Welcoming New MiSBF Board Members

Michigan Sustainable Business Forum has welcomed seven new members to our Board of Directors. These new members represent diverse fields and areas of expertise, including regenerative design, conservation, finance, hospitality, manufacturing, higher education, and government. Each brings a unique perspective and a shared commitment to advancing sustainability across Michigan. Together, they are helping drive progress in food waste reduction, circular product design, standardization, green infrastructure, and community engagement.

View the full roster of current board members here.

Steve Brickel

Environmental Sustainability Specialist, Founders Brewing Company

Steve Brickel is the Environmental Sustainability Specialist at Founders Brewing Co. and Mahou USA, where he leads GHG reporting, circular economy programs, and multi-site sustainability strategy. 

A Michigan State alum and Eagle Scout, Brickel has over a decade of experience in environmental stewardship and corporate sustainability, including roles at Keurig Green Mountain and Walt Disney Imagineering, where he applied Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate product and process impacts. 

He is passionate about systems thinking, operational efficiency, and inclusive community engagement. Brickel believes sustainability should be actionable, inclusive, and rooted in both environmental and community resilience.

Wendy Schlett

Managing Director, Foresight Management

Wendy S. Schlett, a Managing Director with 30 years of experience in sustainability and environmental consulting, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Hydrogeology from Western Michigan University and a Professional Certificate in Sustainable Business from Aquinas College. 

Schlett is currently deploying her passion for sustainability by assisting manufacturers and non-profits in building strategies, identifying and prioritizing risk, and implementing sustainability and environmental business standards, certifications, and labels. She trains leadership, engages with internal and external stakeholders, and supports management within an organization to collaboratively develop effective sustainability management systems across diverse program areas within manufacturing and not-for-profit organizations. 

Schlett also implements ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems, ISO 50001:2015 Energy Management Systems and conducts Internal Audits for manufacturers. She is active in the Business Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) and is currently on the Board of the Kalamazoo Nature Center. Schlett also participates in the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard.

Aubree Carlisle

Food Waste Specialist, Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)

Aubree Carlisle is the statewide Food Waste Specialist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). She has spent the last decade working in the non-profit sector with local and national food rescue and food access organizations across the US. 

Originally from North Carolina, Carlisle holds a master’s degree in liberal arts focused on food systems and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, both from the University of North Carolina Asheville. She is passionate about all things food and likes to spend her free time with her family and exploring the outdoors. 

Related Read >> Michigan Food Waste Roadmap: A Plan to Reduce Food Waste and Loss in Michigan by 50 Percent

Fernando Ramirez

Co-founder and Designer, Common Object Studio

Fernando Ramirez is co-founder and designer at Common Object Studio, a sustainability-focused firm in Grand Rapids applying a regenerative design lens. With a background in environmental and industrial design, he leads projects that integrate sustainable product development, equitable supply chains, and material innovation. 

Ramirez helps companies take meaningful steps toward better sustainability while emphasizing community engagement and transparency. His work includes the Okaterra collection, transforming regional waste into 100% bio-based furniture. He combines creative design with systems thinking to drive scalable, positive change.

Andy McDowell

Manager of Sustainability, Detroit Zoological Society

Andy McDowell is a mission-driven and entrepreneurial environmental leader with 16 years’ experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs focused on Great Lakes restoration, sustainable business operations, and regenerative strategies. 

McDowell is in his fifth year overseeing Environmental Sustainability + Community Impact programs as the Manager of Sustainability with the Detroit Zoological Society. He works collaboratively with executive leadership, department leaders, and cross-functional teams to advance the mission of the DZS. His leadership has helped the DZS secure over $20M in extramural funding towards sustainable infrastructure projects. 

Prior to working at the DZS, McDowell formed his career around Great Lakes issues and specialized in ecological restoration, waterfront projects, and green stormwater infrastructure. Skilled in strategic program oversight, partnership building, and advancing regional collaboration he brings deep expertise in solving complex issues in the Great Lakes basin.

Matthew Miller

Managing Director, Cascade Partners

Matthew Miller is a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Practice Group at Cascade Partners, a Detroit-based firm specializing in middle-market transactions. With over 30 years of experience in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and business development, Miller brings deep expertise and strategic insight to every engagement. 

He holds a BGS from the University of Michigan and an MBA in Finance from Loyola University of Chicago. Miller holds the Series 63 and Series 79 securities licenses and actively contributes to the community as a board member of the St. Cecilia Music Center and Association for Corporate Growth.

Steven Giardini

Sr. Director, Michigan Dining

Throughout his career, Steve Giardini has always put the guest experience and food quality first in line. Caring for guests, staff, the environment, and community is paramount to hospitality and guides his thought process at Michigan Dining. 

Giardini brings over 25 years of global food service experience in a variety of roles with Aramark & Sodexo. Originally from the Philadelphia area, he holds a Bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of Delaware. As the Director of Residential Dining for UM, Giardini was part of the group leading the team through the COVID-19 pandemic and out the other side. Focusing on staff and connecting with colleagues across the country allowed the team at UM to maintain a level of service and staff education that was industry-leading. 

Giardini focuses on providing the best student and staff experience in his role as Sr. Director of Michigan Dining. Enhancing partnerships with students, the University, and local communities will continue to allow Michigan Dining to be a leading dining program that the University community can be proud of.