Nationally-recognized endangered species policy expert has joined the US Environmental Protection Agency as a Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

Nationally-recognized endangered species policy expert, Ya Wei (Jake) Li, who has served as the Environmental Policy Innovation Center’s (EPIC) Director of Biodiversity since 2017 and helped found the organization, has joined the US Environmental Protection Agency as a Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “Jake Li is truly one of a kind,” said EPIC Executive Director, Dr. Timothy Male. “He has a set of skills that too rarely comes together in a leader in Washington DC - exceptional substantive expertise, creativity, tolerance of the risks associated with innovation and an ability to see other people’s point of view. This makes him extremely good at finding ways to move forward on issues that other people see as stuck.” Read more about the transition here.