BIOS
JESSICA THOMAS
Jessica Thomas (she/her) is the Managing Director of SciCAN. Jessica has been working towards justice-centered science and policy advocacy for over 10 years, principally at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Jessica has been learning from, strategizing, and challenging systems with many EJ leaders, communities, and organizations across the country who are shaping and using scientific and technical information to advance and win their campaigns, and with issue area experts who are committed to principled partnerships with EJ communities.
ELIZABETH FRIEDMAN
Dr. Elizabeth Friedman is currently the medical director of an environmental health program at an academic institution and children’s hospital. She is a co-PI of one of ten Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units in the nation, and she works with patients in a primary care clinic. With her academic time, Dr. Friedman partners with several community groups to develop community driven environmental health research and/or interventions to address environmental health exposures.
MS. MARGARET
Ms. Margaret is co-founder and co-director of the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, a non-profit that works with neighborhood organizations, physicians, researchers, and public officials to ensure West Oakland residents have a clean environment, safe neighborhoods, and access to economic opportunity. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized WOEIP for its work to improve local air quality. In 2007, Margaret was appointed to the Oakland Port Commission where she stridently promoted the interests of community health, workers health, and fiscal responsibility in Port operations. Ms. Gordon was the community representative on the California Goods Movement Action Plan task force, and is a 2010 National Purpose Prize winner.
BETO
Beto is a grassroots environmental justice organizer and executive director of Rise4EJ. Beto serves to raise community voices in the fight against environmental racism, and to overcome systemic exclusion of frontline communities from decision-making processes. His lived experience, growing up fenceline to a petrochemical facility, continues to drive his work at the intersection of climate, environmental justice, and public health.