Find a Speaker
One of the most important things we each do about climate change is to talk about it. Opening climate conversations in our diverse communities requires the right messengers.
Find effective messengers for your community from among our staff team, steering committee, and our extensive network of colleagues from the list below. Let us know what you’re looking for: we know climate protectors of many faith traditions who speak English and Spanish. Contact program @ ipldmv.org.
IPL DMV Staff Speakers
We have over a decade of experience opening hearts to the impacts of climate change. Our team is open to curating a program that meets your congregations needs and are willing to come to your congregation in person or online to make it happen.
| Name | Religious Tradition | Specialties |
|---|---|---|
|
Jewish |
Solar, Interfaith Climate Organizing |
|
|
Christian, UCC |
Environmental Justice, Climate Equity, Community Organizing |
|
|
Christian, Baptist |
Federal Policy, DC, Policy, Energy Benchmarking |
Joelle Novey
Director, IPL DMV
Jewish
Silver Spring, MD
Approach
Joelle speaks widely in congregations throughout the region about the role of people of faith in responding to climate change. She can facilitate a congregational conversation about responding faithfully to climate change, a strategic organizing meeting for a green team, or can work with you to develop an appropriate program.
Joelle can give a dvar torah on themes of climate and environment in any Jewish congregation. Also happy to give a guest sermon in congregations of other religious traditions, with a little guidance from folks at the congregation!
Joelle has served as IPL-DMV’s Director since the fall of 2009 and speaks widely on the role that faith communities can play in the climate movement. She grew up in Baltimore at Chizuk Amuno congregations and is now active in several Jewish communities in the DC area, including Minyan Segulah, and serves on the advisory board of Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action.
Joelle finds communities of faith and spirit to be among the most powerful places in the world to talk about the climate crisis and why it matters to each of us. She loves opening conversations with people of all ages and backgrounds about what is happening to our world, and how we are each called to protect the people, places, and creatures we love. She is grounded in her own Jewish tradition’s fierce spirit of intervention which demands that we act boldly even when we feel uncertain, if life may be at stake.
Prior to coming to IPL DMV, Joelle worked at Green America, where she screened applicants to the Green Business Network and wrote dozens of articles about greener living for the organization’s newsletter and magazine. For more than a year, she counseled hospital patients of all backgrounds and led interfaith worship services through a chaplain training program at Washington Hospital Center.
Joelle is a graduate of Harvard University where she received a BA in Social Studies, and completed the coursework for a minor in the Study of Religion. There she sang with two soulful singing groups, Mizmor Shir and the Kuumba Singers, and subsequently was a founding member of Songrise, DC’s all women’s social justice singing group.
Joelle is thrilled that the co-housing building she and her family live is both LEED Silver certified and going solar in 2023!
She is a recipient of:
- The Bethesda Magazine Green Award (2017)
- Sustainability Advocate of the Year from Pearlstone Center (2017)
- The Maryland Clean Energy Advocacy Award (2014)
- The Heschel Vision Award from Jews United for Justice (2008)
Previous Speaking Engagements
Robin Lewis
DIRECTOR For Climate Equity
Christian, UCC
Camp Springs, MD Alexandria, VA
Specialties
Environmental Justice, Climate Equity, Community Organizing
Robin hosts monthly Facebook Live Green Fellowship Hour discussions with Black leaders in the DMV.
As the Director for Climate Equity at Interfaith Power and Light DMV, Robin Lewis believes that she has been called as a Christian to be a voice for environmental justice and equity in her community. After working in business for a long time, she found that her satisfaction was gained by helping to educate others, in particular people of color and other marginalized communities, become more aware of environmental issues that are impacting their quality of life. As a result, she shifted her career focus to community engagement and organizing with various local grassroots and faith-based organizations to help to promote collaboration on environmental justice and equity issues.
Robin previously worked as a certified project manager for non-profits and businesses for many years, recently working with an affordable housing agency helping low income residents pursue healthy living conditions. She also worked as a community education and awareness advocate for energy conservation and promoted environmental legislation to clean up the Renewable Portfolio Standard in Maryland. Robin serves as the Director of Social Justice and Outreach for her church, Beloved Community Church UCC in Accokeek, MD.
In addition to obtaining her BA in Economics and MBA from Rutgers University, Robin has a Masters in Sustainable Urban Planning with a concentration in Climate Change from The George Washington University. Robin’s research has focused on the socio-economic aspects of sustainability in urban revitalization, such as issues relating to displacement, gentrification, and affordable housing. Robin feels blessed that she is able to bring her experience and passion to the IPL team and hopes to learn more about other faith traditions in the spirit of cooperation and harmony.
Previous Speaking Engagements
Madison Mayhew
Congregational Organizer & Federal Policy Advocate
Christian, Baptist
Washington, DC
Specialties
Federal Policy, DC Policy, Energy Benchmarking
Madison is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and is a graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. In college, she fell in love with the social work profession because of its values rooted in social justice, and in the dignity and worth of all humans. After completing a service year with AmeriCorps VISTA, she pursued her Masters of Social Work at Washington University with a focus on policy and social and economic development.
Madison joined IPL-DMV from a previous position with the United Church of Christ, where she supported the DC office in policy advocacy, organizing and event planning. Working with the UCC deeply shaped Madison’s strong belief in the power of faith-based organizing, and taught her the value of moral imagination in shaping public policy. Madison’s faith and her social work training fuel her passion to address the climate crisis. She’s deeply grateful to be with the IPL-DMV team, where she can partner with local green leaders to address climate change in her community. She also serves as the Federal Policy Associate for National Interfaith Power & Light, advocating for Creation and climate justice on Capitol Hill on behalf of the 40 state affiliates and over 20,000 congregations in the IPL network. Madison is a member of Calvary Baptist Church, where she serves on the Solidarity Partners Committee to ensure equitable use of church funding resources. She is most happy in the summer sun, sitting amongst wild things and watching birds with her partner.
Previous Speaking Engagements
Guest Speakers
DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia are blessed with many skilled speakers whose environmental work is rooted in their faith traditions, and with passionate environmental educators who know how to share green skills and enthusiasm with diverse religious groups.
We’ve been working in the region’s religious environmental movement for two decades and can connect your community with speakers and teachers who are ready to offer guest sermons, text studies, adult forum presentations, youth group programming, and skills workshops on environmental themes in local congregations (both in person and online).
To schedule a speaking engagement with our staff or one of our partners for your congregation, complete the form below and we will be in touch!
Photo credit: Jack Gordon
Speaker Request Form
