Foresight’s Board, Staff & Volunteers

Andrew DeCoriolis
Senior Associate, Foresight Studio
Andrew deCoriolis joined the staff of Foresight in June 2008 after completing a year as a Compton Mentor Fellow, a selective post undergraduate fellowship program focused on social and environmental sustainability. Andrew spent his fellowship year in Chicago working on community food security issues, specifically looking at ways to connect unreserved communities with healthy food. He is an active member of the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council, were he recently helped author a report entitled Building Chicago's Community Food System. Before returning to Chicago, Andrew was a student at Oberlin College where he helped start Ohio's first carsharing company, CityWheels. When not working on sustainable design and innovation projects, Andrew is an avid cyclist andvegetarian cook.

Bobbie Jordan
Organization Administrator
Before following her passion for the environment, Bobbie Jordan held positions as office manager for a company that produced live industrial shows, as a medical malpractice insurance underwriter, and as a bookkeeper for a small law firm. A long-time gardener and composter, her passion for the environment lead to a career change, and eventually to the Foresight Design Initiaitive in August 2007. Bobbie is a certified University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener (class of 2003) and has worked in several horticutlure-related jobs. She has volunteered over 900 hours in gardens throughout the City, including the Jackie R. Robinson School garden, which won the Mayor's Landscape Award in its Region during its first year. Bobbie sits on the Board of the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory and is an active member of the American Community Gardening Association, the National Gardening Association, and the Chicago Food Policy Advisory Council. In her spare time, Bobbie gardens for select clients during the "season," gives presentations to groups on school gardening, and is co-authoring a book for teachers who want to garden with students.

Rajya Karipineni
Program Manager, Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance
Rajya Karipineni comes from working with World Resources Institute in Hyderabad, India. There, she worked to accelerate the transfer of capital to small and medium Indian sustainable enterprises through the New Ventures program. Prior to that, Rajya worked with the University of Chicago Medical Center in the Office of Community Affairs, where she engaged the Medical Center in programs of social responsibility throughout the Southside of Chicago. Rajya graduated from the program Public Allies and holds a bachelors degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Peter Nicholson
Principal, Foresight Studio
Executive Director, Foresight Design Initiative
Peter Nicholson is Executive Director of the Foresight Design Initiative, a nonprofit organization he established in 2002, and Principal of the organization's design practice. Through these positions, he leads a multifaceted career focused on the creative pursuit of greater social, environmental and economic sustainability. Peter consults on and undertakes innovative sustainable design projects for a diversity of clients, including government agencies, institutional nonprofits, and diverse businesses. Considered a highly adept discussion facilitator, he hosts Foresight’s monthly Green Drinks panels and is in regular demand as a guest speaker and moderator. Peter is dedicated to the education of the next generation of sustainability-minded leaders and regularly mentors interns as well as teaches the organization’s Urban Sustainable Design Studio. Prior to establishing the Foresight Design Initiative, he held a variety of positions in the corporate and non-profit sectors. In each, he has consistently pursued growth and innovation. Peter began his study of Sustainability and Design at the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology and holds a bachelors degree from the Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music.

Annan Shehadi
Graphic Designer
Receiving a bachelors degree in Graphic Design from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Annan Shehadi wanted to pursue a design career involving social good. Looking for socially conscious companies that practice sustainability, Annan began interning as a graphic designer for the Foresight Design Initiative in January 2008. Currently, she works as the inhouse designer for Foresight Design Initiative while serving in the Public Allies program.

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Rick Sanford
"Co-Founder Emeritus"
Rick was instrumental in the founding of the Foresight Design Initiative. Joining the nonprofit start-up prior to graduating with an Environmental Studies major from Oberlin College, Rick started working full-time for the organization days after receiving his diploma. From December 2002 through January 2005, Rick managed the organization's incorporation, finances, and contributed to program development and implementation, including the first Chicago Sustainable Design Challenge, Brave New World party, Green Drinks, Urban Sustainable Design Studio, and various educational intiatives.

VOLUNTEERS

Chicago Sustainable Business Alliance (CSBA) Steering Committee
Bill Barnes, Wildman, Harrold, Allex & Dixon LLP
Barry Bursak, Eco Entrepreneur
Marilyn Jones, Consolidated Printing
John Orlando
Kevin Pierce, Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure
Scott Schecter, Eagle Strategies Corp.
Bryan Stubbs, Chicago Community Ventures

Foresight Action Item Planning Committee
Tom Woods, Rotary International (Chair)

Sustainable Convergence Planning Committee
Barry Bursak, Chair
Kari McLennan, Greenmaker Supply Company
Isabel Schecter, Green Festival
Tom Woods, Rotary International

and more than 200 other volunteers!