In January, Michigan’s Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Office of Climate and Energy and CEDAM launched the third cohort of the MI Healthy Climate (MHC) Fellows Program, a statewide leadership development program advancing climate action. There are a few familiar faces in the cohort this year. Of the 15 fellows, five are returning for another year of work across the state, advancing progress on the goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan. 

The goal of the MHC Fellows Program is to accelerate Michigan’s climate goals and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through capacity building and leadership development. Returning fellows are showing they are eager to lead climate action and continue the work and momentum they started last year. 

Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Rural Prosperity, the same host site she was placed at last year. “Returning felt like an opportunity to build on the foundation we created and continue advancing meaningful climate and resilience work in rural Michigan.”

Charlotte Mayworm also returned to her previous host site at EGLE’s Environmental Services Division. When she saw that there would be another opportunity to work as a fellow with them, she jumped on the opportunity. “I loved working with my team, with teachers, and with local community organizations,” said Charlotte. “The Michigan Green Schools recognition program is growing every year, and I am happy to help bring more school communities into the fold. There’s lots to be done, and nowhere else I would rather be!”

Mallory and Charlotte are not the only returning fellows who were placed with their previous host site. Damaris Potter was as well; she is placed with the Grand Valley Metro Council. “After my first term, I realized how much deeper the work could go with more time and consistency. There were projects and relationships that felt like they were just gaining momentum, and I didn’t want to walk away from that.”

Although multiple returning fellows are continuing for a second year with their same host site, two returning fellows are taking what they learned last year to add capacity at a new host site. They both reflected on takeaways from their previous experience being part of the program. 

Destiny Stetina, placed with the City of Benton Harbor, shared that her experience with her former host site (City of Kalamazoo) taught her how to meet communities where they are, how to lead important meetings and conversations, and how to adjust her ideas to fit the community’s goals. These are skills that will benefit her not only at her new host site but also in her future career. “With my first host site, I held various community and stakeholder meetings to gather feedback and input for project ideas, and I had to learn how to put together an agenda and how to maintain pacing to get to each point so I could be respectful of everyone’s time.”

Jessica Austin, placed with Michigan Green Building Collaborative, shared similar sentiments to Destiny; it was necessary to turn environmental language and concepts into everyday language.  Jessica learned how to do this through her experience hosting listening sessions at her previous host site, West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC). “These listening sessions have taught me that while everything is connected to climate, not everyone feels a personal connection to it. It’s important to convey the reality of climate change in a way that relates to their everyday lives.”

The MHC Fellows work on projects that benefit and impact all Michganders. The collective impact from fellows in Cohort 2 was astounding: presenting at conferences across Michigan, reviewing and updating community sustainability plans, assisting communities in receiving more than $200,000 in grant funds, and more. The returning fellows are no exception. 

• Charlotte developed the MI Green School Guide, an online tool for schools to help plan for climate and clean energy projects in their school operations and curriculum. Charlotte spearheaded the development of the guide, including engagement with hundreds of Michiganders, cooperation between multiple EGLE teams, countless emails, and many meetings. As a result of her hard work, schools statewide will be supported by this resource.

• Damaris is part of the team that developed the West MI Healthy Climate Plan and saw the final submission to EPA in December 2025. As lead on their community engagement efforts for the Plan, she successfully managed a cohort of 15 community ambassadors to collect feedback from four counties. 
• Mallory supports the Renewables Ready Communities Award (RRCA) program, which provide local units of government $2,500-$5,000 per megawatt of large-scale solar, storage, or wind that they permitted for, or will host. She works closely with rural communities to review award use plans, track project progress, and help think strategically about how renewable energy revenue can be invested in long-term infrastructure, road improvements, community facilities, and resilience priorities.

• Destiny played a big role with Buzz in the Zoo, which encouraged residents to commit to actions that help bees and other pollinators throughout the summer and into other seasons. As part of the event, she hosted an art competition for youth in Kalamazoo. Those who attended met city employees, viewed the artists’ creations, met with local environmental organizations, and explored the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts for free. 
• At WMEAC, Jessica collaborated with Community Collaboration on Climate Change (C4) to host listening sessions focused on the City of Grand Rapids Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. Their goal was to educate and engage with specific neighborhoods to gather their input on the plan’s implementation.

The MHC Fellows Program is grateful to have these impressive leaders return as part of our third cohort. We are excited to see how they build on the work they accomplished during their previous cohorts and how their mentorship will enhance the program for our new fellows.

The MI Healthy Climate Fellows Program is a partnership between EGLE and CEDAM. MI Healthy Climate Fellows serve at nonprofits, state and local governments, and community-based organizations across Michigan, providing critical support to communities tackling climate change. Fellows receive significant training and career development support to step into Michigan’s climate leadership pool. There are currently 15 fellows at host sites across Michigan. Learn more about all of our cohort members, their host sites, and projects.