Our Executive Team reflects the diversity of our membership. We bring expertise in climate policy, conservation, clean energy, corporate sustainability, and more.
Michelle Hughes is the Co-Executive Director for the National Young Farmers Coalition, and a member of the Department of Agriculture's Equity Commission, Agriculture Subcommittee.
Michelle has a background in hog farming, agriculture policy reform, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. At the Coalition, she oversees policy, communications, and internal operations. In her roles at Young Farmers Michelle has conducted extensive assessments of racial equity within the organization’s internal workflows and external programming. She helped develop a framework for the Coalition's anti-racism work for implementation across the organization, from internal change processes to farmer and partner engagement on racial equity. In her role on the Equity Commission, Michelle co-authored a report of 66 recommendations written as guidance to the Secretary of Agriculture that aim to address a legacy of discrimination by USDA that was presented in February 2024. She is a graduate of Haverford College, and New York University's Food Studies program.
Hailing from Fredericksburg, Virginia, Wes Gobar is currently a graduate student at the Yale School of the Environment. He is a co-founder of Evergreen Action and currently sits on their Advisory Board after previously serving as Coalitions Lead.
He also serves on the Advisory Board for ClimateVoice, and is a member of the Green Leadership Trust. Prior to joining the climate movement, Wes was an aide to Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and graduated from the University of Virginia with a bachelor's degree in history. His interest in advocacy began in Charlottesville as a racial justice student organizer at UVA. Wes’s writing has been published in Vox and the Washington Post. In 2022, Wes was named to the Grist 50 Climate Fixers list of emerging climate leaders working on real world solutions to our planet's biggest problems.
A native of the Chesapeake Bay, Kiera is a BlackOak co-founder and recent graduate at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she was a Keller Scholar.
Kiera is now BlackOak’s Finance Director where she manages company finances and business administration after formerly serving as our Executive Director from 2020-2023. Previously, she worked at Ocean Conservancy as the Manager for Program Operations and as a Program Associate at Meridian Institute. Kiera has also conducted research on oyster fishery policy in Maryland, oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay, salt marsh restoration in Virginia, and alternative dietary feeds for farm-raised red drum.
Kiera graduated from the University of Virginia with a double major in Environmental Science and Anthropology.
Sarah Nesbit is a social impact strategist and storyteller with a passion for advocacy, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. As Co-Founder and acting Membership Director of BlackOak Collective, she assists in developing strategic programming for a dynamic network of Black professionals in the Environmental and Sustainability sectors, fostering job opportunities, mentorship, and community engagement.
Miles Braxton is a Doodle Dad, cleantech innovator, and equity champion. Miles started his career on a chicken farm, converting chicken manure into electricity through anaerobic digestion, then quickly shifted his focus to solar.
After spending 6 years in solar project development, risk, and asset management, and observing increasing pressures of climate change and resource scarcity in the agricultural space, Miles co-founded Okovate Sustainable Energy in 2022. Okovate develops and consults on community solar farms that support agriculture between the rows of the arrays, ensuring profitable and regenerative crop farming through the power of agrivoltaics.
In 2020, Miles co-founded BlackOak Collective, a non-profit providing environmental career resources to a network of over 400 Black students, professionals, and advocates in the sustainability space. Miles graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Environmental Science as a Rodman Scholar, minoring in Engineering Business. He sits on the Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center Board along with the Ridley Scholarship Board at U.Va
A part of a military family, Kelcey Williams was raised in Northern Virginia when her father was stationed at the Pentagon. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where she pursued her engineering degree focused in systems engineering and global sustainability.
After graduating, she returned to the DMV to work as a technology consultant, supporting federal government projects. She supported the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Education, creating technology systems to enhance the efficiencies of government programs. Kelcey serves as BlackOak’s Digital Director, where she optimizes business processes through client-focused digital solutions, and strategizes to improve BlackOak's digital platforms to increase member and partner engagement.
During the pandemic, Kelcey expanded her knowledge and passion for sustainability by enrolling in Harvard’s Business School Online and earning her certification in Sustainable Business Strategy. She is currently located in the Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she is obtaining her MBA from University of Michigan's Ross School of Business.
Semi Cole is a climate tech entrepreneur and civic innovator committed to building a more just and sustainable future for communities of color. He currently serves as the Partnership Director at BlackOak Collective, the largest network of Black environmental and sustainability professionals in the U.S. In this role, he leads cross-sector collaborations that expand access to green careers, climate funding, and professional development for emerging Black leaders — building pathways for equity and representation across the climate space.
A PMP-certified project manager, Ife loves to create experiences that foster learning, drive connection, and build community. As BlackOak’s Events Director, she leads the design, planning, and execution of networking events and professional development opportunities aligned with the organization’s mission.
As the founder of Quadstreams Company, Ife continues to expand her impact by designing and delivering transformational experiences, including individual and group coaching, workshops, and team retreats. Her global leadership development work spans industries and sectors, supporting everyone from corporate executives to rising changemakers.
In service to her Nigerian roots, Ife partnered with Children that Change the World to design and deliver an innovation challenge for high school students in Ogbomoso, Nigeria, spotlighting the creative potential of young leaders. She also serves as a board member of SprinNG, an organization building a community of young African writers and amplifying their work on the global stage.
Malayna Nesbitt is a native Washingtonian with years of STEM and creative experience. She graduated from the College of Charleston with a BS in Public Health and a minor in African American studies. She received a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Behavior from the Medical University of South Carolina.
Here, she completed her Capstone on Community-led Research on the Public Health Impacts of Legacy Air Pollution in Environmental Justice Communities in Charleston, South Carolina. She was the Research and Engagement Coordinator for a 501c3 entitled Charleston Community Research to Action Board (CCRAB). This job primarily works with Black residents in the Charleston Tri-county area to combat environmental injustices within their neighborhoods by leading scientific community research and engagement practices She is the Inclusive Initiatives Analyst at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), supporting the Deputy Associate Administrator for Research within NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
Her role is focused on working with key partners from emerging research institutions to better understand their challenges, opportunities, and ways in which NASA may optimize opportunities to spur engagement with SMD programs. I have been selected as a fellow within the John A. Knauss Fellowship program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). This fellowship program is a unique experience for postgraduate students interested in environmental resources and national policy decisions.