John C. Warner, Co-Founder & President
John is a founder of the field of green chemistry and is widely considered one of the world’s leading experts in designing safer products and processes. He received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts Boston and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Princeton University in Medicinal Chemistry. He then lead a research group at the Polaroid Corporation for 9 years before returning to the University of Massachusetts as an academic where he spent 9 years educating the next generation of professionals in green chemistry. John has recently launched an independent research institute, The Warner Babcock Institute, aimed at working closely with industries to provide green chemistry technologies for the marketplace. Along with the Warner Babcock Institute, John co-founded the non-profit Beyond Benign and serves as the chair of the Board of Directors for the organization. John has won numerous awards for his contribution to academia and to green chemistry, including the 2004 Presidential award in science mentoring. John is the author of over 150 papers and a holder of numerous patents for green chemistry technologies with applications ranging from electronic and polymeric materials to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. He is co-author of the seminal book titled Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice (Oxford University Press, 1998). John is the editor of the new journal Green Chemistry: Letters and Reviews.
Rachel Pokrandt, Director of K-12 Curriculum and Training
Rachel has been developing multi-disciplinary sustainable science curricula for middle and high school students for 7 years, working on programs with Pfizer, The U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, DuPont and DOW Chemical. Rachel has been involved in Green Chemistry Education through the ‘Recipe for Sustainable Science’ and ‘Solutions in Green Chemistry’ programs of Beyond Benign and has trained over 340 teachers in the use of these materials through summer institutes and weekend workshops in the U.S., Ireland, England and Puerto Rico. Rachel has a BA in Theatre Studies and British Literature, an MA in Curriculum and Instruction and recently completed her MBA. Prior to her curriculum development work, Rachel was a classroom teacher for 7 years.
Kate Anderson,
Project Leader, Elementary School Initiatives
Kate earned her Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Environmental Education from Florida Atlantic University in 2006 after graduating with her B.A. degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She has worked as a Sustainable Project Manager in the seafood industry in Massachusetts. Kate's previous experience took place in the K-12 classroom setting. As a program coordinator for non-profit environmental education programs, she developed curriculum, taught K-5 programs, managed service-learning projects and supported professional development workshops and trainings for teachers. Kate's passion is working with students and teachers to improve education. She is excited to be spreading the word that green chemistry offers solutions to the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow.
Marge Anderson, Director of Educator and Business Initiatives
Marge is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and spent 29 years in infectious diseases research for Pfizer Inc in Groton, CT. While in the lab, Marge chaired the teacher professional development committee for the SMART! (Science and Math Are Really Terrific!) outreach initiative and held the position of SMART! Program Coordinator for more than eight years before retiring in December 2007. She was also Advisor for the Explorers global education outreach program of the Pfizer Foundation in New York. She is a Board member of the Connecticut Academy for Education. Her current interests include partnering of international educators and businesses to produce cutting-edge programs that address both the standards-based needs of teachers and the business need s of industry.
Teri Natoli, K-12 Curriculum Specialist
Teri is a high school science teacher from Waterford, Connecticut. She received her undergraduate degree from Queens College and her master's from New York University. Prior to her teaching career, Teri worked at Sloan-Kettering Institute as a Senior Research Technician in Human Cancer Serology. She tried her hand at pharmaceutical sales and even worked in a test kitchen of a food magazine before finding her true passion in the classroom.
Matt MacGregor, K-12 Curriculum Specialist
Matt has been teaching Middle School, in both Scotland and Canada, since 2003. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from the University of Western Ontario and a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Matt has facilitated math learning conferences for existing teachers, has worked as a professional mentor in his district's 'New Teacher Induction Program' and has hosted a variety of student teachers as a recognized associate teacher in his district. In addition to being an active member in his district's Math and Science Task Force(s), which required him to write, implement and analyze new science and math curriculum. Matt was also a facilitator in Green Chemistry's first visit to Canada. Additionally, he facilitated the pilot Green Math workshop held in Mystic, CT in 2009. Although, he dearly misses his Bonnie Scotland, Matt is currently living in his hometown of London, Ontario, Canada with his wife Joanne, and daughters, Isla and Isabella.
Brenda Thompson-Leffler, K-12 Curriculum Specialist
Brenda began her middle school teaching career in 1993 and is currently working at Summit Middle School in Frisco, Colorado. Her focus has been on 6th and 7th grade science. She has run semester long green chemistry courses for 6th graders and has been an integral part of the curriculum development team since the inception of the project. She also teaches a green biotechnology course for 7th grade students, bringing the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry to different disciplines within science. Brenda earned her B.S. and M.A. in Education. More importantly, she is the proud mom of her baby girl, Darby. As a resident of Breckenridge, Colorado, Brenda spends her spare time telemark skiing and trail running. Brenda grew up in Louisiana and loves to visit her large family back in LA, but admits she is now a "mountain girl."
Amy Cannon, Co-Founder & Executive Director
Amy holds the world's first Ph.D. in Green Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts where her research involved the environmentally benign synthesis of photoactive materials. She received her M.S. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts Boston and her undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH. Amy worked as an Assistant Professor of Green Chemistry and Director of Outreach and Community Education at the Center for Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Lowell until September of 2007 when she left to co-found Beyond Benign. Amy has industrial experience working as an analytical chemist for the Gillette Company and as a scientist for Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials. She was awarded the Kenneth G. Hancock Memorial Award in Green Chemistry in 2004 for her work on titanium dioxide semiconductors and their application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Her interests are in green chemistry education and research around safer green chemistry alternative technologies. Amy serves on the Editorial board of the new journal Green Chemistry: Letters and Reviews.
Jerry Beck, Resident Artist and Project Leader, Art & Science
Jerry Beck is a nationally recognized artist, educator, and cultural leader. In 1984, he founded The Revolving Museum, a nomadic laboratory of creative expression that produces collaborative and interdisciplinary public art, exhibitions, educational programs, and special events. In 2007, under Beck’s leadership, the museum received the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Commonwealth Award in the category of Community, the state's highest honors in the arts, humanities and sciences. Beck is also the founder of the Visionary School, an innovative educational curriculum program for high school and college students focused on the development of cultural and civic leadership. Beck’s own artwork has been exhibited at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Museum, Artists Space in New York City, Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University, Capp Street Project, Mass MoCA, and numerous galleries and institutions across the nation. He has received many grants including multiple National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants, Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Arts International grant, New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) grants, Pew Charitable Trust grant, and multiple Massachusetts Cultural Council grants. Beck has a BFA from Florida State University and a MFA from Tufts University-School of the Museum of Fine Arts. He is currently the Resident Innovator at the Innovation Academy Charter School in Tyngsboro, MA.
John Pyers, Director of Community Outreach & Communications
Prior to his career in chemistry, John garnered a decade of business management experience. He received his B.S. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts Boston under the guidance of Dr. John Warner. After working as the Director of Laboratories at UMass Boston, John joined Dr. Warner at the Center for Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. He brings a wealth of green chemistry knowledge and experience from a decade of basic research, facilitating at the University and developing green chemistry educational materials. John also holds the position of comptroller for the Beyond Benign Foundation and is, ironically, a Six-Sigma Green Belt.
Raksmey Derival, K-12 & Community Outreach Program Manager
Raksmey received her B.S. degree in biochemistry from Suffolk University where she gained experience in green chemistry outreach program development. Raks was awarded an National Science Foundation fellowship to perform bio-organic chemistry research at the Ohio State University, and worked as an analytical chemist and forensic toxicologist at a drug testing lab in Massachusetts for 3 years. She spent a year working with Dr. John Warner and Dr. Amy Cannon at the Center for Green Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Lowell before joining Beyond Benign as a K-12 and Community Outreach Program Manager. Raksmey brings extensive experience in developing green chemistry educational and informational materials for outreach, training and education. She takes pride in working at the “street” level, talking directly to students, teachers and the community to generate excitement for science and to convey the important message of green chemistry in today's society.
Brooke Carson, K-12 Curriculum Specialist
Brooke joined the Beyond Benign team as a curriculum specialist in July of 2009. Prior to this role, she was a middle school teacher for 8 years in the state of Colorado, specializing in differentiated instruction and integration of cross-disciplinary units. Brooke previously served as the Director of Teacher Training at The Keystone Center in Keystone, Colorado for 8 years; by instituting programs with government agencies such as NASA, The Department of Energy and corporations such as, SC Johnson Wax, and Pfizer, she had the opportunity to grow the professional development division from one yearly institute to eight curriculum projects. She has presented sustainability concepts to corporate audiences locally and internationally. The bulk of her experience rests with local, national, and international teacher training, and she continues to focus on providing professional development experiences for educators. Living in a small town in Colorado at 10, 400 feet, Brooke predictably loves being in the outdoors.
Greg Sloan, K-12 Curriculum Specialist
Greg has been teaching middle school science in Terre Haute, IN since 1992. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Indiana University and a Master's Degree in Administration and Supervision from Indiana State University. Greg has developed and facilitated basic math and science courses for the employees of the Pfizer plant in Terre Haute. He has worked on developing hands on activities to address the Indiana State Standards for the State of Indiana. Greg has also facilitated workshops in his district in order to help elementary teachers implement more science into the curriculum and has had activities published by Prentice Hall in the supplemental booklet; "Student - Centered Science Activities for the Midwest".
Richard Cooper, K-12 Curriculum Specialist
Richard is a high school chemistry teacher and science department head in London, Ontario, Canada. In addition to curricular responsibilities, he coaches football, manages the track and field team, and coordinates the Science Olympic team. Richard is originally from Western Canada and grew up on a wheat farm, he moved on to receive twin degrees from the University of Saskatchewan in Chemistry and Education. Richard moved to the London area to take up employment with Thames Valley District School Board. Recently, Richard has led teacher training in the use of Technology in the classroom to improve Numeracy and Literacy, and Green Chemistry. Richard implements Green Chemistry with 4 classes of grade 9 in his school where he is the science chair.