Who We Are
CanopyBloomington is a social impact organization created to maximize Bloomington's tree canopy and sustainably manage Bloomington's urban forest for trees' many environmental, health, economic, and social benefits, with a focus on tree equity and community engagement.
Why We Care
Trees improve our quality of life in numerous, diverse, and important ways! It is critical that we plant more trees where they're lacking, help those trees survive and grow into mature trees that provide real benefits as canopy and carbon sinks, diversify our tree species so that a single disease can't destroy our urban forest, and engage and educate homeowners and citizens on how to properly care for their trees. Without a long term vision and investment in our urban forest, we will see this vital resource and our quality of life in Bloomington disintegrate. We must start now, for the benefit of current and future generations.
Canopy's Mission
Our mission is to engage the Bloomington community in planting and caring for our urban forest together, in order to build a resilient and equitably green city for all.
Canopy's Vision
Core Values
We envision a well-connected and informed community where we all get to reap the economic, health, and ecological benefits of trees! We do this by working together as neighbors to steward Bloomington’s urban forests and other green infrastructure. We imagine a resilient and equitable urban forest created by everyone for everyone.
Community and Cooperation Inspire, educate, empower, and employ the community toward our common goals, working with all stakeholders for the benefit of Bloomington and our urban forest.
Equity and Inclusion Ensure communities that need greening the most are prioritized and have equitable access to opportunities and resources; support youth and those in need with job opportunities.
Environmental Sustainability Promote the stewardship and management of a resilient and sustainably-structured urban forest to yield a highly functional urban ecosystem now and into the future.
Public Health and Happiness Facilitate improved physical and mental health of residents and increase community capacity by building a greener city through community engagement.
Science and Creativity Dedicated to transparent, data-driven decision-making integrated with creative and inspirational initiatives that celebrate and communicate our green goals.
Staff
AVA HARTMAN
Executive Director
Ava Hartman graduated from Indiana University with degrees in environmental sustainability and biology, a certificate in liberal arts management, and a minor in environmental management. She serves as the Executive Director of CanopyBloomington where she organizes tree plantings for Bloomington residents and leads the Youth Tree Tender program in the summer. Ava's background focuses on the role of urban green infrastructure in relation to improving equity, climate resilience, and food security.
JON VICKERS
Community Engagement Specialist
After 15 years in engineering and manufacturing, Jon Vickers spent the second half of his career engaging communities, mostly through the arts. He is the founding director emeritus of Indiana University Cinema, having previously opened two other thriving arthouse film venues and programs—Vickers Theatre in Three Oaks, Michigan and Browning Cinema at the University of Notre Dame. Each program has presented thousands of films and events, engaging broad communities in meaningful ways. His volunteer work launched several arts organizations and programs in the Midwest, helped start a nature conservancy in Southwest Michigan and has been devoted to caring for public greenspaces here in Bloomington. This love of nature, people and impactful work led him to CanopyBloomington.
Board of Directors
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PHILIPPA GUTHRIE
President
Philippa has experience in business, as an environmental attorney, and as General Counsel at the Indiana University Foundation. She also spent 6 years as Corporation Counsel for the City of Bloomington. Philippa has served on the Bloomington Growth Policies Plan Steering Committee and the Environmental Commission, and as a Board Member of Volunteers in Medicine of Monroe and Owen Counties (now HealthNet). In addition to CanopyBloomington, she is currently a board member of Centerstone, Inc. and Constellation Stage and Screen. She was born and raised in Green Bay, WI where she was a girl scout and first developed her love for the outdoors, particularly trees. She has an A.B. in History from Dartmouth College, a JD from the IU Maurer School of Law and an MPA in Environmental Policy from the O’Neill School at Indiana University-Bloomington.
SARAH MINCEY
Co-founder, Vice President
Sarah Mincey is a social-ecological systems scientist who studies natural resource management with particular emphasis on urban forest management. At Indiana University, she serves as faculty in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and as the managing director for the Environmental Resilience Institute (ERI). She is a co-founder and member of the executive committee of the Indiana Community Forestry Council advising the State's Community and Urban Forestry Program within the DNR and is co-founder and board vice president for CanopyBloomington.
SAM ARMSTRONG
Board Member, Treasurer
Sam Armstrong holds a B.A. in Environmental & Sustainability Studies with a focus on Environmental Justice and a Certificate in Geographic Information Systems & Remote Sensing from the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University. He is the Chair Emeritus of the City of Bloomington Environmental Commission, where he led urban biodiversity public outreach initiatives. Sam has also worked as an ecological restorationist with Eco Logic, focusing on urban green infrastructure and tree planting projects. Currently, he serves as the Geospatial Conservation Consultant for the Indiana Forest Alliance, where he utilizes GIS technology to advocate for the protection and preservation of Indiana's forests.
ANGELA VAN ROOY
Board Member, Secretary
Angela works as the Neighborhood Services Program Manager for the City of Bloomington department of Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND). In that capacity, she helps neighborhood residents improve their neighborhoods through community building and through physical improvement projects. Last year, her own Bloomington neighborhood was the recipient of nearly 20 Canopy trees, and she discovered firsthand how tree planting can bring neighbors together in meaningful ways. After many years of moving around–from coast to coast and overseas–Angela and her family settled in Bloomington about a dozen years ago. She is proud to call Bloomington home, and is excited to work with CanopyBloomington to have a lasting impact on the community she loves.
REGAN MANGRUM
Board Member, Marketing & Communications Chair
Regan Mangrum graduated from the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University with a BS in Environmental Science in 2023. Currently, Regan is in the MPA-MSES dual degree program at O'Neill with a concentration in Ecology and Conservation. She serves as the graduate assistant for the Integrated Program in the Environment (IPE) where she manages the social media accounts, assists the BSES and BAESS curriculum committees, and volunteers at the Research and Teaching Preserve (RTP).
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ASHTON PHELPS
Board Member, Education Committee Chair
Ashton Phelps served as an Infantryman and Combat Marksmanship Instructor in the United States Marine Corps. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (BSPA) with a focus on Environmental Management from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. Following university, Ashton pursued a career in arboriculture, becoming an ISA Certified Arborist and obtaining the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ). He has worked as a climbing arborist for Davey Tree Service in Indianapolis, at Indiana University in Bloomington, and is currently working as a sales arborist for Bluestone Tree Service.
TRAVIS VENCEL
Board Member, Policy Committee Chair
Mr. Vencel has been in real estate since 1990 as a broker, appraiser, consultant and developer. For the last 15 years Travis has worked for several groups developing multi-family housing across the US, specifically focused on Student and Low-Income markets. Travis is an Indiana real estate broker, Indiana certified general appraiser and holds an SRA designation from the Appraisal Institute.
Mr. Vencel is a graduate of Hanover College and holds a designation from the Appraisal Institute. Mr. Vencel has served on many boards and commissions, including the Bloomington Plan Commission and the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, where he served as chair. In addition, Travis has been a member of the board of directors for the Apartment Association of Indiana and the Appraisal Institute’s Hoosier State Chapter and the Monroe County Airport Board of Directors. He has also served on a variety of community boards and commissions (Wonderlab, Bloomington Parks Foundation, and Cardinal Stage) and has a passion for supporting youth services. When not developing real estate, Travis is a commercial hot air balloon pilot and competes and fly’s professionally across the country. Travis has five children and lives in Bloomington, Indiana in the rolling hills of southern Indiana and home of Indiana University.
Martha Shedd
Board Member
Adept at mobilizing her personal networks to be a force for good, Martha also has a rich, varied professional background ranging from print advertising, marketing sales, and management, followed by construction and infrastructure program management and leadership across the government, higher education, and private sector. Throughout her life she has been a "serial volunteer," serving causes related to food security, housing, and youth advocacy. Martha has served on the boards of the Monroe County YMCA and Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington, and volunteered with organizations such as CASA, Habitat for Humanity, Community Kitchen, and Hoosier Hills Food Bank.
A DePauw University graduate in Sociology and Spanish, she actively supports the local Hispanic community through her language and networking skills.
Passionate about the outdoors, Martha is an avid runner, cyclist, and hiker who finds peace among the trees.
Amy Roche
Board Member
It’s Amy Roche’s love of nature and the plant world that draws her to service with Canopy Bloomington. Her 40-years in Bloomington have been marked by work in environmental issues, starting with her position at Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) as president of IU’s chapter of the nationwide Student Environment Action Coalition (SEAC). She was a founding board member of the Bloomington Community Orchard (BCO) where she and IU Professor Ross Gay developed and co-taught two years of monthly adult classes in the planting and caring of fruit trees in partnership with the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. She was also an outreach leader for the organization, coordinating and speaking at events, leading BCO site tours for children and adults, and developing the organization’s Partner Planting Program. She now enjoys life as a cottage industry baker and garden consultant.
Desiree DeMolina
Board Member
​Desiree DeMolina is the Communications Director for the City of Bloomington, where she leads values-driven public communication and resident engagement. Her career began in arts and placemaking—first within a Chamber of Commerce and later directing marketing and community relations for a regional arts center in Florida. After relocating to Indiana, she shifted her focus to housing and community development, strengthening outreach and engagement at Habitat for Humanity before joining local government. Desiree also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Monroe County History Center. Across every chapter of her career, she has been guided by a commitment to community connection and transformation, using storytelling, collaboration, and accessible communication systems to help residents understand their city and co-create the places they call home.