The Climate Center
Donations deductibleThe Climate Center's network
10 people7 organisationsi10 people and 7 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (10). Violet dotted lines (7) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
10 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Tenure and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed tenure is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 10 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Thomas Chair | Past Chair | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| Carl Mears | Board Member | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| Elliot Hinds | Treasurer | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Jean Fraser | Company secretary | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Lisa Whitescarver | Board Member | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Lokelani Devone | President | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Mary Luevano | Board Member | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Steve Nissen | Board Member | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Susan Longville | Board Member | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Venise Curry MD (also filed as Venise Curry) | Vice President | 2019 | 7 yrs |
Under 5 years5 to 6 years6 years or more
Officers and senior leadership
5 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Ann Hancock | Executive Dir. | since 2018 |
| Barry Vesser | Cpo | since 2021 |
| Barry Vesser Deputy | Executive Dir. | since 2018 |
| Ellie Cohen | CEO | since 2021 |
| Lois Downy | CFO | since 2021 |
Pay and hours
year to 30 June 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellie Cohen | CEO | 40 | $199k | $33k | |
| Jeri Howland | Dir. Philanthropy | 40 | $161k | $23k | |
| Lois Downy | CFO | 40 | $137k | $19k | |
| Barry Vesser | Cpo | 40 | $135k | $21k | |
| Ryan Schleeter | Communications Dir | 40 | $133k | $11k | |
| Kurt Johnson | Com Energy Res Dir | 40 | $115k | $28k | |
| Baani Behniwal | Drawdown P Dir. | 40 | $101k | $10k | |
| Lokelani Devone | President | 4 | $0 | ||
| Susan Thomas | Past Chair | 4 | $0 | ||
| Venise Curry MD | Vice President | 2 | $0 | ||
| Elliot Hinds | Treasurer | 2 | $0 | ||
| Jean Fraser | Secretary | 2 | $0 | ||
| Susan Longville | Board Member | 2 | $0 | ||
| Mary Luevano | Board Member | 2 | $0 | ||
| Carl Mears | Board Member | 2 | $0 | ||
| Steve Nissen | Board Member | 1 | $0 | ||
| Lisa Whitescarver | Board Member | 1 | $0 |
About
- Legal name
- The Climate Center
- EIN
- 450485495
- Address
- 1275 Fourth St 191, Santa Rosa, CA, 95404-4057
- State
- California
- Mission
- The Climate Center is a climate and energy policy nonprofit working to rapidly reduce climate pollution at scale, starting in California. (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- B99 Education
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Education
- Size band
- 6 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 2002
- Principal officer
- Ellie Cohen (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 November 2002
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 7, latest 2025
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Longest observed on the filings
≥8years on the filingsSusan Thomas
≥8years on the filingsCarl Mears
≥7years on the filingsVenise Curry MD
≥5years on the filingsLokelani Devone
Latest return
year to 30 June 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 June 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $1.6m
- Total liabilities
- $308k
- Net assets or fund balances
- $1.3m
- Contributions and grants received
- $3.6m
- Program service revenue
- $57k
- Grants and similar paid out
- $50k
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 25
Filed finances
2 yearsiTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.| Tax year | Total revenue | Total expenses | Surplus or deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3.7m | $3.3m | $358k |
| 2023 | $3.1m | $3.2m | Deficit $28k |
As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.
Grants paid
1 listediFrom Schedule I of the Form 990: grants and assistance to organisations in the United States, largest first (up to 25). Schedule I is filed only by organisations that gave more than $5,000 to any one recipient.| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon Cycle Institute | Nature based solution work | $50k |