Ariella Thornhill (she/her) brings over a decade of experience in organizational leadership, climate justice, and equitable operations. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology and has spent her career working at the intersection of systems change, community empowerment, and mission-driven work. Ariella is passionate about building sustainable infrastructure within values-aligned organizations and ensuring that resources flow to those doing frontline, transformative work.

Before joining MHET, Ariella served as Chief Operating Officer at a radical publishing house, where she led major initiatives in operations, HR, and nonprofit development. She also founded the Verso Institute for Global Scholarship, supporting underrepresented authors from the Global South. Ariella’s commitment to equity and access is rooted in her own experiences growing up in public housing and witnessing the impact of environmental and economic injustice firsthand. She now brings that lived experience to her work in the Hudson Valley, helping to build a just and resilient energy future.

Outside of work, Ariella enjoys gardening, quality time with her family, writing fiction and nonfiction, and fossil hunting around the Hudson Valley.

Jasmine (she/they) is an energy justice expert, environmental policy advocate, and published scholar. With extensive experience in designing and implementing community-based renewable energy and building decarbonization programs, she has dedicated her career to ensuring that vulnerable communities have a voice in the clean energy transition. As the Executive Director of Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, Jasmine leads efforts to empower communities through renewable energy ownership, healthier buildings, and wealth-building initiatives. Previously, Jasmine held key roles in advancing cutting-edge energy policy across New York State, including appointments to New York City’s Sustainability Advisory Board and Climate Mobilization Advisory Board under multiple mayoral administrations. In these roles, she guided the development of New York City’s long-term sustainability plan and played a pivotal role in shaping the implementation of Local Law 97, historic legislation for building decarbonization. Jasmine earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Sustainability from Bard College.