Gately Ross
Co-Director
Gately joined Sustainable Westport as Co-Director in September of 2021. She has dedicated her career to the health and conservation of wild and domestic animals and the environment. She combines a deep understanding of ecology and human impact on populations and ecosystems with clinical practice, team leadership, and training experience in veterinary emergency / critical care medicine. She plans to use this experience to build partnerships and projects that will engage and inspire Westport residents to join Sustainable Westport’s mission.
Gately holds a Bachelor of Science from the College of Charleston, a Master of Science from San Francisco State University, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Tufts University. Gately has been a Westport resident since 2007 and lives in the Greens Farms neighborhood with her husband, three boys, and rescue dog.
Johanna Martell
Co-Director
Johanna joined Sustainable Westport as Co-Director in September of 2021. She is focused on fundraising, strategic direction and increasing awareness and community support for Sustainable Westport’s mission.With over 15 years of experience in law, Johanna brings a strong foundation in deal structuring, risk management, and stakeholder collaboration. Her legal background has equipped her with the skills to navigate complex challenges and drive positive change.
A Westport resident since 2013, Jo is deeply committed to the community. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Princeton University and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. Jo also serves as the Governance Chair for the Board of Directors of Wholesome Wave.
Gretchen Hoffmann
Program Manager
Gretchen has many years of experience working in communications, including most recently for The Conservation Fund, where she helped create and manage TCF’s blog since 2015. Gretchen holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Journalism from New York University and a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University.
A resident of Westport since 2013, Gretchen is an active participant in the Greens Farms Academy school community and the Aspetuck Land Trust Green Corridor initiative. In addition to her volunteer work she enjoys playing tennis, working in her garden, and being on the water with her family.
Kathryn St. Andre
Development Manager
Kathryn is thrilled to join Sustainable Westport, bringing her experience in sales, marketing, and communications from her work with start-ups and early stage organizations. With a deep passion for the environment, Kathryn is always seeking ways to incorporate thoughtfully sustainable practices, both big and small, into her family’s everyday life. Since Sustainable Westport’s beginning, she has been a huge fan of its mission and engaging educational programming and is looking forward to building community support for all of Sustainable Westport’s initiatives.
Kathryn has served on the board of the National Charity League’s Westport chapter for the last three years, recently completing her term as President. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology from the University of Michigan. A Westport resident since 2010, Kathryn lives in the Compo Beach area with her husband, 2 teenagers, an inherited dog, an inherited bunny, and a carnival goldfish.
Vanessa Odenbach
Marketing & Communications Manager
Vanessa Odenbach joined Sustainable Westport in 2022, bringing over 15 years of experience in marketing and brand management to her role as Marketing & Communications Manager. A passionate advocate for the environment, Vanessa enjoys the challenge of creating content and other resources to help Sustainable Westport turn complex sustainability concepts into accessible, actionable steps. As Sustainable Westport’s primary marketer, designer, content creator, publicist, and newsletter editor, Vanessa channels her expertise and enthusiasm into engaging followers and amplifying impact. Vanessa holds an M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor’s in Communications Management & Design from Ithaca College. She lives in Ridgefield with her husband, three daughters, and a goofy dog named Norman.
Pippa Bell Ader
Zero Food Waste Team Co-Leader
Pippa, an occupational therapist by training, has been involved in sustainability initiatives in Westport since moving to Westport in 2003 She has been a member of Sustainable Westport, and its precursor, the Green Task Force, for over 10 years. She has also been a Board member of Green Village Initiative, a Bridgeport-based food justice non-profit, for 10 years. She led Westport to win the Federal Department of Energy Neighbor-to Neighbor Energy Challenge (2013) and to successfully complete two state-sponsored Solarize campaigns. She played an instrumental role in the Town’s certification for sustainability measures, by the non-profit, Sustainable CT (2018 and 2021). Recently her focus has been on Sustainable Westport’s Zero Food Waste Challenge, a gateway to Zero Waste and the Town’s goal of Net Zero by 2050. She is passionate about educating the community and is often seen at the transfer station, talking up Zero Food Waste.
Dawn Sullivan
Zero Food Waste Co-Leader
Dawn Sullivan is active in many of Westport’s sustainability efforts. She joined in 2020 as Co-Leader of our town’s Zero Food Waste Challenge, and is a general activist/zealot/volunteer in all the ways Sustainable Westport is teaching us how to take on the waste-related challenges our community faces. Her other volunteer commitments have been in support of communities where there is more need than waste, via US Food Rescue, Nourish Bridgeport, Homes with Hope and more than 30 years with Habitat for Humanity. A life-long naturalist and home gardener, Dawn takes simple joy in expanding her family’s presence on the Pollinator Pathway here in the middle of Westport. She is a graduate of Cornell University and has an M.B.A. from NYU.
Dede McDowell
Residential Energy Team Leader
Dede has been a residential realtor specializing in Fairfield County for the last 18 years. In the summer of 2022, she earned her Green Designation from the National Association of Realtors, focusing on renewable home energy solutions. In the fall, she joined Sustainable Westport as their Residential Energy Leader. Additionally, she was appointed to the Westport Conservation Commission in January 2024.
Dede has lived in Westport for 39 years and, with her husband, Tony (Executive Director of Earthplace), has raised two amazing boys, numerous adorable cats, and a couple of awesome dogs.