Our Experts

Rabi Abonour

Transportation Strategist, Resilient Communities, People & Communities Program

As an active transportation advocate, Rabi Abonour believes that promoting walking, bicycling, and public transit is vital for creating cities that are healthy, equitable, and sustainable. Prior to joining NRDC, Abonour worked on the bike share and open streets programs…

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…

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…

Anupa Asokan

Senior Advocate, Oceans Division, Nature Program

Anupa Asokan is a dedicated ocean advocate working to protect California’s marine ecosystems. Before joining NRDC, she managed and implemented a global, public-facing campaign through the World Surf League calling for ocean protections. Prior to that, Asokan served as the…

Sandy Aylesworth

Director, Pacific Initiative, Oceans Division, Nature Program

Sandy Aylesworth advocates to combat illegal fishing and for responsible offshore wind development. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked at the U.S. Department of State and was a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow at NOAA's Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs…

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…

Giulia C.S. Good Stefani

Senior Attorney, Marine Mammals, Oceans Division, Nature Program

Giulia C.S. Good Stefani works to protect marine mammals, wild places, and communities from environmental injustices. Stefani has worked on a variety of cases and campaigns at NRDC, including the effort to secure greater protection for whales from the U.S…

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…

Alison Chase

Senior Policy Analyst, Oceans Division, Nature Program

Alison Chase helps craft and advocate for effective state and federal policies that will protect and restore ocean and coastal health. Prior to joining NRDC, she worked for a number of environmental organizations including the League of Conservation Voters and…

Sarah Chasis

Senior Strategist, Oceans Division, Nature Program

Sarah Chasis has been a longtime advocate for healthy coasts and oceans. She has protected sensitive areas from offshore oil drilling, protected the public from swimming in polluted waters, strengthened both domestic and international fisheries management, and promoted smarter ocean…

Chris Clark

RAY Diversity Marine Conservation Fellow, Nature Program

Chris Clark advocates for strong protections of marine habitat, marine conservation policy driven by community priorities and strong science, and sustainable and ethical fisheries management. Prior to joining NRDC, he worked on climate resilience and community outreach in the San…

Valerie Cleland

Oceans Advocate, Nature Program

Valerie Cleland advocates for policies that protect and restore our oceans. Prior to joining NRDC, Cleland was a NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation where she worked to develop, analyze…

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…

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…

Dr. Mark Gold

Director of Water Scarcity Solutions, People & Communities Program

Dr. Mark Gold focuses on building climate resilience through integrated water management solutions for the increasingly arid urban California and the West. From 2019–2022, Gold served as Governor Gavin Newsom's deputy secretary for Oceans and Coastal Policy and executive director…

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…

Irene Gutierrez

Senior Attorney, Nature Program

Irene Gutierrez protects our oceans by promoting sustainable fisheries, fighting illegal fishing practices, preventing dirty energy development, and supporting policies to curb climate change. Prior to joining the Oceans division, she was an attorney on NRDC’s Climate and Clean Energy…