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CAGBN Welcomes New Co-Executive Directors

The California Green Business Network, is excited to announce its new Co-Executive Director leadership team!

Lacey Raak and Maria Corona (Corona) will be heading the State-wide organization beginning September 1, 2024. After more than 10 years, Josephine (Jo) Fleming, is stepping down as Executive Director. She joins the Board of Directors in extending a heartfelt welcome to Corona and Lacey.

“It has been my honor and life’s work to grow this organization from its early start.
It was entrusted to me by the strategic leaders that came before me.
It is with a lot of trust and faith that we have chosen Lacey and Corona to Co-Direct the organization into its next phase.”
Jo Fleming, Former CAGBN Executive Director

The California Green Business Network leads the state and nation in working with small to medium sized businesses to create a vibrant green economy. Led by a coalition of cities and counties, we contribute by helping to make our communities healthier and more livable while also conserving resources and saving money. The California Green Business Network supports 48 green business programs throughout the State. The locally-managed programs provide direct support to small and medium sized businesses. Lacey and Corona will work together to ensure the continued success of these programs. 

Corona has exceptional skills in bilingual community outreach in resource-constrained communities. She brings passion and understanding of working with equity based businesses to her work. Technology strong, Corona has been guiding many people across the nation on GreenBizTracker, the web based platform created by CAGBN for businesses, local government, and partners to use to track business through the Green Business process and measure their environmental outcomes. Lacey has experience in organizational change for sustainability, planning and management. She led sustainability programs in higher education institutions and has worked extensively in her local community to support sustainability. Her work has long focused on the intersection of social justice and sustainability. Her leadership and strategic strengths will be valuable as CAGBN continues to grow.

In addition to the stellar individual traits and experience Lacey and Corona bring, the California  Green Business Network is delighted to continue its innovative mindset by adopting a Co-Directorship model. Still a relatively new concept, Co-Executive Director models are continuing to increase. In addition to responding to the often unrealistic expectations put on sole-ED leadership models, co-leadership allows diverse competencies, backgrounds and perspectives to be more present in leadership decisions and reflect California Green Business Network’s commitment to collaborative and inclusive decision making. 

A personal note from Lacey and Corona:

“As a life-long sustainability professional I have dedicated not just my career but my whole life to being a part of creating a better world. I grew up playing in the fields and streams and lakes in rural Minnesota, it brought me joy and adventure but also calmness and peace when I needed it. I knew I wanted to be part of caring for it. I also grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. 3 out of the 5 immediate members of my family started their own businesses. I have seen how small businesses build big community. My work with the California Green Business Network is an amazing opportunity to bring these two things together. I am grateful for all the hard work that has come before me to build this Network. I have a 4th grader and a 7th grader and when I drop them off at school I purposefully tell them to make it a great day (not to have a great day). We all have to actively make our community and our world healthy for all. I am so excited to work with Corona and the whole network to make California’s green business economy strong and inclusive to all.” – Lacey		“Growing up in Los Angeles in a resource-constrained household with Mexican parents, I learned early on that being sustainable wasn’t just a choice—it was a necessity. Saving resources, cutting costs, and caring for the environment made economic sense and created a healthier environment. The small businesses in my neighborhood were the backbone of our community, built by entrepreneurs who pursued their dreams while also creating economic opportunities and resilience. I am passionate about advancing equity and sustainability, particularly with underserved populations and businesses. Small businesses are the foundation of their communities, and I am committed to ensuring that they, along with all businesses, have access to a sustainable economy. I’m excited to work together with Lacey, the network of local coordinators, partners, and the communities we serve, to create a resilient and inclusive future for generations to come.” – Corona