AMBER WERNER - MACOG Staff Spotlight
Amber is new to MACOG but not new to the area. She grew up in South Bend, Indiana and got her Masters of Public Affairs from IU South Bend.
She recently joined the MACOG team with a new role as AmeriCorps Program Director.
She became an AmeriCorps member in 2009 serving at St. Joseph County Bridges Out of Poverty. That experience was life-changing for her as she was able to serve her community while also growing as a human being herself. That was the start her nonprofit journey.
Her job before MACOG was with the City of South Bend as Program Director of South Bend Green Corps. She heard about MACOG through Leah Thill, MACOG’s Senior Environmental Planner, as she worked on several different sustainability efforts with her. Now, with her experience and knowledge she has been able to hit the ground running after joining MACOG and jump right in. With Amber on the MACOG team, planning is already underway to fund and launch a new regional AmeriCorps program. The program will be designed to build regional capacity to address environmental sustainability goals and implement economic resilience strategies through AmeriCorps members. If awarded, MACOG would bring the first cohort of up to 15 AmeriCorps members on-board in the fall of 2022, who would serve with local governments and non-profits to advance our region’s capacity needs which may be related to broadband, high quality child care, tree canopy goals, and Climate Action Plans.
When asked her goals for the next 10 years with MACOG she said “After the creation and initiation of the AmeriCorps program I would love to see the expansion of National Service throughout the MACOG counties to best serve partners and the community.”
We are sure Amber will meet that goal and are excited for what the future holds!
To learn more about the new AmeriCorps program at MACOG anticipated to launch fall 2022, visit http://macog.com/americorps.html.
Quick Questions
Three words that best describe you.
Persistent, Meticulous, Passionate
You are reading something, what are you most likely reading? Is it digital or paper?
My relaxation reading is paper and fiction. However, day-to-day I am probably reading articles digitally.
Do you have a spouse, children, or pets?
Husband, Greg and three fur babies (one dog and two cats) Little Guy, Princess, and Kash
Where is your ‘happy place’?
Notre Dame Women’s Basketball games, grabbing fika in Stockholm, and at home with my family
