Our Experts

Erwin Lee Acox Jr.

Managing Director, Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Erwin Lee Acox Jr. joined NRDC in March 2023 with more than a decade of experience in DEI leadership roles. Most recently, he served as director of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at Tides Network, where he led efforts to…

Zanagee Artis

Fossil Fuels Policy Advocate, Nature Program

Zanagee Artis is a founding member and executive director of Zero Hour and has worked in the youth climate movement advocating for the need to transition away from fossil fuels. He is outspoken about the climate crisis and was a…

Valerie Baron

Senior Attorney and Director, National Policy, People & Communities Program

Valerie Baron works to develop federal policies that make government work for everyone, protect and foster community health, and achieve racial equity. She has more than 15 years of experience in legal advocacy, politics, and policy. Prior to her role…

Sujatha Bergen

Director, Health Campaigns, Health and Food, People & Communities Program

Sujatha Bergen campaigns for changes in corporate and regulatory policies that protect public health—from eliminating toxic chemicals in everyday products to cutting subsidies to the fossil fuel industry to promoting climate healthy menus. Prior to working at NRDC, she was…

Dr. Marilee Shelton Davenport

Senior Director, Capacity and Collaboration, Science Office

Marilee Shelton Davenport focuses on growing NRDC’s scientific capacity by strengthening the organization’s connections with the external science community, while also supporting NRDC’s work at the intersection of climate and health. She brings two decades of experience working with scientists…

Kate Donovan

Senior Attorney, People & Communities Program

Kate Donovan works on a range of environmental and health issues, including working to get toxic chemicals out of consumer products, federal pesticides policy, and solving our solid waste and plastics crisis. Previously, Donovan served as the deputy director of…

Sasha Forbes, AICP

Director, Community Collaboration & Policy, People & Communities Program

Sasha Forbes works with local and national partners in the Strong Prosperous and Resilient Communities Challenge (SPARCC) initiative to accelerate community-led projects and policies that prioritizes racial equity, builds a culture of health, and responds to our climate crisis. She…

Meleah Geertsma

Director, Environmental Justice Policy; Environment, Equity & Justice Center

Meleah Geertsma works with communities of color and low-income communities to address environmental injustices, combining her background in public health with legal advocacy to support frontline partners. Her focus includes addressing the impacts of concentrated industrial sources and freight on…

Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins

Director, Policy & Partnerships, People & Communities Program

Stephanie Gidigbi Jenkins champions public policy solutions that promote economic, social, and environmental benefits for communities. She fosters strategic partnerships to advance federal campaigns, coalition efforts, social equity, and climate justice. She also coordinates NRDC's effort in advancing a federal…

Laura Goldberg

Midwest Director, Energy Equity and Affordability, People & Communities Program

Laura Goldberg oversees NRDC's Midwest strategy for energy equity and affordability. This includes increasing energy efficiency, clean energy, and equitable climate solutions in affordable housing and underserved communities across the region, especially in low-income communities and communities of color. She…

Ariana Gonzalez

Director, Equitable Policy, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Ariana Gonzalez provides guidance and support for nurturing more just, equitable, and inclusive processes, partnerships, and policies. She also acts as a liaison between her program and the newly created Environment, Equity, and Justice Center at NRDC. Prior to this…

Meghan Hassett

Midwest Campaign Manager, Center for Policy Advocacy

Meghan Hassett manages and coordinates Illinois and Midwest campaign efforts on behalf of NRDC and NRDC Action Fund, working with NRDC’s policy experts and advocates, as well as coalition partners, to build the political support needed to protect public health…

Tom Hucker

Manager, Eastern Campaigns, Center for Policy Advocacy

Tom Hucker brings decades of organizing and policy experience to his job as an advocate for safer chemicals, having worked as a community organizer, nonprofit entrepreneur, and a state and local policymaker. As a state legislator, Hucker sponsored successful legislation…

Sara Imperiale

Litigation Director and Senior Attorney, Environment, Equity & Justice Center

Sara E. Imperiale litigates and advocates in support of low-income communities of color and environmental justice coalitions across the country. In her current role, she builds litigation capacity and strategy for NRDC's Environment, Equity & Justice Center to advance community-led…

Jessica Jinn

Advocate, City Equity, People & Communities Program

Jessica Jinn supports NRDC advocates, core partners, community partners, and cities to equitably advance climate programs and goals. Prior to this role, Jinn worked in clean transportation policy and programs with the mayor's office of Los Angeles and the Center…

Avinash Kar

Senior Attorney and Senior Director, Health and Food, People & Communities Program

Prior to his current role, Avi Kar served as director of state health policy, working with NRDC teams and external coalitions to pass key legislation and advance policies to reduce exposures to toxics, with a focus on California, New York…

Adam Kent

Senior Advisor, Green Finance Center, People & Communities Program

Adam Kent works at the intersection of finance and climate, with a particular focus on the role housing and community development finance play in creating a more equitable and environmentally sustainable economy. Prior to NRDC, Kent was the deputy director…

Patrick King

Advocate, Southeast Mobility Choices, People & Communities Program

Patrick King leads NRDC's work to create and advocate for low-carbon, equitable transportation choices in the Southeast, focusing on partnerships and policy opportunities in North Carolina and Georgia. Prior to joining NRDC, King worked regionally as an electric transportation and clean energy…

Dr. Kim Knowlton

Senior Scientist, Science Office

Kim Knowlton focuses on the public health impacts of climate change and advocates for strategies to prepare for—and prevent—these impacts, especially in vulnerable communities. Her research into the links between climate change and health supports NRDC’s knowledge partnerships with a…

Heather Kryczka

Staff Attorney, Environment, Equity & Justice Center

Heather Kryczka advocates with and litigates on behalf of environmental justice communities, including those that are disproportionately impacted by pollution from the goods movement industry. Before joining NRDC, Kryczka litigated environmental citizen suit cases with Earthjustice and private public interest…