Learn more about the individuals leading and contributing to the organization and implementation of ECCLPs.
Leadership Team & Staff
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Richard Arum is professor with a joint appointment in sociology and education, as well as a courtesy appointment in criminology, law and society at UC Irvine (UCI). At UCI, he is the director of the Next Generation Undergraduate Success Measurement Project and a faculty advisor for the Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Projects. He recently served as dean of the UCI School of Education; senior fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from 2013–2015; and director of the Education Research Program at the Social Science Research Council from 2006–2013, where he oversaw the development of the Research Alliance for New York City Schools, a research consortium designed to conduct ongoing evaluation of the New York City public schools. He is the author of Judging School Discipline: A Crisis of Moral Authority (Harvard University Press, 2013); coauthor of Aspiring Adults Adrift: Tentative Transitions of College Graduates (University of Chicago Press, 2014) and Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses (University of Chicago Press, 2011); as well as coeditor of Improving Quality in American Higher Education: Learning Outcomes and Assessment for the 21st Century (Jossey Bass, 2016), Improving Learning Environments: School Discipline and Student Achievement in Comparative Perspectives (Stanford University Press, 2012), and Stratification in Higher Education: A Comparative Study (Stanford University Press, 2007). He received a Masters of Education in Teaching and Curriculum from Harvard University, and a PhD in Sociology from the UC Berkeley.
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Asli Sezen-Barrie is the Stacey Nicholas Endowed Chair Professor of Environmental and Climate Change Education at UCI’s School of Education and serves as the faculty advisor for the ECCLPs. She formerly was the program director at the National Science Foundation (NSF) within the Division of Research on Learning, where she led the Discovery Research preK-12 program. At NSF, Dr. Sezen-Barrie focused on science teacher education and justice-oriented climate change education, representing her division in interagency and cross-directorate climate change initiatives, including the Wildland Fire Initiative. Recently, Dr. Sezen-Barrie was invited to serve as the Associate Editor for the Climate and Environmental Education section of the prestigious journal Science Education. Additionally, she is the Chief Editor of the forthcoming Handbook of Climate Change Research for Transdisciplinary Science Education (SpringerNature) and the lead author of Data Stories of Climate Change Impacts: Towards Justice-Oriented Education and Action (Harvard Education Press). She earned her Ph.D. in Science Education from Pennsylvania State University.
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Dr. Jennifer Cao is an advocate for advancing climate and environmental literacy. She has dedicated her educational career to fostering transformative change. She brings with her over a decade of experience in the educational field and has a diverse background in designing and facilitating teacher professional development programs centered in cultural relevance and equity for 21st century science teaching and learning. As the former Associate Director of the UCI Science Project, she enjoys developing partnerships with faculty, school districts, and community-based organizations to ensure that programs and initiatives are accessible and impactful. Through her leadership and dedication, she hopes to inspire educators and students to become change agents in building a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
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Andrea Tolentino is a third-year transfer student to UC Irvine, where she is pursuing a BA in Social Ecology. She has a diverse background in the arts and environmental studies, with a passion for merging creativity and sustainability. Currently, Andrea is a student program assistant for the Environmental and Climate Change Literacy Projects. In addition to her professional and academic journey, she enjoys exploring nature and visiting urban green spaces.
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Ben Chea is a Master of Public Policy student at the School of Social Ecology, specializing in higher education. As a former transfer student, he understands the challenges faced by community college students and focuses on policies and programs to support their academic success. Ben is also dedicated to promoting environmental literacy and climate change awareness among younger generations. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and rewatching La La Land.
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Jessica Sofian is a Master in Conservation and Restoration Science student in the department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) at UC Irvine. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and a Minor in Earth Science. Jessica is passionate about creating equitable opportunities for climate literacy and environmental education. With her strong research background, she aims to bridge the gap between scientific research and public knowledge. Outside of her academic and professional career, Jessica enjoys reading and visiting museums.
Executive Committee
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CHRISTINE WHITCRAFT
Professor, Biological Sciences and Director, Environmental Science and Policy, Cal State Long Beach
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CLAUDIA MARTINEZ
Executive Director, Educator Programs and the California Subject Matter Project, Department of Graduate, Undergraduate and Equity Affairs, University of California Office of the President
Steering Committee
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Alison Yoshimoto-Towery
Executive Director, UC–CSU California Collaborative for Neurodiversity and Learning
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Andrea Tolentino
ECCLPs Program Assistant and Steering Committee Support
Community-based Partner Committee
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Andrea Tolentino
ECCLPs Program Assistant and ECCLPs CBP Committee Support
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Beth Weinman
Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Fresno State
PK-12 Teaching & Learning Committee
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Amy Knight
Education Program Manager, Center of Global Justice, UC San Diego
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Brandon Louie
Director of Community Engagement, Center for Regional Change, UC Davis
PK-12 Teacher Workgroup
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Amber Medina
Los Angeles County School District
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Brittany Jefferson
CWC Los Angeles Charter Network
Research Committee
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Adina Paytan
Research Professor, Institute of Marine Sciences, UC Santa Cruz
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Alexandria Hansen
Assistant Professor of Biology, Fresno State
Program Consultants
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Strategic Partner and Research Consultant
Christina Kwauk is a social scientist and policy analyst with expertise on girls’ education, 21st century skills and youth empowerment, and the intersections of gender, education, and climate change.
Christina is co-editor of Curriculum and Learning for Climate Action: Toward an SDG 4.7 Roadmap for Systems Change and co-author of What Works in Girls’ Education: Evidence for the World’s Best Investment. She has published numerous policy papers, including “The new green learning agenda: Approaches to quality education for climate empowerment.”
Christina is an education consultant and research director at Unbounded Associates, and co-founder of Unbounded Alliance.
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Special Projects Consultant
Jothsna Harris (she/her) is the founder of Change Narrative LLC, a climate communication platform building capacity in the climate justice movement through the power of our stories. With a decade of experience, Jothsna has designed and implemented award-winning climate change programs rooted in community, centering personal stories and other values-based ways that resonate, coaching thousands of people to find compelling narratives to share at live events, on radio, and in print media.
Jothsna led the creative process and co-edited the 2020 book, Eyewitness: Minnesota Voices on Climate Change; is the Producer of the 2022 MN Fringe Festival ‘Venue Pick’ show Changing the Narrative: Climate Stories for Justice, and the recipient of the 2023 Creative Climate Communications Award from the Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership. Jothsna currently serves on The Great Northern Festival Board of Directors.
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Strategic Partner and Branding Consultant
Lorraine is a top-rated career and business virtual keynote speaker and leader at the intersection of editorial and tech with more than 300,000 followers on LinkedIn.
Lorraine has spoken to global audiences ranging from the Fortune 100 and tech firms to government organizations and top-ranked universities. She was also a finalist for "Global Conference Speaker of the Year" by WomenTech.
She brings 10+ years of experience from companies including Prezi, SlideShare, and LinkedIn, and is a 5x-LinkedIn Learning Instructor. Lorraine has been featured in publications including Inc., ReadWrite, and Entrepreneur, and is a guest on many podcasts.
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Strategic Partner and Research Consultant
Sarah H. Fuller is an education consultant specializing in inclusive education reform, climate change and the education sector, and evidence generation. Her work focuses on integrating well-being and empowerment into climate change and environmental education and enabling teachers to foster meaningful relationships with learners to improve learning outcomes. She is currently leading UNICEF’s work on addressing climate change in and through education in Nigeria, where she has been the lead author of the Framework for Environmental and Climate Literacy Education for Children and Youth and has supported a network of young people from across the country to develop a Youth Manifesto on Climate Change and Education.
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DEI Consultant
LILY ZHENG (they/them) is a no-nonsense Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategist, consultant, speaker and author who helps organizations and leaders achieve the DEI outcomes they aspire to. A dedicated practitioner and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer, 2021 DEI Influencer, and LinkedIn Top Voice on Racial Equity, Lily has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. Their bestselling books, DEI Deconstructed and Reconstructing DEI, describe cutting-edge, accountable, and effective practices that can enable any leader to create the diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations we all deserve.
Interns & Volunteers
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UCI Campus as a Living Lab Intern Fall ‘24-’25.
Crystal Nguyen is a third-year Environmental Science and Policy student at UC Irvine with a strong passion for environmental justice, sustainability, and ecological resilience. Dedicated to creating positive change, she currently works as a Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) intern with the ECCLPS initiative, where she applies her academic knowledge to real-world environmental projects. In her free time, Crystal enjoys participating in community events across Orange County and Los Angeles, diving into her favorite books, and connecting with friends.
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UCI Campus as a Living Lab Intern Fall '24-'25.
Maria is a third-year undergraduate studying Environmental Science & Policy at UC Irvine. She loves learning about the various ways people and the environment affect one another. She uses this knowledge to advocate for environmental justice and sustainability in the student organizations she participates in and beyond. She loves to draw and write in her journal in her free time. She is working as an intern for the CLL program.
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Former 2023-2024 UCI Campus as a Living Lab Intern
Dayna Tillett is a Junior studying Environmental Science and Policy (ENSP) with a minor in Criminology, Law, and Society. She hopes to combine her ENSP and Criminology interests to work in the legal field. In her free time, she enjoys crafting embroidery. She is working as a CLL intern for ECCLPs.
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Former 2024 Summer WLAC Intern
Pamela Castro is a Political Science graduate with California State University Northridge and studied French Language and Literature at the Sorbonne Universite in Paris, France. During my graduate studies, I received the Presidential Service Award from the White House for my community service. Recently, I translated the Wildfire Defense for Landscape Professionals Training Course in Spanish and documents related to climate change, clean energy and sustainability in Spanish as well. I actively engage in climate change action to empower individuals and communities to understand environmental challenges. In my free time, I am taking courses to be a clown and a joggler.
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Former 2023-2024 High School Student Volunteer
Kieran Beckham (he/him) is a 10th grade student at Yorba Linda High School. Kieran's commitment to making a difference extends to his efforts to combat climate injustice. He advocates for integrating climate literacy into schools in his district and aims to expand this initiative across California. His involvement in the California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program under Ms. Andra Yeghoian and pursuit of a Green Ribbon Award with Mr. George Garcia's guidance underscore his dedication to fostering environmental sustainability. Kieran's multifaceted journey is a reflection of his drive to excel and enact change. In addition to his passion for environmental activism he enjoys soccer, and Taekwondo. With 12 years of soccer experience, Kieran has played a pivotal role in leading his team to become the top-ranked in Southern California and winning two national championships. His dedication to Taekwondo is equally rooted, as he is on the path to earning his third-degree black belt and serves as an instructor, sharing his knowledge and skills with others aged 3 years to adults.
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Former 2024 Summer WLAC Intern
Ramin brings over 15 years of marketing experience where he has driven awareness and grown brands in multiple industries. Now, he is merging his marketing expertise with a passion for sustainability to promote ECCLPs' efforts in achieving a sustainable planet.
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Former 2023-2024 High School Student Volunteer
Sophie Deng is a junior at Orange Lutheran High School, where they challenge themselves with advanced science courses and nurture a deep passion for earth science and climate change. Their research has focused on predicting coastal cliff erosion from ocean waves using Fourier Neural Operators. In their free time, Sophie enjoys playing tennis and the cello. As a volunteer with ECCLPs, they are dedicated to promoting civic participation in environmental stewardship.
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Former 2023-2024 UCI Campus as a Living Lab Intern
Jordan is currently a second year undergraduate student studying Earth System Science and Urban Studies at UC Irvine. She is passionate about climate justice, education and sustainability. She spends her free time going on runs, learning new recipes and reading. She is working as a program intern for ECCLPs
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Former 2024 Summer WLAC Intern
Andrew Rodriguez is a 2nd-year student at West Los Angeles College who is planning to transfer with a major in Mathematics with a focus on education. He has a rich background in contributing to underrepresented communities and the performing arts and connecting both to the environmental movement. Andrew loves helping those in any aspect they need and making work a fun and positive experience.