Staff & Board

Steve is a well-known leader in the state environmental community with expertise in public policy and a broad range of environmental issues, as well as inside knowledge of both legislative and state agency processes. Prior to joining MEP in 2006, Steve served as a Senior Fellow in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at the University of Minnesota. While there, he developed and ran the Green Lands, Blue Waters initiative, a Mississippi basin-wide cross-disciplinary initiative to address the long-term ecological impacts of agricultural practices on water quality. Steve was Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources from 1999-2003. Prior to his appointment to the DNR, Steve represented southeast Minnesota in the Minnesota State Senate for 12 years, beginning in 1987.

Email Sara

Sara works with MEP’s coalition groups to develop and implement collaborative policy and candidate education initiatives, including communications, organizing, and lobbying at the Minnesota Legislature. She previously served MEP as a Candidate Education Coordinator, and draws on experience working for the Ramsey County Attorney’s office and the Statewide Association for Family Planning. Sara studied at St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota, and earned her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. In her free time, she enjoys playing the cello and spending time with her family.

Email Matt

Matt joined MEP in 2017, and handles the coalition’s communications, member services, individual fundraising, and administrative functions. He has previously worked with the Sierra Club as a Legislative Intern and volunteer, assisting with advocacy, research, and writing for the North Star Chapter’s policy campaigns. He holds a B.A. from UMN-Twin Cities with a major in Political Science and a minor in Global Studies. A Wisconsin native and resident of Saint Paul, Matt is an avid explorer of Minnesota’s outdoor spaces and enjoys baking, reading, and hiking with his dog.

Email Andrew

Andrew leads MEP’s work on Great Lakes and Northeastern Minnesota issues and maintains relationships at the U. S. Capitol to ensure protecting Minnesota’s environment is a federal priority. He returned to MEP in Fall 2018 after two years in Duluth-area local government park and conservation work. From 2009 to 2016, Andrew served as MEP’s Northeast Minnesota and Great Lakes program director. He has worked in Lake Superior conservation education and policy since 1992. He lives in Duluth on the shores of Lake Superior.

Email Stephan

Stephan Witherspoon, Northeast Minnesota Organizer

Stephan serves as MEP’s community organizer and outreach specialist in Northeastern Minnesota. Stephan brings broad community organizing, public health and social justice experience to his work at MEP. A lifelong resident of Duluth/Superior, Stephan is an avid fisherman and serves as the current president of the Duluth NAACP chapter. He earned his BA in Organizational Behavior at the College of St. Scholastica.