Stakeholder Advisory Board

The Stakeholder Advisory Board (SAB) has undergone major reorganization and expansion and now plays a more important role in advising Dr. Perzanowski and the Executive Committee about CEHJNM activities. The SAB meets quarterly, twice in-person and twice by phone/video conference, with interim communication via email and phone. They are also encouraged to attend the annual Center meeting. Joining our community partners—Ms. Shepard, Mr. Johnson and Mr. López—are the following new SAB members: Jared Fox, PhD, is an Environmental Science teacher at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS), a New York City public school dedicated to serving students from the Washington Heights neighborhood in Northern Manhattan. Dr. Fox partnered with WE ACT to offer Environmental Justice Leadership training to students at WHEELS. Andrea Mata is the Director of Health Initiatives in the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships. Ms. Mata oversees health programs at NYCHA that range from smoke-free housing programs to tenant-driven urban gardens and recycling initiatives. She was involved in our Hurricane Sandy project and has partnered in research with other academic institutions. Carolyn (Cari) Olson, MPH, is the Director of Data Analysis and Communications at the Bureau of Environmental Surveillance and Policy at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). She has more than 12 years of experience in applied public health research and data communications and is currently working on various projects related to climate change and health, the use of air monitors by citizens’ groups, and other relevant public health topics. Recently, Lisa Garcia joined the SAB. Lisa was a former U.S. EPA Administrator for Environmental Justice under the Obama administration and then served as the Vice President of Litigation for Health at EarthJustice, a nonprofit public interest environmental low organization from 2014-2019. In this role, she worked at the regional and national level to ensure widespread protections of communities from pollution, exposure to toxic chemicals and other environmental justice issues. Lisa just became the new program director for Grist’s solutions lab, Fix, a nonprofit media organization that publishes articles related to environmental and justice issues and potential solutions to these problems. Another new member of the SAB is Dr. Melissa Barber, a co-founding member of South Bronx Unite, a coalition of South Bronx residents that seeks to improve and protect the social, environmental and economic future of the South Bronx.