Joelle Novey, Director
Robin Lewis, Director for Climate Equity
Jonathan Lacock-Nisly, Director of Faithful Advocacy
Madison Mayhew, Congregational Organizer and Federal Policy Advocate
Lindsay Estes, Operations Manager & Executive Assistant
Noam Shapiro, Programs Associate
Amethyst Holmes, Seminary Intern
Julia Novey, Program Assistant
Joelle Novey, Director
Joelle has served as IPL-DMV’s Director since the fall of 2009, and speaks widely on the role that faith communities can play in the climate movement. She grew up in Baltimore at Chizuk Amuno congregations, and is now active in several Jewish communities in the DC area, including Minyan Segulah, and serves on the advisory board of Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action.
She is the co-author of Green and Just Celebrations, a purchasing guide that Jews United for Justice (JUFJ) distributes to local congregations for assisting families in making greener purchasing decisions around weddings and bar/bat mitzvah celebrations.
Most recently, Joelle worked at Green America, where she screened applicants to the Green Business Network and wrote dozens of articles about greener living for the organization’s newsletter and magazine.
Joelle brings a variety of interfaith experience to the religious diversity of IPL’s network. For more than a year, she counseled hospital patients of all backgrounds and led interfaith worship services through a chaplain training program at Washington Hospital Center.
Joelle is a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard University where she received a BA in Social Studies, and completed the coursework for a minor in the Study of Religion.
Robin Lewis, Director for Climate Equity
As the Director for Climate Equity at Interfaith Power and Light DMV, Robin Lewis believes that she has been called as a Christian to be a voice for environmental justice and equity in her community. After working in business for a long time, she found that her satisfaction was gained by helping to educate others, in particular people of color and other marginalized communities, become more aware of environmental issues that are impacting their quality of life. As a result, she shifted her career focus to community engagement and organizing with various local grassroots and faith-based organizations to help to promote collaboration on environmental justice and equity issues.
Robin previously worked as a certified project manager for non-profits and businesses for many years, recently working with an affordable housing agency helping low income residents pursue healthy living conditions. She also worked as a community education and awareness advocate for energy conservation and promoted environmental legislation to clean up the Renewable Portfolio Standard in Maryland. Robin serves as the Director of Social Justice and Outreach for her church, Beloved Community Church UCC in Accokeek, MD.
In addition to obtaining her BA in Economics and MBA from Rutgers University, Robin has a Masters in Sustainable Urban Planning with a concentration in Climate Change from The George Washington University. Robin’s research has focused on the socio-economic aspects of sustainability in urban revitalization, such as issues relating to displacement, gentrification, and affordable housing.
Robin feels blessed that she is able to bring her experience and passion to the IPL team and hopes to learn more about other faith traditions in the spirit of cooperation and harmony.
Jonathan Lacock-Nisly, Director of Faithful Advocacy
As Director of Faithful Advocacy, Jonathan connects religious communities in the region with environmental campaigns to expand clean energy, providing a distinctly moral response to the climate crisis. He also serves as the chair of the Maryland Clean & Climate Friendly Buildings table, working to get Maryland’s homes, businesses, houses of worship, and other buildings off of fossil fuels.
Jonathan grew up in small-town Ohio and is a graduate of Eastern Mennonite University, where he studied Peacebuilding and Development, with minors in Political Studies and Economics. He comes to this work after several years as an affordable housing advocate with MANNA, Inc., where he saw firsthand the strain that shifting weather patterns is putting on communities in our region.
Jonathan and his spouse Brooke live in Baltimore and attend North Baltimore Mennonite Church. Jonathan feels called to this work in the spirit of the teachings of Menno Simons — the founder of the Mennonite church — that true faith clothes the naked, feeds the hungry, and comforts the sorrowful. He loves biking around Baltimore and stepping into his garden for a ripe heirloom tomato.
Madison Mayhew, Congregational Organizer and Federal Policy Advocate
Madison is originally from Atlanta, Georgia and is a graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. In college, she fell in love with the social work profession because of its values rooted in social justice, and in the dignity and worth of all humans. After completing a service year with AmeriCorps VISTA, she pursued her Masters of Social Work at Washington University with a focus on policy and social and economic development.
Madison joined IPL-DMV from a previous position with the United Church of Christ, where she supported the DC office in policy advocacy, organizing and event planning. Working with the UCC deeply shaped Madison’s strong belief in the power of faith-based organizing, and taught her the value of moral imagination in shaping public policy. Madison’s faith and her social work training fuel her passion to address the climate crisis. She’s deeply grateful to be with the IPL-DMV team, where she can partner with local green leaders to address climate change in her community. She also serves as the Federal Policy Associate for National Interfaith Power & Light, advocating for Creation and climate justice on Capitol Hill on behalf of the 40 state affiliates and over 20,000 congregations in the IPL network.
Madison is a member of Calvary Baptist Church, where she serves on the Solidarity Partners Committee to ensure equitable use of church funding resources. She is most happy in the summer sun, sitting amongst wild things and watching birds with her partner.
Lindsay Estes, Operations Manager & Executive Assistant
Lindsay minds the details and systems that support our sacred work.
She comes to IPL-DMV from operations and compliance roles in the medical cannabis industry. At Remedy Columbia, she managed a team of over forty agents and led efforts to establish the business as a trusted community wellness resource and ensure safe access to medicine. Prior to that work, Lindsay planned exhibit logistics for several high-profile clients as Client Services & Logistics Coordinator for Hatch Exhibits.
Lindsay grew up in a log cabin in southeastern Pennsylvania, where she spent most of her time barefoot and outdoors. She is an initiated Wiccan in the Reformed Celtic Tradition, and is grateful to her community of practice, Sylvan Circle, for grounding her in the magic of ancient ritual and the rhythms of the natural world. Lindsay brings her tradition’s belief that “nature is the perfect teacher” to IPL-DMV’s work to attend to and protect our damaged climate.
Lindsay is excited to put her logistics chops to work in support of IPL-DMV’s grassroots climate work. “Climate change is a problem that affects everyone,” says Lindsay, “so it makes sense to solve it together. This isn’t only an immediate threat to our welfare but also an opportunity for us to transcend differences in background, to get to know one another, and to learn how to live together.”
She still spends most of her free time barefoot and outdoors, often with her dog, Sonja.
Noam Shapiro, Programs Associate
As Interfaith Power & Light DMV’s Programs Associate, Noam mobilizes Jewish communities around climate change. Noam facilitates IPL’s Dayenu circle housed at IPL-DMV, the Jewish Climate Action Network DMV, and works with congregations of many traditions to save energy and shift to cleaner power.
Noam comes to this work after several years as an immigrant rights organizer with New Sanctuary Coalition, where he supported asylum seekers, undocumented individuals, and climate refugees. Prior to working with Interfaith Power & Light, Noam served as The Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale’s Social Justice and Arts Coordinator, where he formed a partnership with the Mill River Project, an environmental justice initiative to clean up the Mill River and create accessible green spaces for the residents of Fair Haven.
Noam also brings to his work his experience as a theater director and producer. Noam’s artistic practice focuses on social justice and he is currently adapting Pultizer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas’s critically acclaimed memoir Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen into a musical.
Noam grew up in New York City and is a graduate of Yale University, where he studied History and Theater Studies. Noam feels drawn to IPL’s advocacy because he believes that religious communities can provide powerful pathways for people to move from anxiety over the climate crisis to courageous action.
Amethyst Holmes, Seminary Intern
Amethyst Holmes is a freelance journalist based in Washington, D.C. Her work has been featured in Christianity Today, the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and with Religion News Service. She has worked at the intersections of sport and faith in nonprofit sports ministry in various communications and marketing roles for nearly a decade. She was previously a general assignment reporter for AL.com/The Huntsville Times. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Alabama where she also competed as a student-athlete on the track & field team.
She is currently pursuing a master of divinity degree at Howard University School of Divinity and is a fellow in the 2022-2023 Religion Journalism Fellowship Program powered by Religion News Service and Interfaith America. She also serves as a board member and mentor coordinator for Alabama MASTHEAD, an alumni-led nonprofit dedicated to supporting student journalists of color at UA.
Julia Novey, Program Assistant
A DC native, Julia has studied Software Engineering and Economics at McGill University, and served in a number of administrative and coordination roles for her sorority. An accomplished indoor gardener and devoted cat parent, Julia is delighted to bring her love of plants and animals to IPL-DMV’s work to protect our world (and to work with her cousin Joelle!)
Thank you, Interns & Volunteers!
Our work is made possible through the assistance of interns and other volunteers. Please contact us if you’d like to explore lending a hand to our work. Recent interns and volunteers for IPL include:
Noa Gordon-Guterman, AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps
Claire Donnelly, Lutheran Volunteer Corps/Evangelical Lutheran Church
Maddie Smith, Lutheran Volunteer Corps
Catherine Goggins, Discipleship Year
Rachel Brustein, AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps
Elana Orbuch, AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps
Isabel Zeitz-Moskin, Lutheran Volunteer Corps
Clara Summers, Episcopal Service Corps
Elizabeth Stevens, Lutheran Volunteer Corps & Discipleship Year
Maria Langholz, Discipleship Year
Josef Lorentz, Lutheran Volunteer Corps & Discipleship Year
Summer 2018
Sydney Gabrielle Alexander, General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
Sophie DeMuth, The Bryn Mawr School
Summer 2017
Julliane Osias, General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
Summer 2016
Sanha Ryoo, General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church
Summer 2015
Gabby Resnick, Wesleyan University
Abi Rome, Volunteer for Energy Programs
Summer 2013
Mike Fekula, Wesley Theological Seminary
Shahar Colt, Solar Congregations Organizer
Summer 2012
Kanza Khan, Muslim Public Service Network Fellow
Shahar Colt, Solar Congregations Organizer
Spring 2012
Meredith Hollingsworth, American University
Summer 2011
Sara Emmerich, Beatitudes Fellow
Arif Karim, Muslim Public Service Network Fellow
Spring 2011
Lukas Troetzer, American University
Jane Rutherford, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill
Summer 2010
Hannah Donner, University of Rochester/Machon Kaplan
Robert Long, Harvard University
Avichai Ozur Bass, Charles E. Smith JDS/Har Shalom
Spring 2010
Matthew Young, St. Lawrence University
Avery O’Brian, School Without Walls/Fabrangen West
Summer 2009
Kelly Hardin, River Road Unitarian Universalist Church
Summer 2008
Tamara L. Slater, University of Rochester
Summer 2007
Aviva Birnkrant, Washington University in St. Louis/Congregation Beth El
Gina Gonzalez, Northwestern