Check for closures on Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) and North Cascades Highway (SR 20).
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 4, 2025

MEDIA CONTACT:
Suzi Tanski
suzit@sustainableconnections.org,
360.647.7093 x 10

Transition in Leadership Marks New Chapter for Northwest Washington Non-Profit

Following the resignation of Executive Director, Derek Long, it is with great pleasure that Sustainable Connections announces the appointment of interim leadership for the organization. Jenna Deane and Delaney Skordal will be serving as Interim Co-Executive Directors of the organization, beginning November 1. 

Before taking on these new leadership roles, Skordal and Deane guided Sustainable Connections as Development Director and Program Director, respectively, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the organization.

As Board President Bruce Tabb shares, “In the three years that Delaney and Jenna have been with Sustainable Connections, they’ve made an incredible impact, growing our fundraising capabilities, expanding our programs, and advancing our mission. The Board is excited to welcome them as Interim Co-Executive Directors. We couldn’t imagine anyone better suited to the job.”

Delaney Skordal brings more than a decade of nonprofit and public-sector experience to Sustainable Connections, with a strong background in grant writing, program management, and community engagement. At Sustainable Connections, she has led major growth in fundraising and is known for her strategic, values-driven leadership and dedication to organizational excellence and local resilience.

Jenna Deane joined Sustainable Connections in 2022 with more than 15 years of experience in environmental education, sustainability, and community leadership. In her time at the organization, she has led strategic alignment and growth across programs—strengthening initiatives in local food systems, energy and green building, waste reduction, and local economic development. Deane leads with a collaborative mindset, a focus on measurable outcomes, and a deep commitment to advancing sustainability throughout Northwest Washington.

The organization does not expect any programmatic changes and will announce information regarding the Executive Director search on their website.

        We acknowledge that Whatcom County is located on the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples. They cared for the lands that included what we’d call the Puget Sound region, Vancouver Island and British Columbia since time immemorial. This gives us the great obligation and opportunity to learn how to care for our surrounding areas and all the natural and human resources we require to live. We express our deepest respect and gratitude for our indigenous neighbors, the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe, for their enduring care and protection of our shared lands and waterways.
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