Leanne Spaulding
Restoration and Data Lead
Leanne Spaulding has over 12 years of experience in environmental policy, climate resilience, and adaptation. Most recently she was an IPA Fellow at the Department of Transportation, Office of the Secretary, where she worked on infrastructure resilience, conservation, and nature-based solutions. Prior to joining DOT, she was a Senior Policy Advisor at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ), formerly the Mayor’s Office of Resiliency. During her time there, she launched a micro-climate monitoring network, led evaluation research on climate adaptation interventions, and operationalized key Citywide emergency response and resilience initiatives. She has also researched inclusion of indigenous knowledge into forest and watershed conservation policy in Central America and served as a Community Development volunteer with the Peace Corps, in Southeast Asia.
Get to Know Me Further
From the first time I dug my toes into the freshly tilled soil of my grandmother’s garden and joined my grandfather in the fields of our family farm, I knew nature was a part of me and I was a part of nature. My commitment to the environment has traversed many diverse landscapes since - from indigenous ancestral forests in rural Guatemala to the dense urban streets of East Harlem and South Bronx in New York City. Working and learning alongside urban and rural communities that bear the greatest burden of climate risks has reshaped the way I approach environmental policy work. I look forward to applying these real-world lessons while helping advance EPIC’s goals.