The Climate Action Alliance of the Valley (CAAV) consists of a steering committee of up to 18 individuals and an email list of over 700 addresses. We consider all those on the email list and everybody who “likes” our facebook page to be a member of CAAV.
We invite anyone interested to join one of our four standing committees or occasional ad hoc groups.
The steering committee (SC) currently consists of:
Andrew Payton, CAAV Chair, member of the L&E Committee, is also chair of Harrisonburg City’s Environmental Performance Standards Advisory Committee.
Andrew had his message to COP 26 leaders published in The Guardian, November 2021, ‘Time is running out’: your messages for world leaders at Cop26.
Irvin Peckham, Coalition & Communication Committee Chair. Irvin joined the Steering Committee in February 2019.
Now retired, he has been teaching writing at the high school and college level for forty years– in Morgan Hill, CA; the University of Nebraska, Omaha; Louisiana State University; and Drexel University. He specializes in and writes about social-class relationships, personal writing, and writing assessment. He has been involved in the anti-war movement ever since he first got a letter telling him to report for duty in Viet-Nam. He keeps a blog at personalwriting2.blogspot.com.
Joni Grady, CAAV SC Recording Secretary, SC Chair 2017 – 2018, former Chair of the Education and Events (E&E) Committee, CAAV facebook page administrator.
See Joni’s evocative letter to the Daily News-Record published May 3, 2016: Climate Skeptics Imperil Us All.
Joni delivered an eloquent and moving sermon to the Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalists congregation on October 4, 2015: Reality Check, and another on December 30, 2012: Intersecting webs of our lives Or, The Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Carl Droms, has been the CAAV treasurer since 2012. Retired from teaching math at JMU, he puts his numbers skills to good use as treasurer for several other local organizations as well.
When not crunching numbers, he is usually outside on bike rides or, come winter, on skis.
Cathy Strickler, CAAV Founder, organizer of The Defenders protest against pipeline sculpture, former SC Chair, and former Chairs of the E&E and L&E Committees
Cathy’s opinion pieces in the DNR include: Our Enemy: Climate Disruption, 8/29/13; Renewable Energy Must Be Mandated, 11/18/10; Climate, Energy Real Problems, 7/12/10; Celebrate Earth Week In April, 4/7/08.
Cathy spoke at the Chesapeake Climate Action Network’s March 24, 2012, March to End Dominion’s Power Madness in Richmond. Find her at 1:40 in this CCAN video.
Luciano Benjamin joined the CAAV SC in August 2020. He is active on the CAAV Coalition & Communication Committee.
A recent graduate of James Madison University, Luciano was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1999. He is the son of an Argentinian immigrant and a United States Army Veteran.
Growing up in an immigrant family, Luciano understands the value of hard work and sacrifice. At the age of 18, Luciano received the highest award in Scouting, joining the ranks of the Eagle Scouts.
Luciano is committed to making a difference in this world, and holding true to the values instilled in him in Scouts, leaving it in a better condition than he found it.
Les Grady, SC Chair from 2012 through 2014, Chair of the Speakers’ Bureau, compiles a weekly Climate and Energy News Roundup
Les has authored Open Forum pieces published in the Daily News Record (DNR) on 7/29/14, Goodlatte Wrong on Climate, 4/14/14, Congress Must Tax Carbon, 2/7/13, Keystone Pipeline is a Bad Idea and 12/5/12, We Must Stop the Warming.
His engineering background gives him the credentials to speak knowledgeably on Climate Change, an Urgent Need for Action.
Les gave a talk, What Aileth Thee, on April 21, 2013, at Harrisonburg Unitarian Universalists based on the book Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone.
Alleyn Harned, member of the Coalition Building and L&E Committees
Alleyn is the Executive Director of Virginia Clean Cities, a member of the U.S. Department of Energy-affiliated Clean Cities Coalitions program. With Virginia Clean Cities, Alleyn leads the Virginia Clean Cities coalition’s collaborative effort to assist stakeholders and the Commonwealth in programs to improve air quality, and increase American energy security and economic opportunity through the increased use of alternative fuels and vehicles.
K.C. Kettler joined the CAAV steering committee in 2022. He participates in the R&E committee and chairs a subcommittee focused on City government.
A 2020 Washington & Lee University School of Law graduate, KC works at a local law firm.
Joy Loving, available to speak on local solar initiatives, member of the L&E Committee, was the local coordinator for Solarize Harrisonburg and Massanutten Regional Solar Co-op. She has been involved with the local 50×25 Campaign since its inception, and was appointed to the City’s Environmental Performance Standards Advisory Committee in 2021.
Lynn Smith, founding member of CAAV, member of the L&E and R&E Committees, organized What a Wonderful World, Earth Day 2017 celebration among many other events
Charlie Strickler, founding member, member of the L&E Committee, involved with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Charlie participated in an 18 day fast in front of FERC Headquarters in September 2015.
Matthew Wade joined the CAAV SC in January 2020. He chairs the L&E committee.
Matthew serves as Deputy Director of Virginia Clean Cities (VCC). He joined VCC in 2013 after six years in local government administration with the goal of comprehensively reducing petroleum use and harmful emissions in Virginia. As Deputy Director, he oversees the management of staff operations and VCC’s grant portfolio for alternate transportation fuels infrastructure, vehicle deployment, education, and outreach. He earned a Masters of Public Administration from James Madison University in 2007 and Masters of Business Administration in 2018. A Shenandoah Valley native, Matthew enjoys being outdoors with his wife Kelly and black Labrador Retriever, Dakota.
Earl Zimmerman joined the CAAV Steering Committee in June 2021. He recently retired after careers as a pastor, a college professor of ethics and religion, and serving in India and the Philippines in relief and development. He and his wife Ruth built an aging-in-place, energy efficient (net-zero) home here in the Valley. Earl is an avid gardener and committed to climate and environmental advocacy.
Climate Action Alliance of the Valley 