The Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability (OEPS) is made up of a dedicated staff of sustainability professionals from a range of backgrounds and experience. From engineers and educators, to conservationists and communicators, OEPS staff works to make Tacoma a more environmentally sustainable community for all.

Mike Carey

Urban Forest Program Manager

Mike Carey (he/him) is a Certified Arborist with a degree in landscape architecture, restoration ecology, and architecture. Mike has been working on “green infrastructure” for the City’s Environmental Services Department since 2011, and has been the Urban Forester since 2015 when the program moved into the Office of Sustainability. As the Urban Forester, Mike is responsible for directing programs and developing policy that enhances the City’s tree canopy cover, in support of the City’s Urban Forest Management Plan.  Mike is grateful to support our connection to our environment, and to have a positive impact on community health outcomes.  When not in the office, Mike is volunteer tree planting, camping, dangling 100 feet up on the face of a rock, or working on design/build home and landscape construction using reclaimed and salvaged building materials from one of our local salvage companies.

Nathan Crain

Climate Data & Grant Sustainability Analyst

Nathan joined the Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability after working in the marine industry as a technical writer and project manager, during which he helped clients pursue grant funding for several passenger ferry decarbonization projects. He now analyzes the City’s climate and emissions data and seeks out grant opportunities that will help the City meet its decarbonization and sustainability goals. Nathan moved to the Pacific Northwest after studying math and anthropology at the University of Oklahoma and completing a Science and Technology Studies masters program at York University in Toronto. He lives in Tacoma with his wife, son, and a strange little dog, and he likes to spend time gardening and exploring hidden corners of Puget Sound.

LaKecia Farmer

Senior Sustainability Analyst

LaKecia Farmer (she/they) is a Senior Sustainability Analyst coming to the City of Tacoma with over 5 years of experience as a legislative aide, strategic advisor, and policy analyst and 10 years of organizing experience. LaKecia is the staff liaison to the Sustainable Tacoma Commission and supports her team’s work in helping fulfill the City’s Climate Action Plan. With a background in community organizing and policy experience, LaKecia understands the importance of environmental justice and centers those most impacted by climate change and environmental racism. Outside of these experiences, LaKecia also studied at The Evergreen State College in Tacoma, receiving a Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in political economy and environmental studies. LaKecia is expected to graduate from the University of Washington in Tacoma with a Master’s in Community Planning in 2024.  In their free time, LaKecia loves hanging out with the tiny humans in their life, watching rugby, hiking and cycling with their wife, and making dance videos.

Ryan Hebert

Urban Forestry Analyst

Ryan is an Urban Forestry Analyst, coming to Tacoma after four years of community development and reforestation work in Detroit where he helped plant thousands of trees, install green stormwater infrastructure, and establish the first tree nursery in the city since the late 1980s.  Ryan’s work focuses on growing Tacoma’s tree canopy in an equitable way to reach our 30% canopy goal by 2030 (that’s 105,000 more trees!) He holds an MS in Applied Community & Economic Development from Illinois State University and a BS in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.  Growing up on Lake Michigan in the northwoods of Wisconsin (Go Pack!) and having lived on Lake Superior for a number of years in Duluth, MN, Ryan is excited to be back in a port town on a beautiful body of water. Outside of work you can likely find him out among the trees exploring the PNW, lifting heavy things and putting them down again, or reading a book by a fire with his dog.  

Lisa Kenny

Natural Resources Analyst

Lisa comes to Tacoma with over 5 years of experience in habitat restoration and community engagement in the PNW with entities like Mountains to Sound Greenway, EarthCorps, DirtCorps, King County Parks, Black Farmers Collective/ YES Farm, and more Lisa holds a degree in environmental studies and a capstone in acoustic ecology. It is a rooted value of Lisa’s to uplift and center the voices of communities of color in the larger environmental movement. She is excited to join Tacoma as a Community Trees Program Coordinator (Go Trees!). Her tree-hero is Wangari Maathai. On her off time, Lisa is usually hanging out with her partner and two pitbulls in the mountains, watching WNBA games, or cooking up an elaborate meal to share with others.

Kristi Lynett

Sustainability Officer

Kristin Lynett was hired as the City’s first Sustainability Officer in 2009. In this position, she seeks to integrate sustainability and environmental values into City plans, programs and policies. To this end, she has worked with internal and with community partners to develop new programs to encourage positive behavior change and increase resource conservation. Kristin lead the creation of the City’s Environmental Action Plan and continues to monitor our City’s progress on its environmental and sustainability goals. Kristin received a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from Willamette University and a Master's Degree in Environmental Studies from Evergreen State College. She also is LEED AP and a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor. She has lived in Tacoma since 1998 and loves having only a five-mile bus or bike commute to work. She loves to spend time outside in the mountains, garden, and soccer fields with her husband and ten year-old daughter.

Delaney Bianca Morris, GIP, WEDG

Climate Resilience Manager 

Delaney Bianca Morris (she/her) is serving as the City's first Climate Resilience Manager where she works at the intersections of climate, arts / culture, urban planning, and emergency management. Delaney was born and raised in New Jersey but has spent her adult life working and living across the United States; most recently coming from Boston where she was working to advance the Climate Ready Boston (2016) initiative from planning to implementation. She holds two Masters of Science degrees from Pratt Institute in Sustainable Environmental Systems and Urban Placemaking & Management as well as a Certificate in Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery from UC-Irvine. When Delaney isn't speaking at national conferences, institutions like Harvard University, on NATO panels, or at local community meetings, you can find her playing Brazilian Samba with a band in Seattle. She is excited to be back and building a life here in the PNW and working to advance climate & coastal resilience for the region! 

Perry Spring

Resource Conservation Specialist

As City’s Resource Conservation Manager, Perry focuses on municipal operations decarbonization actions and goals as outlined in 2030 Climate Action Plan, Sec 9 Municipal Carbon Neutrality Strategy. Perry builds and facilitates teams to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve resources, improve operational performance, and realize cost savings within City facilities, buildings, fleet vehicles, and commute trips. Successful application of emergent technologies and strategies are career highlights. The imperative of a living future motivates Perry to mitigate climate change in professional career and personal life. With a Bachelor of Science in Ecology from The Evergreen State College as well as Renewable Energy and Commercial Energy Management certificates, Perry applies systems thinking and rigorous analysis to identify and solve underlying challenges to a sustainable future.  He advocates for a just and loving world through participation in Tacoma Refugee Choir.  With wife and friends, Perry enjoys dancing, music, storytelling, gardening, kayaking, and hiking. 

Janda Volkmer

EnviroHouse Coordinator

Janda Volkmer’s position as the EnviroHouse Coordinator entails being a generalist in a wide range of sustainable practices. She welcomes visitors, leads tours, and organizes weekly workshops on a variety of sustainable topics. Janda earned her B.A. in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in anthropology and museum management, followed by additional studies in art history and metal sculpture. Previously, Janda has worked in nonprofit management, fundraising, museum exhibit development and marketing. Janda also served as an elected official for 20 years, retiring from politics after her third term as Mayor of the Town of Steilacoom. Her interests include museums, art, music, history, genealogy, creative writing, reading, travel and camping. She collects books, rocks and interesting stories.