Who We Are
Together with our volunteers and donors, this team is ready to accomplish our goal of clean air for every Oregonian all the time.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Monique Smiley
Interim President
“As a rural Oregonian with strong ties to North and Northeast Portland, I know the burden of air pollution is not evenly shared across the state and affects Black, Indigenous, and people of color. We cannot improve air quality without addressing the systemic, root causes. That’s why I’m proud to be working with Neighbors for Clean Air and advocating for healthier communities.”
Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis
Interim Treasurer
“I serve on the NCA board because clean air is critical to the public’s health – and securing that takes knowledge of the complex laws (or lack of) that regulate air quality. NCA has the knowledge and the passion to make real, lasting change to ensure Oregon’s clean air.”
Mary Lou Socia
Interim Secretary
“I have spent over 40 years as an advocate for the environment and the people who are most harmed by environmental damage to water, land and air. I am honored to bring my dedication and commitment to clean air as a Board member for NCA. I look forward to celebrating successes and accomplishments as we work together to protect human health in the years ahead.”
Ashia Allen
“I serve on the NCA Board because clean air is personal for me. Growing up on the Elliot neighborhood, environmental pollution led to numerous respiratory illnesses. NCA is creating a different future for children and all community members.”
Aaron Babbie
Jonathan Cruz
STAFF
Mary Peveto
Co-Executive Director
Mary Peveto (she/hers) co-founded Neighbors for Clean Air in 2010 to ensure cleaner air for all Oregonians. She activated friends, neighbors and people throughout our region to work for stricter standards to regulate air toxics in Oregon and to galvanize the citizen action necessary to effect change. She is a mother of three who calls herself an “accidental activist” who was pushed into action when she stumbled upon a national study published in 2008 that showed her daughters’ school to be ranked among the worst 2% in the nation at risk to toxic industrial air pollution. Mary is our guiding voice in organizing, policy and organizational vision.
Contact me if you have questions about the organization or need a quote for an article.
Oscar Edwards-Hughes
Advocacy Manager
Oscar Edwards-Hughes (he/they) started at NCA in May 2024 as the Advocacy Manager. After graduating from University of Puget Sound with a degree in Anthropology and International Political Economy, he moved to Portland to pursue advocacy around food and housing security. Oscar is passionate about community organizing, environmental justice, and housing first. He is looking forward to working closely with local partners, neighbors, and student groups in order to amplify community voices and build coalition around cleaner air for all Oregonians.
oscar@neighborsforcleanair.
Contact me if you’re interested in our Youth Advocacy program or Camp AQ.
Nakisha Nathan
Co-Executive Director
Nakisha Nathan (she/hers) is dedicated to co-creating spaces where people can enhance their sense of belonging and their capacity for leadership. She is inspired by memories of playing, learning, and photographing flora and fauna during her formative years in Panama, Canada, and the United States.
Her life experiences combined with her work organizing communities to advocate for laws and programs that protect people, wildlife, and the environment informs her philosophy and practice of education, leadership, and movement building. Before joining NCA, she served as the executive director for an environmental non-profit and spent years as a community organizer, garden educator, and legal assistant for a public interest environmental law firm. Nakisha believes that many of us who have the expertise to transform our communities and cities are the same ones who face the most significant barriers to create change. She also believes that principles of environmental justice and deep democracy are vital to helping build communities that enhance our ecological and social well-being.
nakisha@neighborsforcleanair.org
Contact me if you’re interested in NCA’s grassroots partnerships and coalition work.
Andrew Hogan
Development & Communications
Andrew Hogan (he/him) started at NCA in fall 2024 supporting the Clean Air Gala and the year-end fundraising campaign and developed a passion for air advocacy. He has nearly 20 years of non-profit Development experience, working at organizations like Basic Rights Oregon, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Zenger Farm and most recently, Street Roots. When not in the office, you might find Andrew cooking in his kitchen, chasing waterfalls in the Gorge or searching for the best bagel Portland has to offer.
andrew@neighborsforcleanair.org
Contact me if you’re interested making a contribution or signing up for our email list.
Mackenzie Springer (she/hers)
Transportation Advocacy Manager
Mackenzie Springer (she/her) started at NCA in December 2024 as the Transportation Advocacy Manager. She graduated from Lewis & Clark Law School with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law, and is passionate about protecting vulnerable communities and the environment through transportation policy. Before her work with NCA, she was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar and worked for a political campaign. When not working, you can find her riding through Portland on her bike, or out on the trails with her dog.
mackenzie@neighborsforcleanair.
Contact me if you have questions about our transportation advocacy work.