Current Board
Teri Raml, Board President
Born in CT, Bill Janiga was interested in sports and creating things from an early age. He graduated from college with a teaching degree in Industrial Arts where he met his wife Ellen. He taught Junior High for two years before leaving to pursue a BS degree in Engineering, and has subsequently worked for over 40 years with Honeywell as an aviation engineer. His work took him to AZ in 1995 and it has been a tremendous growth period for him, his wife and 3 children. He is active on several committees at his church, and a Big Brother. When not working or volunteering, he loves to read, run, design and build furniture, bike, and be a father/grandfather. His favorite place is their cottage on Cape Cod, reading on the lake in the summer. In 2019, he has made a commitment to do his best to make sure his children/grandchildren can enjoy this place called Earth.
Jerry Robinson was raised in Alabama and was fortunate that his family took annual trips to the Rocky Mountains on camping and hiking trips, providing the building blocks for a deep appreciation of nature. The science of climate change led him to be an early adopter of hybrid cars and LED lighting. He spent over 30 years working in a variety of project management positions supporting large federal government programs. He moved to the valley in 2018 when his youngest daughter decided to join her sister at ASU. In addition to working with AZIPL, he is a Red Cross volunteer and supports local Food Banks. He enjoys reading, snow skiing and hiking.
Chrissy Dart grew up in a family which valued home-cooking, gardening, upcycling, recycling, composting and producing little waste. Family outings generally involved relaxing with cows at a local dairy, picking seasonal produce or visiting the “honey man.” Living a liturgical rhythm both spiritually and with nature were and are a way of life. This love of living with the earth seeps its way into Chrissy’s other interests. She loves to teach, just about anything to just about anybody. Currently she teaches T’ai Chi, gentle movement, and oral storytelling. The more she teaches these subjects, the more she falls in love with Sister Earth and the more she realizes how deeply and profoundly all life is connected. Chrissy is honored to serve on the Board of AZIPL.
Grace Clark is a native of Phoenix who loves working with media companies and community service non-profits. She studied media arts at University of Arizona in Tucson and spent 8 years working as an assistant film and TV producer in Los Angeles. She recently returned to Phoenix to study journalism and in 2018 completed a master’s degree in mass communication from Arizona State. After graduation she helped Arizona PBS debut a science TV magazine program called “Catalyst: Shaping the Future” and freelanced as a video producer specializing in science, healthcare, and spirituality. She currently works as a media technician for Fox and routinely volunteers with the worship team at First Church UCC Phoenix.
Mike Sills-Trausch and his wife moved to Phoenix in 1994. After working as a court administrator near Dayton, OH, he accepted a job offer with the Arizona Supreme Court as a court performance auditor. In 2001, he started working for the City of Glendale in roles that involved capital and operational budgets, writing reports for City Council, and program management to improve resident services. He retired in 2021 after 30 years of public service. Mike earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Dayton. His personal passions include watching his grown sons continue to mature into caring, thoughtful people and remaining physically active through playing basketball, backpacking, and, in the summer of 2022, completing a five-week bicycle ride. He considers humanity’s high carbon emissions a moral issue for present and future generations with solutions to be found through new national policies.
Having grown up and studied in Arizona, Arcelia Isais-Gastelum grew to be protective of our desert landscapes and resources, especially in light of our looming climate crisis. After getting her bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Biology, she pursued her passion of working alongside communities to advocate for the advancement of renewable energy and equitable transitions. Guided by her Catholic upbringing and science education, she strives to balance the moral imperative of protecting our planet and its people with the technical ways to do so.