President, Environmental Communications Associates, Inc.

Ms. Grant specializes in communicating complex and sensitive issues to the public. Drawing from her combined background in communications and environmental science, AJ helps clients find innovative ways to reach the public and transform environmental and sustainability issues through strategic initiatives and reframing communications. Ms. Grant´s expertise includes designing and orchestrating communication strategies on national and global issues, especially highly contentious matters. She is well respected by both environmental and business communities nationwide providing a strong foundation and network for creatively resolving environmental issues.

She has also written highly acclaimed curriculums on environmentally related topics for universities, high schools, middle schools and elementary schools. In creating the Big Green Company, Inc. she set out to create a powerful means to positively influence today’s youth through multimedia entertainment and education. The company’s core brand, Big Green Rabbit, is considered the first major success in packaging environmental and health topics for families using multimedia to reach tens of millions across the country on television and through a large on-line and social presence. Big Green Rabbit won 4 EMMYS, 2 WEBBY Awards, Parents Choice awards and has 85 million hits on YouTube. The goal was to change behaviors on how consumers treat themselves and the world around them —Healthy Bodies, healthy planet.

AJ gained national recognition as a speaker at international conferences such as “Globe International Conference on Business and the Environment” (Vancouver), “The Environment and The Media,” “Corporate Conscience Strategies,” “Greening the Bottom Line,” “Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI),” and others.

Recent Boards include: Dean’s Advisory Board for University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability, Advisory Board for University of Colorado Masters in Environment program, National Parks Foundation Board, National Outdoor Leadership School, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Western Resource Advocates, and the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado.

Strategic Marketing Director

Averill brings her unique perspective and strategic insight to our clients through her combined background in economics, marketing and environmental conservation. After studying Economics at Dartmouth College, she began her career as a brand strategist for the leading global firm, Interbrand. There she managed and helped to refresh iconic global brands such as AT&T, ConAgra and Xerox.

But it was while she was working on the GE Ecomagination project (that sought to promote the company’s more ecologically sound products) that she became fascinated with sustainable business. Averill soon took this newfound passion to J.D. Power and Associates where she spearheaded proprietary research on consumer opinions toward climate change. Averill later joined Conservation International as Director of Corporate Partnerships, focusing on the agricultural and extractive sectors that were designed to improve business and supply chain practices. In this role she led the communications for Starbucks’ Sustainable and Ethical Coffee Sourcing programs. Averill specializes in market and target audience insights, brand positioning and campaign strategies and is our resident expert in creating simple visuals for just about any complex concept. Averill brings her sharp insights and an uncanny ability to make connections on issues that others miss. She also leads ECA’s marketing insights activities.

Senior PR/Media Relations Associate

Kim is a world class media relations professional with high level public relations credentials who is called in during the nation’s most high profile events. Her senior media relations capabilities have been brought in to execute strategies for the Executive Officer of the President at The White House and during almost every natural and man-made disaster over the past thirty years. This included the TWA 800 Crash investigation hearings; the BP Oil Spill, Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina, and Superstorm Sandy. Kim is instrumental in understanding how to reframe issues and execute media plans quickly around unexpected events as well as maintaining freshness in long term public relations. She has been instrumental in changing public perception and introducing the term disaster prevention and resistance into the American lexicon starting with FEMA’s building disaster-resistant communities. The term now morphed into a global term “resiliency.”

Kim serves as point person coordinating multimillion dollar public awareness campaigns with some of the largest public relations firms. Her media contacts abound and are documented with over 6,000 contacts in her personal mobile phone. She can coordinate with agility and ease and can change focus on a dime as well as implement long term strategies. She is a phone call or text away from high level media personalities, producers and bookers around the Globe having been to over 40 countries with The President of the United States and other government and non-governmental agency officials. Her clients have included the Executive Office of the President at the White House, Federal Emergency Management Agency, former FEMA Director James Lee Witt, International Code Council, government officials, and leading experts in weather and other issues. She has served as chief spokesperson and has placed clients in a number of live appearances on major networks such as MSNBC, Fox News Channel, Nightline and CNN, morning shows and more.

Senior Consultant

Bud has worked with ECA for decades providing critical research, key insights, strategy development, educational program development, training and copywriting…and just about anything that needs to be done.

His diverse experience and keen understanding of human behavior brings a crosscurrent of ideas to client projects and ECA’s communications. He has over 40 years of experience as a writer, leadership trainer, educator, business, non-profit and community leader, social and environmental entrepreneur and outdoor wilderness leader. After graduating from Harvard University he spent 10 years as Director of Conferences for Snowmass Village in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. He supported programs and presentations by Margaret Mead, R. Buckminster Fuller, Jean Houston, George Leonard, among many others. Bud has held executive positions in the for-profit and non-profit sectors. He co-designed international symposia for John Denver’s Windstar Foundation entitled: “Choices for the Future”.

Designer

Nancy turns creative ideas into reality. She has worked with ECA and clients on branding/logo design, innovative presentations and ad campaigns. Her ability to create designs that are both eye-catching and pragmatic helps ECA translate complex concepts into appealing and impactful materials. Infographics are her specialty and integral to communicating complex subject matter and issues.

Nancy has marketing roots in the sportswear industry and is adept in print, digital and illustration. Nancy graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design with special emphasis in Scientific Illustration.