Meet Our Technical Assistance Team

Urszula Parfieniuk (she/her) is the National Technical Assistance Manager with our pro bono capacity-building technical assistance program, focusing on Regions 2, 7, and 9. With a background in environmental health, public health administration and development, Urszula’s role spans technical assistance requests from all over the country, serving as critical coverage backup. In addition, she works on special projects for EPN to meet communities’ most pressing needs.

Prior to EPN, Urszula worked in technical assistance and program management at the Great Lakes Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center, developing the Center from the ground up. She worked on federal and philanthropic grant submissions for almost 10 years and has years of experience organizing volunteers and work teams. Urszula has a master’s degree in public health administration and policy with a concentration in environmental health.

Urszula is passionate about place-based environmental health and community development. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, gardening, and volunteering in her local community. Urszula is originally from Poland and currently lives in Minneapolis, MN.

Michelle S. Peedin is a Community Outreach Associate with our pro bono capacity-building technical assistance program. Focusing on EPA Region 1, the New England region of the United States, Michelle seeks to facilitate and foster meaningful connections between community-based organizations, experienced EPA alumni, and other partner experts to provide vital resources and support at the community level. In the multi-state region, support and resources include technical assistance, grant application support, and capacity-building solutions for environmental justice projects centered around low-income, historically excluded communities, and Black, Indigenous, and communities of color. 

Michelle, graduated with a BA in Global Studies from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, with a concentration in Social and Economic Justice. Michelle worked as the Program Coordinator on the Eco-Justice Connection and Health & Wholeness teams at the NC Council of Churches. In the wake of 2020, she felt called to the intersection of healing justice and ecological justice, which led to her Masters in Social Work at Columbia University. Michelle served as the chair of Lila Latinx LGBTQ+ Initiative, the Multiracial Caucus at Columbia’s School of Social Work, and the Environmental Justice Initiative at the CSSW Action Lab. Michelle is dedicated to antiracism, decolonization, and mindfulness work woven into the fabric of community-led transformative change.  

Michelle finds joy in friendship, food, dancing, nature, spirituality, and being a sister, daughter, prima, niece, tía, partner, and intentional community member. 

Sierra Taliaferro is a Community Outreach Associate with our pro bono capacity-building technical assistance program. Sierra concentrates on creating new and deeper connections between communities of color and low-income communities in EPA Region 4, EPA alumni with decades of expertise, and other allies to provide assistance to community identified projects.

Sierra has nine years of strategic planning experience with various community organizations in Milwaukee and South Florida. She led, co-led, and implemented outdoor education and outreach ranging from county parks and green spaces to non-profit organizations and commons.  In addition, she worked in project development and implementation of water and environmental conservation issues at the local level. Sierra is also the founder of The Green Obsidian, a social media platform designed to bring awareness to diversity within environmental conservation. As a professional millennial and climate change maker, she hopes to continue to make herself an advocate for diversity in conservation and to emphasize the importance of our natural resources surrounding our urban environments.

Sierra has a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrated Environmental Science from Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. She is currently based in South Florida where she enjoys the thrills of exploring the outdoors, birding, and traveling.

Mutheu Mukeli (she/her) is a Technical Assistance Manager with our pro bono capacity-building technical assistance program. She concentrates on creating new and deeper connections between communities of color and low-income communities in EPA Region 6 and 9, EPA alumni with decades of expertise, and other allies to provide assistance for community identified projects. 

Mutheu graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts inInternational Relations. She is passionate about creating and engaging in spaces thatfoster community, create solidarity, and advocate for social justice, particularly forcommunities of color. Her interest in the environment stems from an understanding ofthe intersectionality that exists between environmental issues and other societalinjustices. Prior to EPN, Mutheu served as a public school teacher with Teach forAmerica, where she advocated for educational equity.

Mutheu lives in Houston, TX. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in nature,reading, and cooking.

Melanie holds a B.S. in Environmental Sustainability from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Environmental Studies in Social and Ecological Sustainability from the University of Waterloo in Canada, where she specialized in water policy and governance. Her work has centered on understanding the social and ecological dimensions of water scarcity, sustainable resource management, and collaborative governance.

Before joining EPN, Melanie worked at Colorado State University, where she led natural resource outreach programs, supported conservation partnerships, and facilitated community engagement on issues such as watershed health, wildfire resilience, and youth environmental education. Across her roles, she has focused on bridging science, policy, and community needs to support practical, equitable environmental solutions.

Melanie lives in Colorado with her beloved dog, Kirby. Outside of work, she enjoys being outdoors, gardening, collecting rocks, and tending to her ever-expanding houseplant collection.