Our Experts

Rabi Abonour

Transportation Strategist, Resilient Communities, People & Communities Program

Zak Accuardi

Senior Advocate, Transportation, People & Communities Program

Zak Accuardi works across the U.S. to advance equitable, low-carbon transportation policies and projects. Previously, he consulted on transportation policy and climate change mitigation with organizations including the World Bank and Project Drawdown. He also worked as a senior program…

John Bailey

Senior Advocate, Federal and State Transportation, People & Communities Program

John Bailey has over two decades of experience as an advocate for sustainable and equitable communities at the national, state, and local levels. Bailey works to ensure that transportation investments and policies benefit people of all ages, abilities, and incomes…

Max Baumhefner

Senior Attorney, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Max Baumhefner works to make our nation’s cars, trucks, and buses zero emission vehicles. He focuses on electrifying the transportation sector in a manner that also accelerates the transition to a smarter, more affordable electric grid powered by renewable resources…

Jordan Brinn

Clean Vehicles and Infrastructure Advocate, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Jordan Brinn focuses on transportation policy and analysis. She advocates for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicle transportation electrification regulations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution burdens, as well as policies that support a robust electric vehicle charging infrastructure network…

Britt Carmon

Senior Advocate, Federal Clean Vehicles and Fuels, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Britt Carmon focuses on reducing the environmental impact of the transportation sector by encouraging the government to adopt policies that advance clean fuels and the development of energy-efficient vehicles. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked for the White House, aiding…

Catherine Cox Blair

Director, SPARCC, Resilient Communities, People & Communities Program

Catherine Cox Blair provides communities with technical assistance and expertise regarding city-led innovation and the forging of private-public partnerships. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked at Reconnecting America, where she managed sustainable-development projects in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Denver, and Atlanta and…

Donna De Costanzo

Director, Eastern Region, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Donna De Costanzo advocates for the implementation of policies that increase energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment as well as promote sustainable communities and smart growth, with a primary focus on New York State and New York City. Prior to…

Amanda Eaken

Director, Transportation, People & Communities Program

Amanda Eaken is responsible for managing and overseeing a team driving ambitious climate action in 25 U.S. cities to create transportation choices like walking, biking, and public transit, and to accelerate vehicle electrification. In 2020, her team helped to advance…

Jacqueline Ennis

Policy Analyst, Science Office

Jacqueline Ennis leads NRDC's net zero modeling work, using data to analyze decarbonization policies at the federal and state levels. She works on policy efforts related to clean electricity, transportation electrification, and NRDC's advocacy in the Eastern states. Prior to…

Hilary Firestone

Senior Policy Advisor, City Energy Project, Resilient Communities, People & Communities Program

As a senior city policy expert for the City Energy Project, a collaboration between NRDC and the Institute for Market Transformation, Hilary Firestone works to advance policies and programs that cut energy waste in large buildings and make American cities…

Ericka Flores

Advocate, Clean Energy & Equity, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Ericka Flores provides technical and advocacy expertise for local and state-level equitable building decarbonization, building energy efficiency, and energy equity policies, programs, and initiatives. She works to develop and strengthen partnerships with diverse groups to collectively build a strong, inclusive…

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…

Eric A. Goldstein

Senior Attorney and Director, New York City Environment, People & Communities Program

More than three decades ago, Eric Goldstein helped create NRDC’s Urban program and spearheaded the nationwide public campaign to get lead out of gasoline. Since then, he has been one of New York’s leading environmental advocates on such issues as…

Ashok Gupta

Senior Energy Economist, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Ashok Gupta focuses on policies relating to global warming, energy efficiency, renewables, sustainable building design, smart growth, and transportation. During former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration, Gupta served as NRDC’s representative to the Mayor’s Sustainability Advisory Board and Energy…

Becky Hammer

Deputy Director, Federal Water Policy; Senior Attorney, Nature Program

Becky Hammer focuses on stormwater runoff, green infrastructure, low-impact development, water-pollution permitting issues, and climate change preparedness. Before joining NRDC in 2009, she interned at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hammer is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law…

Kathy Harris

Senior Advocate, Clean Vehicles and Fuels, Climate & Clean Energy Program

Kathy Harris leads NRDC's work on clean vehicle policies and programs that accelerate the transition to zero-emission passenger cars and trucks. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked for the state of Delaware as a planner, addressing a variety of statewide…

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…