Our Board
Pam Skripak, Co-Founder/Executive Officer, is passionate about regenerating a sustainable, just, and biodiverse Earth. She is an educator, community organizer, environmental advocate, and member of Bethlehem Tomorrow, an organization committed to open space and sustainability. Alarmed at the decline in critical pollinators, insects, and wildlife, she has helped spearhead efforts to reduce residential pesticide use and preserve open spaces. More recently, she and her husband became stewards of 7 acres of fields and forest. Learners, like so many, they have taken inspiration from Doug Tallamy’s vision for a world of connected properties that “support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water.” Pam has spent her career in the field of experiential education, leadership development, human and organizational capacity-building, and program design and development in the higher education and nonprofit sectors. She holds a BA in English and Women’s Studies from Hamilton College and a Masters in Public Health, Population and Family Health, from Columbia University. She and her husband, David, were Urban Youth Volunteers in Peace Corps Ecuador.
Kate Brittenham, Co-Founder/Treasurer, is an ecological landscape designer in Troy, NY. She is the owner of Front Stoop Gardens, an ecological landscape design and gardening company. Kate holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Skidmore College and a Certificate in Landscape Design from the New York Botanical Garden. In 2015 she interned with the Native Plant Trust (formerly New England Wild Flower Society) at their native plant nursery Nasami Farm. She credits this opportunity as transformational, expanding her knowledge not just of native plants, but also the creatures and ecosystems that depend on them. When she is not designing gardens for others, she is usually working on her own. Her favorite place is her own backyard, and she does her best to keep the neighbors from complaining.
Fred Erlich, Board of Directors, Vice President, served as the founder and executive director of Living Resources for 46 years, an organization dedicated to the needs of disabled persons. By his last year, Living Resources was serving over 2,000 annually, employed 850 staff, owned approximately 40 community properties and two office buildings, and generated annual revenues of $50 million. During his tenure, Living Resources developed five affiliated corporations, including a home health corporation, a corporation to provide professional care after hospitalization, a community social services agency, a real property corp and tax credit finance apartment complex, and a foundation for private donations. In that time, Living Resources continually received clean financial audits, received a platinum rating from Guidestar.com, and were consistently profitable. Fred is the recipient of numerous awards including the Rockefeller College Alumni Award, the University at Albany Alumni Community Service Award, the Hudson Valley Community College Lifetime Achievement Award, and recognition by the U.S. President's Committee on Employment of Individuals with Disabilities. Fred holds a Master in Business and Master in Social Work from the University of Albany.
Nate Liebert, Board Secretary, Nathan is a farmer, parent, and butterfly enthusiast from Albany, NY. He has spent the last 4 years working and learning on organic, small farms in California and New York. In 2023, with help and love from family and friends, he started Corning Hill Gardens in Glenmont, NY.
With the goal of producing affordable, organically grown produce, while improving soil health and increasing local biodiversity, Corning Hill Gardens joined the Delmar Farmers Market in 2024. Nathan is thrilled to be working alongside Home Earth Alliance, and is dedicated to using his knowledge as a grower to help fill the need for native plants from and for this ecoregion.
Pam Tindall O’Brien, Board of Directors, is an attorney who specializes in health care, particularly mental health issues. She worked as an Administrative Law Judge for ten years, and then as Assistant Counsel for the New York State Office of Mental Health for twenty-three years. She left to become Chief Legal Officer for the Institute for Community Living, a large not-for-profit located in New York City. She then worked for the Coalition of Mental Health agencies and Coordinated Behavioral Care.
She loves in Delmar with her husband. She cares deeply about making the planet a decent place to live for her three children and five grandchildren.
Elizabeth (Beth) Meer, Board of Directors, is an environmentalist, gardener and artist whose passion is sharing the joy she experiences in nature with others. Her professional career with the New York State Legislature and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has included leading innovative efforts to help state agencies reduce energy, toxic chemical use, and waste, and to drive the market towards greener products through ingredient disclosure and green procurement. She has designed and installed sustainable gardens featuring native plants and beauty in every season at multiple locations, including the Honest Weight Food Coop in Albany. In recent years, she has embraced art, and loves to paint plants outdoors in their native habitats. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Colgate University and an M.S. in Natural Resources Policy and Planning from Cornell University, and led a team awarded the Peter Berle Memorial Award for outstanding work at DEC.
Chris Fernandez, Board of Directors, Chris is a native of Albany County growing up in Voorheesville. She has enjoyed being part of nature and volunteering in her community her whole life. She earned a degree in Environmental Chemistry and attended Albany Law School imagining a career as an environmental advocate. Instead, she chose a career in the US Air Force. While serving as a judge advocate and commander in the active duty, Reserve, and National Guard components, Chris raised four children, now wonderful young adults. She currently lives with her partner Steve in Slingerlands and is an attorney at the Albany County Department of Law. Chris enjoys collaborating, laughing, biking, gardening, walking, painting, pottery, and numerous other hobbies. She is excited to bring her project management skills to Home Earth Alliance.
Doug Rutnik, Board of Directors, is a multi-sector expert with 30+ years experience at the intersection of business and government. Doug has advised executive teams on driving growth through public sector involvement, including navigation of New York State (NYS) Government, its 50 Agencies and Authorities, Empire State Development economic development strategies, and minority and women-owned business enterprise (MWBE) rules and regulations. Doug has worked extensively with MWBE subcontractors to access contracting opportunities with NYS Agencies and Authorities, as well as directly with Prime contractors. Doug has been retained as a lobbyist and public sector business development consultant by a wide range of companies, providing strategic counsel on government relations, compliance and procurement. Doug earned a BA from Hamilton College.
Our Team
Cindy Ferrari, Special Projects Coordinator, has worked as a health educator and in the field of public health for over 25 years and holds a Masters in Community Health Education from Sage Graduate School. Cindy enjoys volunteering in her community. She has served as the chair of the Bethlehem Healthy Kids Committee since 2009 and has been a board member, and also served as president, of Bethlehem Opportunities Unlimited (BOU) since 2014. More recently, she joined We Are Bethlehem, which is committed to promoting equity and justice and celebrating the diversity of our community. Cindy brings her skills in grant writing, project management, fundraising, advocacy, volunteer recruitment, and community building to the team. She’s a huge fan of Planet Earth and is excited to be lending a hand to the essential work of protecting the environment.
Natalie Thomas, Communications Coordinator, graduated from SUNY New Paltz with a BFA in Printmaking, and is currently working at Women’s Studio Workshop as their Digital Marketing Assistant. In late 2023, she connected with Pam and joined the Home Earth Alliance team. She manages our website and social media, creates content, and helps us connect with our audience. She’s very passionate about environmental justice and living sustainably, and is excited to be a part of our team!