Board of Directors

Bentley Johnson, Chair of the Board

Bentley is the Federal Government Affairs Director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. In this role, he tracks all relevant activity in Washington D.C. surrounding Michigan LCV’s issues, and engages with Michigan’s federal delegation to communicate MLCV’s position and ensure the protection of our land, air, and water throughout the decision making process.

Tom Porter, Treasurer

Tom is President of the Porter Family Foundation, an integral founder of MiCAN. He is a retired venture capitalist and executive-in-residence at the Ross School at the University of Michigan and supports big ideas that can make a meaningful difference for the environment. He was a co-founder of the Council of Michigan Foundation’s Green & Blue Network, and Voices for Carbon Neutrality at the University of Michigan. Tom resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the winter and Empire, Michigan in the summers.

Conan Smith, Secretary

Conan is an experienced nonprofit leader, policy innovator and respected public official. He has been a long-time advocate for the environment, public health and equity in Michigan. Starting as a volunteer and working his way up to leadership positions such as a program director, executive director and board member, he knows the internal organization and external efforts of nonprofits from the ground up. The Ann Arbor native was appointed the Michigan Environmental Council’s first BIPOC president and CEO in May 2019.

Dr. Brandy Brown

Dr. Brown is the Chief Innovation Officer at Walker-Miller Energy Services, where she blends research and emerging technology to deliver innovative energy solutions to historically marginalized communities. Additionally, she serves on the faculty of the School for Sustainability and Environmental Studies at the University of Michigan.

Prior to joining Walker Miller, Dr. Brown served as Climate & Energy Advisor and led the Office of Climate and Energy which was created by Governor Whitmer in 2019 to coordinate the state’s climate action efforts.

Martina Guzmán

Martina is an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker with more than 15 years of experience who thoughtfully covers race, justice, and systemic inequality. Born and raised in Detroit, she is a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. Martina believes that there is no place like Detroit and uses her homegrown perspective to inform her nuanced, investigative work around the globe. She is currently the Race and Justice Journalism Fellow at the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at Wayne State University Law School.

Frank Houston

Frank is the Regional Program Manager for the BlueGreen Alliance. Since joining the BlueGreen Alliance in 2018, Frank has been a leader in BlueGreen Alliance’s work to address climate change, protect strong fuel economy standards, promote electric vehicle and good manufacturing jobs as well as encourage investing in good jobs and fair economic policies as part of a just transition for workers and communities as we move to a cleaner economy. Frank was also recently appointed to Governor Whitmer’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Marnese Jackson

Marnese is Co-Director at the Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition, where she heads Community Engagement & Equity. She is an Environmental and Climate Justice activist, advocate, trainer and educator from Pontiac, Michigan where she is a mother of two children London and Dawson. 

Marnese serves as a board member of the U.S. Climate Action Network, membership chairperson of the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, and Environmental & Climate Justice chairperson of the NAACP Northern Oakland County Branch. She is a 2020 Michigan Clean Energy Leaders Cohort member and a 350.org BIPOC Cohort member. Marnese was appointed in 2021 to the Governor Whitmer’s Michigan Council on Climate Solutions, and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Building Performance Institute.