Our Board
Founder
Luke Childs is a student at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire, where he plays tennis, soccer, and squash, and serves on the Environmental Action Committee. Passionate about sustainability, he founded the Bedford Community Composting Initiative to promote eco-conscious living in his hometown of Bedford, New York. Outside the classroom, Luke enjoys ceramics and runs a small pottery business. He lives with his five dogs—Tori, Coco, Copper, Kumo (Little K), and River—and will spend his junior year studying abroad in Spain to deepen his global perspective.
Co-Founder
Blair Sontag joined BCCI in May 2025 during its earliest stages, bringing with her a long-standing passion for environmental stewardship. From a young age, Blair looked for ways to make a difference—in middle school, she collected bottle caps and box tops from grades 1–8, ultimately using the recycled materials to create a bench that she donated to her school, Rippowam Cisqua. Her dedication to sustainability continues to drive her work at BCCI. Outside of her environmental efforts, Blair enjoys horseback riding, theater, and watching movies.
Head of Community Outreach
Harry Mitchell is a rising junior at Deerfield Academy from Bedford, where he lives with his parents, his younger sister Poppy, and their two dogs, Wooly and Bear. Harry serves as the Head of Community Outreach for BCCI, where he helps attract more families to participate in our program. He previously attended Rippowam Cisqua School, where he was classmates with Luke, Lane, and Blair. In his free time, Harry enjoys skiing, golfing, and playing tennis. He joined the board in August 2025 and brings a thoughtful, energetic presence to the team.
Initiative Executive
Gracie Tenney serves as an advisor and executive to the Bedford Community Composting Initiative, offering a thoughtful social work lens to help shape the project's community-centered approach. She holds a B.A. in Art History with a minor in Public Health from the University of Miami and a Master’s in Social Work from Fordham University. Gracie is passionate about fostering animals and creating meaningful change at the local level. In her free time, she enjoys playing tennis and golf, spending time with family, and caring for the many animals she’s helped rehome.
Head of Social Media
Lane Childs joined the Bedford Community Composting Initiative board in July 2025 and brings strong communications experience to the team. A rising senior at The Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut, Lane is excited to lead BCCI’s social media presence and serve as an interim website editor and project coordinator when needed. With a background in public relations through a recent internship and leadership in athletic reporting and social media at Taft, Lane brings energy, creativity, and structure to BCCI’s outreach and digital presence.