Our Mission
Croton100 is an all-volunteer community-based organization that seeks to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in Croton-on-Hudson, NY (zip code 10520), to net zero by 2040, or 5% reduction per year, through a combination of advocacy, education and campaigns.
Croton100 Board of Directors
Leo Wiegman, President
Leo Wiegman is Director of Solar Programs at Sustainable Westchester. Previously, he was co-founder of Croton Energy Group, a solar energy firm. Leo is former Mayor of the Village of Croton-on-Hudson, former Executive Director of Sustainable Westchester, and previously worked for three decades in book publishing. Since 2010, Leo has written two books and dozens of articles on sustainability topics and been a frequent speaker on these topics. Leo holds a BS from Tufts University.
In his own words: “Climate disruption is already underway and will further erode how we grow food and find water and avoid disease, let alone how we heat and cool our homes or travel to work or play. Our goal is to help each household know what their contribution toward that disruption is in terms of emissions. We then offer each family a tool they can customize to their lifestyle to plan to reduce their emission year over year with concrete, quantifiable metrics.”
Chandu Visweswariah, Vice President
Dr. Chandu Visweswariah was the Founding President and CEO of Utopus Insights from 2017 to 2021. Utopus Insights is a global renewable energy software company headquartered in Valhalla, NY. Prior to co-founding Utopus Insights, Chandu led a worldwide Smarter Energy and Environmental Science team at IBM Research. He was named an IBM Fellow, the highest technical honor conferred by IBM, in 2013 for his seminal work in semiconductor chip design automation.
Chandu holds a PhD in Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. He is an IEEE Fellow with a book, over 100 publications and 119 granted patents to his name. He has been a Croton resident since 1993 and was a co-founder of Croton100. He lives a low-carbon lifestyle in a zero-carbon house that he and his wife built in Croton.
In his own words: “Climate change is the compelling challenge of our lifetimes. For the sake of future generations, we must embrace personal responsibility and chart a measured course to net zero emissions. We can do this!”
Mary Florin-McBride, Treasurer
Mary Florin-McBride has an MBA in Finance from NYU Stern School of Management. Prior to her retirement, she had an extensive career in banking finance, having served almost 30 years in Crédit Lyonnais/Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank in New York and Paris. Most recently she was Interim Chief Credit Officer at the Primary Care Development Corp., a non-profit which finances and counsels health care clinics targeted at underserved communities, and was involved with the financing of the Hudson River Healthcare clinic in Peekskill.
She has served on the Finance Committee of Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church in Croton for ten years, was an early member of its Care for Creation Ministry and is a current member of its steering committee organizing the Sunday Sustainable Seminar Series. Mary has been a tenacious advocate to limit the perils of global warming.
In her own words: "I've been fortunate to have had environmental mentors from a young age, who brought home the twin messages of respect for the earth and responsibility for our actions. Today I've learned so much from the many speakers and members of Care for Creation, and am passionate about the need to move the climate game forward on all levels: self, home, community, nation and beyond."
Patty L. Buchanan, Secretary
Patty L. Buchanan is a trained Climate Reality Project Leader and member of the Executive Committee of the Climate Reality Project, Westchester Chapter. She was a founding member of Croton100. She is a retired lawyer, having provided legal services to low income clients for 5 years, followed by a 20-year career in the United States Department of Justice. Patty is a life-long member of the Croton community.
In her own words: “I joined the Croton100 Board because the mission to methodically cut carbon emissions through the use of the Carbon Tracker, with a 5% per year step-down approach is an inspiring way to achieve community goals. I also believe Croton100’s way of making necessary, rapid, and unprecedented changes will be successful through its ‘neighbors influencing neighbors’ approach.”
R. Eric Lewandowski, Director
Dr. R. Eric Lewandowski is a clinical psychologist in private practice. He is also Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health where he founded and continues to consult on a program for the treatment of adolescent depression and suicide risk and leads an effort to implement evidence-based treatment for depression within the NYU-affiliated public hospital system.
In addition to prior professional experience and training in epidemiology, mental health services research and global mental health, he has a burgeoning passion to support young people in the climate crisis, in perfect affinity and alignment with Croton100's mission. Eric serves as Croton100's Youth Action Coordinator.
