MINNEAPOLIS – Today, the Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy (CEED), an organization dedicated to providing tools and resources for communities and decision makers to create just and sustainable solutions for environmental and energy problems, announced the appointment of Dr. Kristi Pullen Fedinick as its new Executive Director. She will begin her new role on September 15, 2022. Dr. Pullen Fedinick currently serves as Chief Science Officer of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
“In these times of seemingly endless trial and tribulation, I am deeply grateful for the constant push for change arising from communities all across this country and world,” said Dr. Pullen Fedinick, “The challenges we face in the social, political, and environmental spheres are great, and I’m honored to join and support the work of environmental justice leaders from across the country. It is with a sincere and humble heart filled with love that I look forward to working with our environmental justice partners and CEED staff to intentionally listen to and support the efforts of communities to bend the arc of the world toward justice.”
Pullen Fedinick brings over 25 years of multidisciplinary research experience to her work. She has worked for nearly 15 years at the intersection of science and public policy to advance data-driven, health-protective, community-oriented solutions. Pullen Fedinick’s work has focused on effecting positive change at the local and national levels, where she has used scientific tools to advance protections for people and communities that are disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation. Under Pullen Fedinick’s role as NRDC’s inaugural Chief Science Officer, the Science Office has aimed to leverage its resources to protect public health, support a strong environmental movement, and advance social justice. Pullen Fedinick brings a deep commitment to environmental justice through her past work with partners on the frontlines of the climate crisis and pollution. Her passion and dedication to environmental justice will be indispensable to CEED’s continued impact.
Pullen Fedinick has authored multiple policy reports and comments, peer-reviewed articles, and served on numerous influential committees of the National Academies of Sciences and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), including a recent appointment to the EPA Science Advisory Board. Pullen Fedinick received her B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and her Ph.D. in molecular and cell biology with a concentration in structural biology and biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. She was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholar at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“The Board and staff of CEED are thrilled to welcome Kristi as our new Executive Director. We look forward to her helping the organization grow and deepen its role in the environmental justice (EJ) movement,” said Subramanya Sastry, Chair of CEED’s Board of Trustees. “CEED aspires to provide critical and needed research and technical support to EJ groups and partners. With her background, including her current role as the Chief Science Office at NRDC, her passion for EJ, and her work with EJ partners, Kristi is just the right person to lead CEED in the next stage of its evolution.”
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The Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy (CEED) is dedicated to ensuring that communities and policy makers have the tools and information they need to create just, sustainable energy and environmental policy. Working in collaboration with grassroots communities, policy makers and researchers, CEED conducts research and provides community education on important energy, environment, and development issues – so that all members of society may effectively participate in public decision-making.