Tamara Toles O’Laughlin

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AFFILIATION: Climate Critical

TITLE: Founder

LOCATION: Washington D.C.

LANGUAGE: English

EXPERTISE AREA: Black/African-American Communities, Climate Change, DEIJ, Energy Policy, Environmental Health, Just Transition, Green Jobs/Economy

ABOUT THE EXPERT:

Tamara is an environmentalist focused on equity, access, and community. She develops skill building programs and creates multimedia campaigns to dismantle privilege and increase opportunities for vulnerable populations to access healthy air, clean energy, and a toxic free economy at the local, regional, and national level.

Tamara casts a wide net in service to the environmental community. Most recently she joined the Environmental Grantmakers Association (EGA) as its CEO and President. EGA represents over 200 foundations globally, holding approximately $200 billion in assets and giving more than $1.8 billion annually to environmental causes. She is the founder of Climate Critical. Earth, a visionary new organization supporting the next generation of climate leaders. Tamara drives mission critical work and organizational investments to build a multiracial, multi-generational climate movement that is ready to hold leaders accountable to the long view of justice. Previously, she served as the North America Director at 350.org and 350 Action as the leader of programming.

Tamara was the leader of the Maryland Environmental Health Network (MdEHN), based in Baltimore, Maryland. As its executive director she promoted the elimination of environmental threats to human health and facilitated the development of coalitions led by impacted community members and supported by health practitioners and environmental advocates.

As a state policy leader in Maryland, Tamara oversaw the cultivation of groundswell support for legislation to include health impact assessments as standard practice at the Public Service Commission and co-founded the Healthy Green Maryland Amendment Initiative to define healthy communities and provide multi-generational protections to defend against disproportionate climate impacts in the Maryland constitution. Tamara was also the chief architect of the Baltimore City Climate Resolution, which passed in the City Council unanimously in response to the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords.

Tamara is the former Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: Air and Climate Public Advisory Committee, where she advocated for meaningful engagement and responsive public resources. She is the outgoing Chair of the Board of Directors for Women’s Voices for the Earth, a mighty organization based in Missoula, Montana, where she supports science-based advocacy that gives voice to women fighting to protect their health from toxic chemicals. She is also co-chair of the Green Leadership Trust.

Tamara has nearly two decades of cross-sector environmental experience. Prior to moving to non-profit work, she held several positions in state and local government including the Maryland Energy Administration and District Department of Energy and Environment in Washington, DC, among others. Tamara had the honor of serving as the Senior Law Clerk to the Honorable Douglas A. Brady, and the Senior Sitting Judge Julio A. Brady (deceased) at the Superior Court of the US Virgin Islands on St. Croix.

Tamara developed an early aptitude for environment and justice issues through internships with the Advisory Council of Historic Preservation, The Environmental Protection Agency, the Center on Race, Poverty and Environment, Natural Resources Defense Council, and employment with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

Tamara is a long range thinker, committed to environmental advocacy in support of the poor and chronically under-served. Over her lifetime she has worked relentlessly to promote equity in environmental protection and enforcement, with particular attention to community capacity, mobilization, access to opportunity, and reduction of health disparities.

The defining characteristic of Tamara’s career to date has been a commitment to public service focused on solutions and problem solving with community. She is a lifelong learner, bridge builder, and thought leader.

CONTACT:

Contact Tamara Toles O’Laughlin HERE.