Carmel About Us - Communities for Sustainable Monterey County

Mission and Vision

Our Mission To help our communities equitably implement sustainable and regenerative practices to slow and adapt to climate change.

Our Vision: To inspire, create, and guide sustainable thinking and conscious action. Established in 2011.

Who We Are

Ellen Gannon

Chair Sustainable Carmel

Ellen first learned about Sustainability travelling around the world as a flight attendant for Pan American World Airways. She lived and worked in China from 1984-1994, including two years in Lhasa, Tibet, was certified in Shiatsu (Acupressure) in Tokyo, Japan, and studied Sumi-e Brush Painting in Japan and Hong Kong.

Ellen received a Bachelors degree from Northwestern University in Public Address and Group Communication and is currently a Realtor with Sotheby’s International Reality, Monterey Peninsula. She also serves on the Board of the non-profit Let’s Make A Book, and volunteers at the MPVS Benefit Shop in Seaside and with CERT. Her passion is preserving this planet not only for us now, especially for future generations.

Ellen serves as VP, Treasurer, and Vice-Chair of Sustainable Carmel and is a CSMC Board Member

Chris Mack

Board Member

Chris is a Founding Member of Keep Fort Ord Wild. He has been active in local elections, assisting his candidates by walking neighborhoods. He is also a core member of the team behind Measure M, the anti-Monterey Downs initiative.

He has a BS in Environmental Design from Colorado University and is an Architect and Building contractor. He also is a sculptural artist.

Lauren Banner

Steering Committee

Lauren was born in Singapore and then grew up in in Carmel, graduating from Carmel High School. She studied Classical Tibetan language for a decade and was a double major in Buddhist studies and Media. Spending her early adult life in Taos, New Mexico, she later raised her two girls in Ithaca, NY.

After owning a few businesses over the years, Lauren returned to Carmel in 2015. She created “Lovers of Carmel Beach” which later fused with the Carmel Residents Association monthly beach clean up. She is currently on the CRA board.

Kathleen Craig

Past Chair Sustainable Carmel

Kathleen and her husband retired and moved from the Bay Area to Carmel in 2014. Her interest in the health of the environment has lead to her involvement in many activities throughout her life both professionally and personally. Professionally, the focus of her 30 year landscape design practice has been creating healthy, low impact spaces for her clients. In the past she volunteered for numerous projects that were focused on the environment and she is pleased to now be involved with Sustainable Carmel.