Duane Ninneman is the Executive Director of CURE. He continues to serve as CURE’s Climate Program Director, the program area he has led since joining CURE in 2005. Duane concentrates on broadening and deepening the conversations needed to achieve meaningful and lasting results in watershed sustainability, including climate solutions and renewable energy adoption. He believes that real progress toward sustainability can only come from honest assessments and a genuine understanding of the complex dynamics that are affecting the environment. Duane is a recognized rural environmental leader and shares his understanding of rural history, culture, and the environment as a public speaker and network weaver.
Duane graduated from St. Olaf College with a BA in Sociology and Anthropology. Currently, he is the Chair of the Clean Energy Working Group and serves on the Steering Committee of RE-AMP. His life away from work is tied to his farm and family in Big Stone County, Minnesota.