Get to Know the New Switzer Foundation Trustees
We’re excited to welcome three new members to the Switzer Foundation’s Board of Trustees this year: Michael Billingsley, Ekow Edzie and Roger Perez. We invite everyone to learn more about our new trustees and their inspiration as leaders within the Switzer Network in their responses to the questions below. Welcome, Michael, Ekow and Roger!
Michael Billingsley
What motivated you to become a Switzer Foundation trustee?
My passion for environmental causes and the desire to be a part of an established and vibrant community of leaders and innovators focused on all aspects of environmental change.
What inspires you about the Switzer Network?
The depth and broad reaching environmental expertise of the foundation’s fellows, trustees, and staff. It is extremely rewarding to be a part of a community focused on advancing direct and measurable results to improve the environment.
What unique perspectives or experiences will you contribute to the Switzer Foundation board?
I believe my professional expertise in the financial and environmental sectors will enable me to contribute to the advancement of the Switzer Foundation and growth of the foundation’s capital resources used to support its mission. My experience serving as an Advisory Council Member to a clean energy corporate entity combined with over a decade of progressive financial management experience will enable me to provide the necessary strategic leadership, oversight, and partnership with the foundation’s staff and network to achieve its mission.
Ekow Edzie
What motivated you to become a Switzer Foundation trustee?
I was inspired to serve as a Switzer Foundation trustee by my experience serving on the Switzer Fellows Advisory Committee (FAC). I joined the FAC because I sought an opportunity to give back to the Switzer Foundation, out of gratitude for the incredible community I have found through the network and the doors that the fellowship opened for me. During my tenure as a FAC member I gained a new level of appreciation for the dedication, humility, and open-mindedness of the Switzer staff and trustees, as well as a renewed sense of awe for the incredible work that members of the Switzer Network advance around the world on a daily basis. It is a great honor to be able to serve as a Switzer Foundation trustee, and I am thrilled to be able to continue to collaborate and learn from the Switzer staff and other trustees, as we work to support the network and innovate to meet the needs of the future.
What inspires you about the Switzer Network?
I am inspired by the dedication of Switzer Fellows and the spirit of mutual support that seems to permeate the Switzer community. I love seeing the range of projects that Switzer Fellows are working on and the creativity that fellows bring to their work, consistently finding new angles to address thorny environmental challenges. I am also inspired by the humility of Switzer Fellows and fellows' motivation to connect and collaborate.
What unique perspectives or experiences will you contribute to the Switzer Foundation board?
Prior to joining the State Department, I worked as a mediator on natural resource governance and environmental planning issues. Much of this work centered around helping diverse groups collaborate on solving complex and often divisive issues. As the Switzer Foundation asks hard questions about how to best meet the needs of the future, I hope to be able to leverage the skillset I developed as a mediator to help the board approach these questions thoughtfully and with an eye towards incorporating a diverse set of perspectives. My perspective and approach to serving on the board will also be influenced by my experience serving as a Peace Corps volunteer and my broad experience living and working internationally. Through these experiences I have learned to (try to) approach challenges with an open mind and to listen first.
Roger Perez
What motivated you to become a Switzer Foundation trustee?
The Switzer Foundation has helped guide my personal and professional trajectory. Since finding the fellowship in 2015, I have met an amazing cohort of environmental leaders, had the opportunity to stretch and learn, and have been inspired each year as a new class of fellows comes on board. I am a huge fan of fellowship and mentorship programs and believe in the power they bring to help solve large and seemingly intractable issues.
What inspires you about the Switzer Network?
The breadth and depth of expertise. I sometimes find myself scrolling through the ‘Find an Expert’ page, reading how fellows work in their fields and advance their issues. It’s amazing to see the ~700 dedicated people, their commitment, and new ways of thinking and doing.
What unique perspectives or experiences will you contribute to the Switzer Foundation board?
I look forward to sharing my background and experience in the environmental justice, philanthropic, and nonprofit space. I have been lucky to work with organizations advancing social and environmental issues through advocacy, impact investing, grantmaking, and participatory processes, among others, and am excited to contribute to Switzer's goals.
