Board

The board helps to support the mission of the Clean Air Coalition and the work of its staff members to make our communities healthier through grassroots organizing. Our board is comprised of individuals from all walks of life who share a commitment to making life better for communities across the region. This incredible group supports the organization by fundraising, serving as organizational ambassadors and making big-picture policy decisions.

Board Profiles 2024

James B. Jones he/him (President and Treasurer), 

I retired as Town Engineer in 2019 working as a licensed civil engineer in the Town of Tonawanda for 30 years. Project highlights while at Tonawanda included development and construction of over 23 miles of multi- use trails including the hallmark Tonawanda Rail Trail. Design and construction of beneficial reuse of recycled asphalt millings for multi-use trail base along Western NY’s largest rain garden. I also initiated the town’s 2 MW solar array project on their landfill, managed several brownfield redevelopment projects, launched the forthcoming LED street light conversion, mini-roundabout intersection conversions and electric vehicle charging stations. In 2020, I established Mode Choice Engineering, PLLC focusing on alternative transportation solutions and became part of the staff at GObike Buffalo as their in-house engineer assisting with alternative transportation advocacy planning and design. I also serve as chairman of the Rotary of the Tonawandas and volunteer with the Niagara River Greenway, Greater Buffalo Wellness Institute and the Clean Air’s Tonawanda Coke and Huntley Campaign Teams.”

Ms. Della Miller she/her (Secretary) 

I am a committed community advocate and advisor, advancing solutions in communities. I strongly support building healthy and safe environments. I have participated in several Clean Air Coalition campaigns: Participatory Budgeting, Voter Registration and Delavan Grider/American Axle. I have attended CAC retreats and other vital trainings. I also received Clean Air’s “Golden Gas Mask” Award in 2018. A few of my accomplishments include: receiving city of Buffalo contract to develop operation plan for new commercial kitchen in the Broadway Market, 1st prize winner of “Designed to Live Sustainably”, blind competition and received support from One Region Forward to research, develop and funding. Selected as Champion of Change, University of buffalo for 2 years in a row. I also completed UB’s Citizen’s Planning School. Currently, I am a member of Buffalo and Erie County Food Policy Council. For over 25 years, I have volunteer with St. John’s Federal Credit Union. I consider myself, a one-woman movement for “Front Porch Container Gardening”. I encourage, educate and support everyone to try and grow one or two container vegetables or fruit.”

Grace Bogdanove, she/her

1199SEIU WNY Nursing Home Division Vice President Grace Bogdanove first became involved in organized labor during an internship with the WNY ALF, AFL-CIO while an undergraduate student at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. After graduating Cornell and organizing for a brief time with the Pennsylvania State Education Association, she found her way to 1199SEIU – the union she admired most throughout her time with the WNY ALF. After roles in Syracuse and the North Country, Bogdanove made her way back to WNY as Vice President of 1199SEIU’s WNY Nursing Home Division. She currently represents several thousand nursing home workers across WNY, focusing on member organizing, comprehensive contract campaigns, and social justice unionism that will improve the lives of healthcare workers and the communities in which they live.

Jill Heaps, she/her

Jill Witkowski Heaps is a non-profit environmental lawyer born in North Tonawanda currently living in Clarence and working for Earthjustice. She brings twenty years of experience working for environmental non-profit groups and has a wealth of experience in environmental law, policy advocacy, campaigns, fundraising, organizing, and outreach. She has focused her career on environmental justice and served for six years on the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council. She hopes her experience can help support Clean Air and its mission of winning environmental justice and public health campaigns in Western NY.

Bryan Shepard, he/him

CWA Local 1122 Steward & Human Rights Committee member Bryan Shepard is a former M&T Bank internal auditor and Assistant Vice-President of Metroteller Banking Systems. He is currently a 34 year Central Office Technician for Verizon, installing and maintaining long range fiber optic networks. Through many labor disputes and strikes, he became a committed labor activist, emphasizing the link between labor and environmental justice, as they both impact our workplace and communities. He served for 20 years as a youth counselor at Friendship Baptist Church and founded the Manhood Initiative Project, a mentoring program teaching at-risk boys the basics of manhood and responsibility. He is committed to increasing community activism in order to combat environmental injustice. Through education and awareness of air, land and water contamination, and their relevance to chronic health conditions, we can improve the lives of many.

Xavier Eddy he/they

Xavier is a passionate organizer, who’s Union Organizing has brought them across the country fighting for Economic, Environmental, and Racial Justice. They’ve been involved in campaigns from the Rural West to the Louisiana Gulf Coast to the Adirondacks and they are now proud to call Buffalo Home. Xavier is also an Organizer with 1199SEIU, the healthcare union, a hiker, backpacker, and rafter, and now lives on the west side with their dog Ginger.