About Us | Transition Fidalgo

Transition Fidalgo is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, all-volunteer organization.

Our vision:
“We envision a world where humanity has drastically reduced its reliance on fossil fuels, living wisely and well within planetary limits.”

Our mission:
“To spur local responses to climate change that strengthen our community and help heal the planet. TF urges a move away from fossil fuels through decreasing energy demand, increasing efficiency, supporting renewable energy, and fostering the local production of food, energy, and goods.”

Read about our Public Issues Guidelines.
See our position on fossil fuels.

Check out a glimpse of our history. There you can also see our annual list of events and accomplishments.

We are connected to Transition U.S., a national organization of grassroots community initiatives that build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change, and the economic crisis. We also recommend Transition Network .

We sponsor events to help Fidalgo Island and the surrounding area become a resilient, close-knit, and caring community, able to sustain itself and thrive. We focus on creating opportunities to help move our community toward a positive, low-carbon future.

Locally, we work with Chuckanut Transition, Transition Whatcom, Transition Lopez, Local 2020 (Port Townsend) and others to empower life beyond fossil fuels in the Pacific Northwest.

The 2023 TF Board:

Bud Anderson, President
Laurie Sherman, Vice President
Warren Carr, Treasurer
Roger Fuller, Secretary
Phoebe Barnard
Richard Bergner
Sequoia Ferrel
Peter Heffelfinger

Contracted Staff:

Kelsey Kittleson, Project Coordinator email her
Jack Hartt, Administrative Assistant email him

Board members bios:

Bud Anderson, Board President, grew up in Bellevue and went to Washington State University where he graduated with BS and MS degrees in Electrical Engineering. Go Cougs! He went to work at the Shell Refinery in Anacortes as an electrical engineer and stayed there until retirement 44 years later. Currently, he operates an electrical contracting company and is extensively involved in building remodeling.
Right: Bud Anderson.

Roger Fuller, Board Secretary, is a habitat ecologist who coordinates a natural resource restoration and stewardship program, and studies how ecosystems respond to climate change and restoration. He is particularly fascinated by estuaries and forests. He works at the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and is an Adjunct Professor at Western Washington University. He is also a member of the Skagit Climate Science Consortium.

Left: Roger Fuller in his element

Warren, happy as a clam (or a cared-for kale plant)

Warren Carr, Board Treasurer, helped expand the Share the Bounty program by hosting a “free produce” stand at his home in Anacortes, and invested a great deal of time in keeping the stands running and the produce fresh. He also co-leads the volunteer team at the Anacortes Middle School Garden, where Transition Fidalgo recently donated, assembled and installed a large greenhouse for the Garden-to-Kitchen program. His personal interests include gardening, fly fishing, metal arts and home projects. Warren has a business school education (BS from SDSU) and experience as a CPA. He will continue to be involved with projects surrounding locally grown food, and educating others interested in home gardening.

Rich Bergner is a former educator who is now a gardener/caretaker who enjoys promoting native plants. He started Fidalgo Backyard Wildlife Habitat in 2005 and worked with a dedicated group of volunteers to certify 600 yards as wildlife habitats. That grew into his involvement in climate change issues. He enjoys tennis, reading, strolling through the 6 acres of yard landscapes, and family—especially being with and being silly with his two young grandchildren, Marisol and Azuul.

Right: Rich Bergner with grandkids Azuul and Marisol–two of the reasons Rich is involved in fighting climate change.

Sequoia on her farm “Gaia Rising”

Sequoia Ferrel, Board Member, has been an artist and designer, nature lover and peace activist among other things. As an avid gardener with great concerns for the future of the human race she developed a strong interest in issues of food security. To that end she started Gaia Rising Farm several years ago, to promote and educate about local, organic, and holistically raised food. She is happy to be able to contribute whatever she can to the board of Transition Fidalgo and Friends to help promote community resilience. She loves being part of the greater community and also spending time with friends, family and two amazing granddaughters.

Phoebe Barnard at False Bay Marine Drive

Phoebe Barnard, Board Member, is a conservation biologist, sustainability strategist, science-policy geek and global change ecologist. She is affiliate (full) professor at the University of Washington, chief science and policy officer at the Conservation Biology Institute, and research associate of the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town. She’s written three books, numerous book chapters and over 100 scientific and semi-popular papers. She lived 4 years in Canada and 34 years in Namibia, South Africa and Sweden, leading national biodiversity and climate change programs, running short courses in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, and climate and leadership modules of university undergraduate and master’s programs in Namibia and South Africa. In her spare time, she runs and hikes trails, climbs erupting volcanoes, is a community volunteer, explores and travels with her groovy filmmaker husband, and read catastrophe books to make sense of this bizarre crossroad in history.

Laurie Sherman Vice President Laurie moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1975, from MA to NY then AK. She raised a family, co-owned The Espresso Bar – Seattle, then Sherman Physical Therapy in Anacortes and loves being a part of the Anacortes community since 1988. She has a commitment to service and a passion for community organizing. She carries the belief that we can work together and live in harmony, if we try! And it’s never too late to try! Gardening, biking, hiking, mountain climbing and swimming are just a few of the hobbies she enjoys on Fidalgo Island. Each day offers another opportunity to respect each other and this beautiful place we call home!

Peter Heffelfinger, Board member

Contracted Staff Bios:

Kelsey Kittleson, Project coordinator
Kelsey@TransitionFidalgo.org

Kelsey Kittleson

Originally growing up in Northern Idaho, Kelsey (She/hers) has spent time in the Salish sea since childhood. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies from Western Washington University’s College of the Environment and has a background in environmental education. In addition to working with Transition Fidalgo, Kelsey manages the San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps Program, engaging local youth in outdoor field projects and experiential learning. Currently living in Anacortes, Kelsey has had the privilege to call Bellingham, the San Juan Islands, and Fidalgo Island home over the years and has a deep sense of place and connection to this region. Kelsey is deeply committed to pursuing climate resilience through community collaboration, youth engagement, and localized solutions while utilizing an environmental justice lens. Outside of work, you can find her snorkeling, kayaking, thrifting, enjoying some live music, and spending time outside with loved ones.

Jack Hartt, Administrative Assistant
skagitjack@outlook.com

was born and raised in Seattle near the shores of the Salish Sea. While in college he spent his summers as a fisheries researcher in Alaska, a volunteer at Mount Rainier, a restroom cleaner for the U. S. Forest Service, a backcountry ranger for Rocky Mountain National Park, and an interpreter at Dry Falls in Sun Lakes State Park. He spent the next forty years serving in Washington State Parks. Deception Pass was Jack’s last state park to call home. He retired in 2017 and is at home in the Pacific Northwest. He writes a blog called Hiking Close to Home, helps Skagit Land Trust with trail projects, enjoys photography, kayaking, eating pie, and watching sunsets, and loves spending time with family and friends.

Evelyn Adams, Board Member Emeritus, Evelyn co-founded TF&F when it was Skagit Beat the Heat in 2006. Back then she sat with her large board of climate info at the Anacortes Farmer’s Market talking with whomever would stop. Today our climate is at the place she hoped we’d avoid, and she doggedly continues to provide climate facts in TF’s Pathfinder newsletter as well as her personal journey through these turbulent times. Her love for the natural world drives her efforts. She’s the author of San Juan Islands Wildlife: A Handbook for Exploring Nature (Mountaineers 1994), and was the “Wild Talk” columnist for the Anacortes American for eleven years. She keeps sane and inspired in the forest and garden and out on the Salish Sea.