Ken Harvin (Left), Ann Warner (Middle) and Michael Brown (Right) are the newest member of the Conservation voter group. (FILE/PHOTO)
WACH Fox 57
SOUTH CAROLINA (WACH) — The Conservation Voters of South Carolina Education Fund (CVSCEF) announced that three members will be joining their board of directors.
Michael Brown of the Sustaining Way, Ken Harvin of the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED) and Ann Warner of the Women's Rights and Empowerment Network (WREN)will be joining the board, according to a statement from the group on Tuesday.
Brown, the Executive Director of Sustaining Way, served 12 years to his community as the District One Representative for Spartanburg County Council, first African American Vice-Chair and chaired the Public Safety and Judiciary Committee, and was a member of the Economic Development Committee establishing 20,000 jobs delivering more than $8 billion of development. He has a bachelor's in political science from Alabama A&M University, a master's of public administration from the Ohio State University, and a J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
Harvin, Rural Program Director at SCACED, spent 20 years as a community development practitioner in communities of color, addressing issues of social inequality using community-building and organizing principles. He was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps, later gaining a master's degree in nonprofit management with a specialization in community development finance from the New School Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy, according to an official statement.
Warner, CEO of WREN, leads strategic visioning and planning for the organization. According to a statement, she has more than 20 years of experience advocating for the rights of women and girls around the world. She was a joint master of international affairs and master of public health from Columbia University and a bachelor's of arts in English from Wellesley College. As well as a graduate from the Riley Institute's Diversity Leaders Initiative.
“Ann, Ken, and Michael are all leaders at organizations that partner closely with CVSCEF in our work to protect our environment in an equitable way,” said John Tynan, CVSCEF Executive Director in a statement. “Their individual and community-based expertise will ensure that the policies and programs that CVSCEF advances will reflect input from both partners and communities, continuing to help us build a strong, effective, and equitable conservation movement in South Carolina.”
Officials say CVSCEF is dedicated to maximizing the participation of conservation-minded citizens in public policy decisions at the state and local levels regarding South Carolina’s environment and natural resources.