About Us

Ecolibrium3’s mission is to lead and inspire change towards an equitable and sustainable future.

We accomplish this mission through two areas of focus.

The first is serving as the neighborhood convening organization in Duluth’s low-income Lincoln Park neighborhood, working on all aspects of sustainable revitalization that advance opportunities for residents and businesses.

The second is a focus on community sustainability and resiliency including aspects of energy transition, housing stock improvement, economic security, and health.

We excel at understanding high-level challenges and then designing and implementing programs, partnerships and projects that address those issues.

Our work has been nationally recognized for excellence in programming and community impact.

White House Champion of Change for Building Resilient Communities Award

US Environmental Protection Agency’s Seeds of Change Award

US Conference of Mayors Outstanding Achievement Award

National Main Street Forward Award for COVID-19 Response

Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership Climate Adaptation Award

Board

Carole Newkumet, Community Volunteer, Retired Public Health, Chair of the River Corridor Coalition, Chair/Board Treasurer

Karl Wagner, Engineer, Fitment Group

Njoki Kamau, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota Duluth

Rebecca Bischoff, Technician, American Engineer Testing, Inc.

Sara Cole, President and CEO, Duluth Area Family YMCA

Staff

Jodi Slick, Founder and CEO

Headshot of Jodi Slick

Jodi Slick is the founder and CEO of Ecolibrium3, leading the organization’s community resilience and sustainability work. Jodi previously founded Common Ground Construction, a green affordable housing social enterprise. She received her Master of Educational Administration and BS in Broad Field Science (Chemistry and Physics) from the University of Wisconsin Superior. She has also completed training with the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University in Social Entrepreneurship. Jodi was named a White House Champion of Change for Building Resilient Communities in 2013.

Lora Wedge, COO

Headshot of Lora Wedge

Lora Wedge is the COO of Ecolibrium3, helping direct the organization’s operations and climate change work. Lora has previously served in a number of leadership roles at social change organizations at community, national, and international levels. Lora teaches as adjunct faculty in the Department of Studies in Justice, Culture, and Social Change at the University of Minnesota Duluth and has a B.A. in Women’s Studies and a M.A. in Consciousness and Transformative Studies.

Adam Kurowski, Community and Energy Projects Manager

Headshot of Adam Kurowski

Adam is Ecolibrium3’s Communication and Energy Projects Manager. He oversees the work at Legacy House, the Grocery Store, and the updates to the Lincoln Park Community Center. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography from Plymouth State University and a Master’s degree from Ohio University, focusing on Geographic Information Systems and Urban Planning. Adam spent ten years working with local governments, and he also has several years of experience in nonprofit work. Adam is dedicated to sustainability and equity in his work and personal life. He loves weekend trips in his van with his life partner and travel cat, finding joy and wonder in many remarkable landscapes and their geologic creation.

Angela Johnson, Partnership and Special Projects Developer

Head shot of Angela Johnson

Angela Johnson is Ecolibrium3’s Partnership and Special Projects Developer. In this role, Angela supports many different program areas in planning and executing projects as well as fundraising and building corporate partnerships to sustain our work in the community. Angela has over a decade of experience working in the private sector at local retail giant maurices, where she developed business skills and a strong appreciation for the impact of philanthropy in communities. Angela enjoys the outdoors by hiking and spending time at the lake with family.

Cameron Kadlubowski, Community Energy Transition Specialist

Headshot of Cameron Kadlubowski

Cameron Kadlubowski is Ecolibrium3’s Community Energy Transition Specialist. In this role, he supports the work of the Eco3 Energy Program to ensure an equitable energy transition for the region. Cameron has lived in the Midwest his whole life, starting in Illinois, then Wisconsin, and now Minnesota. He graduated from Northland College in 2022 with a degree in Sustainable Community Development. Prior to his current role, Cameron served as an Eco3 Climate and Energy VISTA member, helping community residents access energy efficiency upgrades. Cameron is a passionate climate advocate and spends much of his free time in the woods or on the water.

Helen Davis, Community Outreach Specialist

Headshot of Helen Davis

Ms. Helen Davis is Ecolibrium3’s Community Outreach Specialist. She is fiercely protective of the people she serves, and she feels most fulfilled when she’s helping improve people’s lives and bringing positivity to them. Ms. Helen has an Associates of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Lake Superior College and has previously worked with Chum, Family Freedom Center, and True North AmeriCorps. She also served as a security officer for Chicago Public Schools for 30 years and Essentia Health for 6 years.

Jennifer Hansen, Director of Main Street Lincoln Park and Business Sustainability

Headshot of Jennifer Hansen

Jennifer Hansen is Ecolibrium3’s Director of Main Street Lincoln Park and Business Sustainability. Jenn works with local businesses to promote sustainability and vitality, in Lincoln Park and throughout Duluth. Jenn holds a B.A. in Business & Sustainability, and has worked in community development and communications in Duluth and on the West Coast. She envisions an intertwined community between the residents and the businesses, and she believes that sustainability is only possible if the entire community benefits. Jenn enjoys sailing, skiing, cold water plunges, and walking her Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Kevin Anderson II, Environmental Justice and Special Projects Developer

Head shot of Kevin Anderson II.

Kevin Anderson II is Ecolibrium3’s Environmental Justice and Special Projects Developer. In this role Kevin supports all of Ecolibrium3’s program areas, advancing a new citizen-led environmental justice effort and promoting projects with a focus on equity. Kevin has over fifteen years of organizing, coaching, and diversity and equity training experience, including his time as executive director of the Family Freedom Center. Kevin is experienced in developing new community programming designed to address environmental justice disparities and access issues for the American-Black community in Duluth. Outside of work, Kevin runs a homestead farm with his wife and children and has his own lifestyle brand to celebrate the unique culture of Duluth.

Patrick Weber, AmeriCorps VISTA Host Site Manager and Recruitment Specialist

Headshot of Patrick Weber

Patrick Weber is the AmeriCorps VISTA Host Site Manager and Outreach Specialist for the Eco3 VISTA program.  His primary responsibilities are supporting the AmeriCorps VISTA members and their host sites to provide an experience that both builds the capacity of our communities and provides opportunities for professional growth. His B.A. in theatre arts and experience in producing and directing community theatre help him think creatively and communicate with an increasingly diverse population in our city. He is passionate about connecting the people in his community and strengthening our neighborhoods. Patrick is also the artistic director of Northern Expressions Arts Collective, a non-profit that specializes in bringing families together through artistic play.

Philip Duket, AmeriCorps VISTA Program Coordinator

Headshot of Phil Duket

Philip Duket is the Ecolibrium3 AmeriCorps VISTA Program Coordinator. Having served as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer in 1977-1978 and again in 2022-2023, he continues his work life—always being of service to others. Philip has a great deal of experience as a preventionist, with a focus on systems level change. He believes in empowering people, giving them the knowledge and tools to address the challenges being faced. Philip looks forward to working with the VISTA cohort members to support their initiatives and build capacity to address poverty in multiple strategies of change.

Sarah Kjorlien, Communications Manager

Headshot of Sarah Kjorlien

As the Communications Manager for Ecolibrium3, Sarah Kjorlien supports all programs and projects in getting the message out. Sarah holds a Masters in Public Policy from University of Massachusetts and has experience with climate action, sustainable farming, composting, and volunteer management. Sarah has previously worked as a music teacher for ten years both domestically and abroad. She lives in the Hillside neighborhood with her husband, two dogs, and a room full of musical instruments.  

Tristen Eberling, Community Energy Specialist

Headshot of Tristen Eberling

Tristen Eberling works as Ecolibrium3’s Community Energy Specialist. Originally from Litchfield, Minnesota, he graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in History. After serving two years with Green Iowa AmeriCorps doing home energy audits in Northeast Iowa, Tristen moved to Duluth in 2016 to continue his focus on sustainability and local energy. He is a BPI certified Home Analyst, and Ecolibrium3’s go-to for making Duluth homes energy efficient. Tristen enjoys fly fishing, hunting, mountain biking, skiing, and hiking around Duluth and the North Shore, as well as spending time with his beautiful black lab, Sadie.

*Ecolibrium3 also hosts multiple AmeriCorps VISTA members. Meet them here!

Our History

Ecolibrium3 has a rich history of serving northeastern Minnesota.

Ecolibrium3 began as Common Ground Deconstruction Services and Reuse Center in 2004 to train low-income individuals in the trades while recovering building materials. Over the course of its first eight years, as the social enterprise of the 501(c)3 nonprofit, Northern Communities Land Trust, Common Ground expanded its role from deconstruction to green affordable housing construction.

Common Ground completed 124 single-family new constructions and extensive remodels, a national demonstration project of the Green Communities standards with solar for affordable housing, two multi-family buildings for veteran transitional housing, and development of the community-scale Duluth Energy Efficiency Program (DEEP).

In 2011, when Common Ground’s parent nonprofit merged with another housing agency, Common Ground spun-off half of its staff, board, and programming to form Ecolibrium3. Under the new, non-affiliated 501(c)3, Ecolibrium3 staff and board have been able to expand its community impact in areas of residential energy efficiency, environmental protection, and sustainable economic development. Ecolibrium3’s CEO, Jodi Slick, is the founder of both Common Ground and Ecolibrium3.