Staff

Michael Green is the Founder and CEO of CEH. He has pioneered the groundbreaking legal work that has won landmark victories to protect the public from hazardous consumer products and toxic emissions. Michael has worked in Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management, and the U.S. EPA's Working Group on Environmental Equity. Michael designed a solid waste management plan for the Tibetan refugee community in Dharamsala, India, and cared for the sick at Mother Teresa's mission in Calcutta, India. He was awarded the California Wellness Foundation's annual Leadership Award, as well as the prestigious Compassion in Action Award which is presented jointly from the Dalai Lama Foundation and the Committee of 100 for Tibet each year. He has testified in front of Congress, serves on numerous boards of directors, and is frequently quoted in national and international media. His direct supervisors are Dylan Green (born in 2007) and Juliette Green (2008).

Before coming to CEH, Regina G. Jackson served as President and CEO of East Oakland Youth Development Center's (EOYDC), a national youth development model for over 25 years. Focused on character- based leadership, her platform of youth led initiatives have empowered thousands of young people to achieve lifelong academic and career success. A global thought leader for youth development, Ms. Jackson is often called upon as a subject matter expert to deliver workshops, presentations and papers, both domestically and internationally. At the behest of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Ms. Jackson recently led two delegations of student ambassadors to China in support of President Obama's "My Brother's Keeper" and "100,000 Strong" Initiatives. In 2017, she was invited by NFL Super Bowl Champion, Marshawn Lynch to bring a smaller delegation of youth to a service mission to Haiti. In 2019, she led a Southwest Airline sponsored mission to Mexico City. Since the beginning of her tenure, EOYDC's staff, Board of Directors, community leaders and clergy have described Ms. Jackson's leadership as "a stabilizing force for EOYDC's curriculum and a positive anchor for the challenges of the twenty-first century". Her successful strategies have tremendously benefited urban, multicultural and even international youth. Ms. Jackson has been featured on ABC-TV World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Essence and Parenting Magazines.

Lakeesha has over 10 years of experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including work at Sustainable Conservation, Back On Track, 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Trust for Conservation Innovation, and Senior Helpers of the East Bay. A San Francisco native, she is exhilarated to be part of an organization that advocates for healthy communities.

Emily DiFrisco has fifteen years of experience in communications for nonprofit organizations, including most recently at the global alliance Plastic Pollution Coalition and previously at Environmental Working Group (EWG). A passionate advocate for the health of people and the planet, she has led communications campaigns for state and federal legislation to protect our environment and has placed experts in The New York Times, FOX News, Al Jazeera, and NBC Nightly News, among others. She lives in Chicago, IL with her spouse and three children ages 9, 7, and 5.

Dr. Jimena Díaz Leiva is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist whose professional interests lie at the nexus of environmental and social justice. Jimena has more than seven years of professional experience in the field of environmental science and most recently spent five years researching mercury pollution associated with small-scale gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon as part of her dissertation research at UC Berkeley. As a native of Peru, Jimena is deeply committed to advancing equity and social justice for marginalized communities both at home and abroad. In her off time, Jimena makes pottery and stays active by playing tennis, biking, and hiking.

Tya Ward brings over 20 years’ non-profit experience—including 15+ years of resource development—to the role of Senior Director of Development for the Center for Environmental Health. Tya promotes client-centered and anti-racist fundraising practices and is strongly committed to social and environmental justice, especially at the intersections of gender, race, and poverty. Most recently, Tya served as YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley’s Chief Philanthropy Officer where she led a team to advance fundraising and communication priorities, raising $3.7M in private contributions in FY 20-21. Prior to this position, she was YWCA Silicon Valley’s Director of Grants, growing their portfolio from $1.2M to over $8M. Previously, she served as Development Director for Sequoia Parks Foundation (now known as Sequoia Parks Conservancy), increasing revenue through annual fund, acquisition campaigns, institutional giving, major gifts, events, and cause marketing. Tya’s experience also includes project management and development consulting for nonprofits, such as Girls International Forum, Point Reyes National Seashore Association, and Save the Redwoods League. Tya earned her undergraduate degree from The College of St. Scholastica and holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Washington. Born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota, she now resides in Petaluma, California, with her husband and two dogs. She finds joy in traveling, food, and spending time in nature (camping, hiking, and all things water-related).