USDN Network Advisory Committee
USDN's Network Advisory Committee, consisting entirely of current USDN members, provide network insights into the successes and experiences of members, advise on programmatic and organizational member engagement, and assist with stewarding the health and programmatic relevance of the USDN network.
Alara Brinton (She/her)
Alara Brinton is a Green Buildings Specialist with the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. In this role, she supports initiatives that advance building sustainability and help reduce environmental impacts across the community. Through her work, Alara collaborates with colleagues and partners to strengthen local sustainability efforts and promote practical solutions that support resilient and energy-efficient communities. She has seen firsthand the value of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) through training opportunities, webinars, practical resources, and peer learning, and is excited to serve on the Network Advisory Committee (NAC) to help strengthen connections among municipalities and expand engagement with Canadian communities.
Alara is particularly interested in building stronger networks among sustainability practitioners across Canada and believes deeper collaboration between municipalities can help accelerate progress for communities across the network. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her two young children and making the most of family time together, whether that means trips to the playground, visiting the library, going out for lunch, or spending time with extended family.
Carol Davis (She/her)
Carol Davis is the Sustainability Manager for the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia. In this role, she works across a broad range of sustainability priorities, including climate planning, alternative transportation, land use policy, green building and affordable housing, energy policy, water quality, and stewardship of public lands. Carol credits the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) as a critical part of her early development as a sustainability practitioner and values the network’s strong culture of peer learning, shared guidance, and practical support among members. She currently serves on USDN’s Network Advisory Committee (NAC), where she is honored to help support the continued growth and evolution of the network.
Outside of her professional work, Carol is active in her community and region. She volunteers with the Poverty Creek Trails Coalition and the Montgomery County Dialogue on Race, and serves on the boards of Sustainable Blacksburg, the New River Land Trust, and the New River Valley Bike Kitchen. She is also an alumni advisor for Alpha Phi Omega, a gender-inclusive service fraternity at Virginia Tech. Based on personal lived experience, Carol has also developed a passion for building networks of support and practical resources for families navigating dementia.
Cheyenne Flores (She/her)
Beginning her career as an Urban Sustainability Directors Network EDI Fellow, Cheye led the implementation of the City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability’s first neighborhood Heat Plan, Beat the Heat Hunting Park. Working at the intersection of heat resilience and energy security, Cheye advances the equitable energy transition using a framework to advance community capacity-building and prioritize culturally relevant solutions. Currently, Cheye works at the City of Philadelphia Office of Sustainability Municipal Energy Office, managing programs intended to increase energy efficiency and climate resilience in the City building stock. Cheye also serves as a USDN Board Member.
Chris Read (He/him)
Chris Read is the Sustainability Manager at the City of San Luis Obispo and is committed to collaboratively creating carbon-neutral, equitable, accessible, and prosperous communities. Mr. Read has worked with local governments for over a decade and is deeply driven to address the causes and impacts of climate change.
Diana Chaman Salas (She/her)
Diana Chaman Salas serves as Director of Climate and Resiliency for Hennepin County, Minnesota, where she is in charge with fostering climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts with an equity lens. Prior to that, she served as a consultant for the Global Food Banking Network and worked as a principal analyst for Second Harvest Heartland, where she designed a strategy to reduce child hunger in Minnesota’s metro area.
Diana has a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in Comparative Politics. She co-developed the Peruvian National Strategy for Family Farming and Food Security. Diana has been a speaker at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26, and COP20, The No More Food to Waste Conference in the Hague, the UN’s Woman of the Mountain Conference, and the World Bank 2015 Annual Meeting.
Kristin Lynett (she/her)
Kristin Lynett is the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Tacoma, where she has led the Office of Sustainability since it was created by City Council in 2009. In this role, she oversees implementation of Tacoma’s Climate Action Plan, advancing both carbon reduction and climate resilience initiatives. Kristin has been an active member of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) for more than a decade and has served for many years as Co-Chair of her Regional Network. She is honored to serve on USDN’s Network Advisory Committee (NAC), where she brings her experience and perspective to help ensure the network remains relevant, supportive, and valuable to members.
Prior to joining the City of Tacoma, Kristin spent nine years with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring the outdoors across the Pacific Northwest with her family, commuting by e-bike, backpacking and hiking, and recently picked up tennis as a new hobby.
Gina Bell (she/her)
Gina Bell (she/her) is the Director of Sustainability for the City of Dubuque (Iowa). She is responsible for delivering the Mayor and City Council’s sustainability and resiliency priorities by working across city departments and with residents, businesses, and community partners to implement the Climate Action Plan. Her work focuses on equitable strategies for mitigation and adaptation as they relate to the Dubuque community.
Gina graduated from Pacific University in Oregon and then served in the Peace Corps in Paraguay. Upon returning to the US, Gina began work at Adelante Mujeres where she continued working with a diverse group of stakeholders on equity, trauma-reduction, regenerative agriculture, and marketing. This work led her to the City of Portland (Ore.) where she managed Prosper Portland’s Economic Opportunity Initiative, Microenterprise Development Program, and created a new Small Business Development Program.
Gina serves on the Dubuque County Energy District Board of Directors. In 2022, she was named Green Energy Champion at the Hawkeye Decarbonization Awards. In 2010, Gina was named one of 35 Innovators Under 35 by 1,000 Friends of Oregon. In 2008, Gina received the Young Alumni Leadership Award for her work in “la lucha” with low-income Latinas. Gina is fluent in Spanish and speaks michi’mi Guarani. She is dedicated to building community, and passionate about social and environmental justice. After 20+ years on the west coast and abroad, Gina returned to Iowa to address climate change in her hometown.
Jess Dominick (They/them)
Jess Dominick is a Sustainability Specialist with the San Mateo County Sustainability Department, where they coordinate youth climate education programming for middle and high school students. With a background in environmental education, community engagement, and sustainable design, Jess works to cultivate curiosity about climate and sustainability both in the classroom and outdoors. Jess joined the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Network Advisory Committee (NAC) to help strengthen connections among sustainability practitioners across jurisdictions and to learn from peers working to advance sustainability in communities across the network. Through USDN, Jess values the opportunity to share experiences, build supportive relationships, and collaborate with others navigating the challenges and opportunities of this field.
Outside of work, Jess enjoys identifying and photographing fungi and exploring the lessons these organisms offer about collaboration, resilience, and shared resources. Jess often reflects on the many metaphors found in nature and how they can inform community culture, collective learning, and approaches to sustainability work.
Lisa Lin (She/her)
Lisa Lin is the Director of Sustainability for Harris County, Texas, and the county’s first to serve in this role. With more than 15 years of experience across the public, private, nonprofit, and higher education sectors, Lisa has led a range of sustainability and climate initiatives, including sustainable transportation programs at Rice University and the development of San Antonio’s first Climate Action and Adaptation Plan while serving as Climate Program Manager for the City of San Antonio. Lisa values the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) for the opportunities, guidance, and peer learning it has provided throughout a sustainability career and is honored to serve on the Network Advisory Committee (NAC), helping ensure others across the network benefit from the same collaborative support.
Lisa previously served as Sustainability Manager in the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability for the City of Houston. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University and recently completed degree requirements for a Master’s in Sustainable Urban Development from the University of Oxford. Outside of work, Lisa enjoys spending time improving edible and pollinator gardens at home.
Michele De Freitas (She/her)
Michele De Freitas is the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Boynton Beach, Florida. In this role, she supports the development and implementation of sustainability initiatives that advance environmental stewardship and community resilience. Michele brings experience in environmental policy, program development, regulatory compliance, GIS mapping, stakeholder engagement, and data-informed decision-making, and is committed to building practical solutions that create measurable environmental impact at the local level. She values the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) as a strong and supportive community of practitioners and is excited to serve on the Network Advisory Committee (NAC), helping connect cities, share lessons learned, and explore opportunities that strengthen the network.
Michele believes that networks like USDN are essential for translating sustainability goals into real projects that communities can understand and support. Through collaboration with peers across the network, she continues to learn from other cities while contributing her own experiences to the field. She is especially passionate about environmental protection and animal welfare, and about advancing initiatives that benefit both communities and the natural world.
Ose Akinlotan
Ose Akinlotan is the Long-Range Planning Manager for the City of Charlottesville, Virginia, leading comprehensive, area-based, and neighborhood planning efforts that advance equitable and resilient communities. Ose’s work focuses on translating community voices into policies, plans, and investments that address climate, resilience, and land use challenges while ensuring that residents most impacted by environmental risk, displacement pressures, and historic disinvestment are centered in decision making. Ose values the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) as a space where local leaders collaborate to move from ideas to implementation, sharing practical strategies that advance sustainability and equity together. Through service on the Network Advisory Committee (NAC), Ose contributes on-the-ground experience while helping strengthen inclusive learning and collaboration across the network.
Prior to joining Charlottesville, Ose held planning roles with the City of Pittsburgh, the Iowa Department of Transportation, and the City of Dubuque, contributing to major neighborhood and comprehensive planning initiatives. Ose holds a Master’s degree in Geography and Environmental Planning from Towson University and a Bachelor’s degree in History from Morgan State University. Outside of work, Ose enjoys practicing yoga, spending time near the water, and prioritizing meaningful time with family and friends, and is passionate about mentoring and supporting young people as they shape their paths.
Paloma Vila (She/her)
Paloma Vila, PE, is the Sustainability Manager for Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania. Since joining the Township in 2021 as its first Sustainability Manager, she has led efforts to advance sustainability across municipal operations and the broader community. In her role, Paloma works with Township departments and the Environmental Advisory Council to implement programs and policies that reduce environmental impacts, improve environmental performance, manage stormwater quality, and track progress toward sustainability goals. She has been an active participant in the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) since starting her role and is excited to give back to the network by serving on the Network Advisory Committee (NAC).
Prior to joining Lower Merion Township, Paloma worked as an environmental engineering consultant in the private sector. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Temple University and a Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering from Villanova University, and is a licensed professional engineer. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening and values the strong connections, shared learning, and peer support that networks like USDN create for sustainability professionals working to advance change in their communities.