Board of Directors

David Lobbig, President: Curator of Environmental Life at the Missouri History Museum, David has worked in museum facilities management, exhibit production, education, and collections care for over 30 years. Having joined the board in 2001, he has served on the Policy, Board Development, and Fundraising and Development Committees and the Smart Growth Action Team. He began serving as President in 2008.

Ralph Eglin Wafer, Vice President: Ralph is an architect and president of his own firm. His practice focuses on energy-conscious renovation/rehabilitation and design of residential, institutional, and small commercial buildings. He has been a Board member of Landmarks Association of St. Louis and is very active in Scouting and church organizations. His principal interests are in maintaining and revitalizing urban neighborhoods and institutions. He has been an active Coalition Board member for several years and served as Secretary and Vice President. He is a veteran signature-gatherer of many petition drives; a speaker at hearings on Forest Park and Metrolink issues, and an environmental activist.

Suzanne Loui, Secretary:  Suzanne has taught environmental history for over twenty-five years. She has a doctorate in American Culture Studies, with a focus on nature & American culture and currently teaches courses at Washington University. Since working in urban parks with the National Park Service in Boston and St. Louis, she has had a particular interest in how our interactions with and our access to nature, shape our experience as democratic citizens.

Jim Rose, Treasurer: Jim is a Certified Public Accountant with extensive accounting and finance experience and serves as Director of Assurance Services with Purk & Associates, P.C. He graduated from Washington University and is a member of Missouri Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Jim works extensively with nonprofit organizations. He also serves on the Finance Committee of the St. Patrick’s Center. Jim enjoys spending time with his wife of 19 years, Kathleen, and his two teenage sons, Evan and Chase. He joined the MCE board in March 2010.

R. Martin Arthur: Martin joined the MCE board in the summer of 2008. He holds a Masters in Electrical Engineering from Rice University and a Ph.D in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been engaged in research and teaching at Washington University since 1970, where he is now the Newton R. and Sarah Louisa Glasgow Wilson Professor of Engineering. He is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.

Jeff DePew: Jeff joined the board in 2008. He earned his Bachelor of Science in horticulture and environmental science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1979 and a teaching certificate in biology and history as well as a Masters in education from Washington University. He has taught high school biology, ecology, field ecology and experiential field trips for 25 years. He teaches at Webster University and owns and operates Earth Designs, an on-line environmental gallery and store at www.earthdesigns.com.

David Garin: David recently retired from the University of Missouri-St. Louis where he was Associate Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Science and Technology. He coauthored the textbook, Chemistry: Its Role in Society and continues to write. He served as the first chairperson of Missouri’s Hazardous Waste Management Commission and worked at the EPA in Washington, D.C. David was a Congressional Science Fellow in 1980-81 working in Congressman Al Gore’s office on environmental issues. He has served on the Coalition Board for more than 20 years in various roles.

Arlene Sandler: Arlene joined the Board in 1979. She was initially drawn to the organization to help the “construction work in progress” referendum relating to the Callaway nuclear power plant. Since then, she has worked on other nuclear campaigns as well as petition drives about land use and rivers. The Coalition attracted Arlene because it was the only activist organization around in the seventies. She still sees it as the best place for her volunteer energy. She recently retired from her position as librarian at Crossroads School.

Eric Matthew Wilkinson: Eric is a documentary filmmaker, professional video producer, and photographer who has worked with several major Los Angeles production companies, Friends of the Ozark Riverways, Rumble to the River, THF Realty, Washington University, St. Louis Variety, The Ronald McDonald House, The Youth Technology and Education Center, and UPN TV, among others. His film work and photography essays have been exhibited in several cities around the country. Eric enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including paddling, camping, rock climbing, and hiking.

Rebecca Wright: Rebecca has been a Board member since 1995 and served as secretary from 2001 until 2007. She has served on the Environmental Policy, Operations, and Annual Dinner committees. She has worked on petition drives and public hearings on the Art Museum expansion in Forest Park, the construction of the Page Avenue extension through Creve Coeur Lake Park, the Hazelwood Mall in the Missouri River floodplain, and the Army Chemical School at Fort Leonard Wood. Rebecca has a Masters degree in Library Science and is a librarian in Kay Drey’s nuclear hazards library.

Chris Burnette: Recently joining the board and having been a past employee and volunteer for the Coalition, Chris worked extensively on energy efficiency and alternative energy policy in the legislature and the Missouri Public Service Commission through MCE’s Energy Program.  He currently serves as the President of the Mad Buffalo Distillery in Union, Missouri.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree in American Political Studies with a concentration in Environmental Law and Policy from Northern Arizona University, a Master of Arts degree in Non-Profit Administration, and a Juris Doctor degree with a concentration in Urban Development, Land Use and Environmental Law from Saint Louis University School of Law.