team, Penelope provides communications strategy, training and media outreach. Through partnerships with leading scientists, she works to publicize the environmental and public health effects of nitrogen pollution, ways to stabilize our food system and the need for smart bioenergy policy. On land use, she promotes planning that leads to more sustainable housing and transportation choices. Penelope has 15 years of experience promoting strategic communications for social change nonprofits, environmental groups and unions, with expertise in writing and editing, web site development and video production.
She works in our San Francisco office and can be reached at penelope at resource-media.org, (415) 397-5000 ext 313.
Sian Wu, Program Director
Since 2004, Sian has directed media outreach and strategy efforts across almost all of Resource Media’s program areas. Her current post is with the Oceans and Public Health teams. Prior to joining Resource Media, Sian was a translator, editor and reporter for local ethnic newspapers and magazines, and she has served as the board president of the International Examiner, the Northwest’s first Asian-American news journal. She works in our Seattle office and can be reached at sian at resource-media.org, (206) 374-7795 ext 102.
Phillip is the program coordinator in our Boulder office, splitting his time between the Energy Development and Public Lands teams. Prior to joining Resource Media, he worked as a newspaper reporter for four years in Amarillo, Texas, and Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Phillip can be reached at phillip at resource-media.org, (720) 564-0500 ext 14.
