OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Melissa Miles

Working Group: EEC

Melissa Miles is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance. She has her M.A. in Anthropology from the New School for Social Research and has spent considerable time in Brazil which inspired her to make her home in the largely Portuguese speaking Ironbound neighborhood of Newark. After her then one-year old son was diagnosed with asthma in 2013, she discovered that air pollution was linked to many cases of childhood asthma in the city. Following this toxic trail she learned of the legacy of environmental injustice in the Ironbound which ultimately led her into activism. That activism was a precursor to her becoming a community-based organizer with the ICC. Her focus is on mitigating air pollution related to the transportation, energy and waste infrastructure concentrated in the City of Newark. In addition to engaging Ironbound residents in creating a more just community from the ground up, she works on issues related to Climate Justice, Energy Democracy and Just Transition in collaboration with local, national and international partner organizations. Melissa sits on the Environmental Justice Council to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as the Vice-Chair of the Air Committee. She is also part of the steering committee of the Coalition for Healthy Ports and is a Regional Representative for the Moving Forward Network. Melissa has served on the council since 2018.

William Casey

Working Groups: Land, EEC

William “Bill” Casey has 30 years of experience advocating for Training and Employment Opportunities in serving low-income communities and returning citizens (Reentry). He serves as First Vice President of NAACP – Metuchen, Edison, Piscataway Branch, State Board NAACP Criminal Justice Reform, and Executive Environmental Justice Committee Member.

Over the years of advocating, for equality, the focus became employment opportunities for underserved communities, through vocational skills trainings and community partnerships, which lead to consulting and collaborations with Lincoln Technical Institute, Industry Training Partnership Department, to establish vocational training programs with Federal Bureau of Prisons, in FT. Dix FCI NJ., and Danbury FCI CT., also addressing Reentry and Employment opportunities for returning citizens.

The environmental issues of today have become a top priority for me, and the communities’ which are deemed to be underserved, which has led to consulting with clean energy advocates in NJ., on what workforce development training programs can be for low/underserved communities, and how it would benefit the residents, by having entry level trainings, that leads to apprenticeships, and long-term career opportunities.

Rachel Dawn Davis

Rachel Dawn Davis joined Waterspirit as Public Policy & Justice Organizer in 2020. She holds a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management from The New School for Public Engagement and a BA in Economics from Rutgers University. Since 2005, Rachel has built interdisciplinary coalitions around preventative policies, playing a key role in advancing environmental protection in New Jersey and safeguarding water quality across the Delaware River Watershed. She received and inspired awards for her innovative student leadership from Rutgers University and The New School University and is also a Rutgers University Cooperative Extension Certified Green Infrastructure Champion. Rachel Dawn is deeply committed to energizing intergenerational action through legislative advocacy, spreading her passionate message to all who will listen. She is a certified Good Grief Network Facilitator and serves as Chairperson of the premiere Water Advocacy Committee for the Lead Free New Jersey initiative. She has been speaking about the climate crisis since 2005, emphasizing civic engagement, community planning, and the power of preventative policies. Rachel Dawn also volunteers locally with veterans, connecting peace-building with the prevention of war and promoting cognitive health. Outside of work, she finds rejuvenation spending time by water with her family and friends.

Dr. Amy Tuininga

Working Groups: Air (Vice-Chairwoman), Land, EEC

Amy Tuininga, PhD, is the Director of Montclair State University’s PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies (PSEG ISS). She grows partnerships among faculty, students, administrators, government agencies, private corporations, and community groups to solve sustainability problems. Projects involve aspects of the environment, energy, water, food, natural resources, and economies that collectively function to build sustainable communities. She is developing the PSEG ISS as a source for innovation in sustainability and environmental management, a model of academic-corporate-community partnerships that advance sustainability science and build resilient communities that utilize informed, data-driven decision making. Dr. Tuininga joined EJAC in July 2018.

Dr. Galia Shokry

Working Groups: Water, Land

Galia Shokry, PhD, is a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at Kean University in the Department of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences. Her work unpacks the paradoxical issue of green and climate gentrification resulting from financialized environmental or climate investments in overburdened urban communities across the United States and Europe. Dr. Shokry’s studies show how this process exacerbates residents’ vulnerability through their displacement to less green and more climate-exposed neighborhoods and underscores the need to protect vulnerable communities from displacement before and throughout climate adaptation initiatives. Her work also strives to understand the socio-cultural impacts of (non-)participatory environmental and climate resilience planning on the capacities of socially vulnerable residents to adapt to climate change risks and impacts. This research has contributed to developing an environmental equity and anti-displacement policy toolkit and other health, educational and practitioner-oriented publications. Formerly a non-profit director, she designed programs for inclusive, place- and inquiry-based education and teacher training. Complementing her New Jersey roots and environmental justice research in the United States, she also contributes an international perspective on environmental issues through a decade of living and working in Europe and as a founding member of the Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability.

Krishna Garlic

Working Group: Water

Krishna Garlic is a life-long member of the Elizabeth, New Jersey community. After leaving New Jersey for the purpose of pursuing a Baccalaureate Degree from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Roger Williams School of Law, she returned to her hometown in Elizabeth to become the Chief Executive Officer of a nonprofit housing development corporation. From 2001 to 2012 she and the committed Staff continued a legacy begun by her father Reverend Joseph H. Garlic, building affordable for sale homes and rental housing for those in need. She successfully shifted the model from a “grassroots approach” of urban development to a business model with four distinct lines of business; real estate development, property and asset management, community education and organizing and youth services.

Ms. Garlic currently serves at the pleasure of Mayor J. Christian Bollwage as one of his seven appointed Directors for the City of Elizabeth. As Director of Health and Human Services since 2012 she has maintained and developed numerous public health initiatives throughout the city. She is responsible for the management of Public Health Education, Reentry Services, Vital Statistics, Restaurant Inspections, Housing Inspections, Animal Control services, Youth development programs, Office on Aging programs, Rental, Prescription, and Burial Assistance, Emergency sheltering coordination, and public health nursing.

Ms. Garlic is Chief Collaborator of a women’s empowerment business called Collaboration Over Competition. She and her business partner host professional development workshops, provide personal and professional coaching, and assist women in obtaining the resources needed to reach their goals.

Jeffrey Perlman

Working Groups: Air (Chairman), Land

Jeffery Perlman currently serves as the Senior Director of Planning at the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. He is responsible for overseeing and integrating metropolitan transportation planning initiatives for the North Jersey region. Previously, Jeffrey has worked as a planning consultant for a number of New Jersey municipalities, where he conducted a variety of planning studies including master plans, redevelopment studies, and affordable housing plans. Jeffrey holds a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from Rutgers University, and a Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Jeffrey is a licensed planner in the State of New Jersey and certified with the American Institute of Certified Planners at the American Planning Association.

Jessica Freer

Jessica Freer currently serves as the Assistant Health Officer for the Morris County Division of Public Health. In this role, she provides leadership and oversight for local public health operations, components of the County Environmental Health Act (CEHA), and the Childhood Lead Program. Her responsibilities include ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and advancing public health initiatives throughout the county. Jessica holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Occupational and Environmental Health from Tulane University. Her graduate research focused on PFAS contamination in local waterways and its impact on community health, which sparked her commitment to environmental advocacy and regulatory reform.

She serves as Co-Chair of the Environmental Workgroup for the New Jersey Association of County and City Health Officials (NJACCHO), where she contributes to policy development, legislative review, and regulatory analysis. Additionally, she is an active member, serving as the Co-Chair from 2024-2025, of the Environmental Workgroup of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), collaborating with representatives from the CDC, FDA, and health departments across the nation.

Dr. Robert Laumbach

Working Groups: Air, Water

Robert Laumbach MD, MPH, CIH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Rutgers School of Public Health. Rob has a major research focus in cumulative impacts of multiple chemical and nonchemical stressors on health, particularly on mechanisms by which air pollution interacts with other stressors in Environmental Justice communities in New Jersey. He is currently collaborating with the Ironbound Community Corporation on an EPA-funded project to measure the effects of diesel exhaust air pollution and chronic stress on asthma exacerbation among children living in communities adjacent to the Port of Newark/Elizabeth. He directs community outreach and engagement for the NIEHS Center for Environmental Exposure and Disease (CEED), at the Environmental and Exposure and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), and maintains a clinical practice at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. A former Sanitarian, Industrial Hygienist, and member of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection Science Advisory Board, Rob strives to apply the best available scientific evidence and approaches to solving real-world environmental health problems in New Jersey.

Tenisha Malcolm-Wint

Tenisha Malcolm-Wint serves as the Director of the Girls Leadership Center in Newark for the Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey, where she leads community engagement, program development, and strategic partnerships that uplift girls’ leadership and access to opportunity. Tenisha is also the Founder and Executive Director of Outdoors On Purpose (OOP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to dismantling systemic racism in New Jersey’s natural and built environments. OOP creates pathways for Black and Brown communities to connect with the outdoors, advocates for equitable access to green spaces, addresses food insecurity through urban agriculture, and fosters youth exposure to careers in the green sector.

Tenisha served as Director of the Urban Mayors Policy Center at the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University. In this role, she played a pivotal role in supporting 30 member mayors of the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association as they tackled complex municipal challenges—from infrastructure and workforce development to environmental justice and housing equity. Her broader nonprofit experience includes leading large-scale programs, driving fundraising initiatives, and facilitating strategic planning for national and community-based organizations. She continues to serve on the boards of New Jersey Future, Urban Agriculture Cooperative, Boys & Girls Club of Union County, National Association of Double Dutch Organizations, and the New Jersey School of Conservation. Tenisha holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Kean University, a Bachelor of Arts from Bloomfield College, and a Professional Certificate in Creative Placemaking from the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Andrew Kricun

Working Groups: Water (Chairman), Air

Andrew “Andy” Kricun has 35 years of wastewater management experience. He served as the Executive Director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority. He graduated from Princeton with a degree in chemical engineering. He serves as the chair of the national association of clean water agency’s environmental justice committee and he has served on the NJ Environmental Justice Advisory Council since 2016.

Kevin Barfield

Kevin Barfield is a native of Camden N.J and for 20 years has been advocating for Parental Rights, Social and Environmental Justice. He has served on several district parent advisory councils, past president of Camden County NAACP and is currently Executive Director of Camden for Clear. These experiences have provided a better understanding of the impact systems and policies have on underserved communities. This has led to him being passionate and steadfast in enforcing policy and regulations on all levels of government. The disinvestments in the infrastructure in urban cities like Camden is why he’s involved with groups like Clean Water Action NJ Board which he’s a current board member. Kevin continues to support groups and organizations that drive and advocate for amendments to policies and new legislation that improve the quality of life for fenceline communities. Commitment to serving and improving the environment for all NJ residents and changing the conditions that contribute to the health disparities is paramount.

Jackie Park Albaum

Working Group: Land (Chairwoman)

Jackie Park Albaum is the Deputy Executive Director at Groundwork Elizabeth, where she leads impactful initiatives that promote environmental justice, sustainability, and community well-being. She directs Come Grow With Us!, the organization’s comprehensive urban agriculture initiative, which includes the Elizabeth MicroFarm, multiple community gardens, and the Union County Plant a Seed Community and School Gardening grant programs. Jackie’s work bridges environmental education and public engagement, connecting residents—especially youth and seniors—to hands-on learning and healthier, greener communities.

She also spearheads Groundwork’s environmental monitoring and advocacy programs. Her leadership has resulted in expanded air quality initiatives, including community-based sensor networks and the development of a public dashboard that helps residents understand local air conditions. Through the Smart Kids, Cool Seniors program, she engages youth and older adults in data-driven walks to identify safe, clean-air walking routes.

Jackie co-leads Climate Safe Elizabeth, convenes the Climate Safe Task Force, and launched HACE HEAT, a program that provides youth in public housing with opportunities in environmental education, outdoor exploration, and employment. She also chairs the Land Working Group on the New Jersey Environmental Justice Advisory Council. With a background in sustainability, design, and nonprofit leadership, Jackie is a passionate advocate for equity—and a proud mother of three.

Timi Lindsay

Working Group: Land (Chairwoman)

Captain Timika “Timi” Lindsay retired from the Navy in 2021 after 30 years of honorable service to the United States Navy.  Her expertise ranges from information technology, cybersecurity and satellite communications to talent acquisition, strategic development, crisis, risk, and organizational management.  In her last four years of military service, she served as Chief Diversity Officer at the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA). Timi is the owner of Anchor Leadership Solutions, a professional consulting business with core expertise in strategic planning, facilitation, and leadership coaching programs nationwide.  She recently created a non-profit business named Pegasus Rising designed to support community revitalization, economic development, and environmental justice. Timi has extensively worked on understanding clean energy programs such as Offshore Wind and its potential positive impact on the region.  She aims to bring about meaningful change and uplift the lives of residents in the Paulsboro and Salem areas.

Tiarra Lee

Tiarra Lee is the current Deputy Director for the South Ward Environmental Alliance. She assists the Executive Director in driving SWEA’s mission and strategic direction and leads efforts to ensure SWEA’s programs align with the organization’s environmental justice goals. She ensures that programs empower and engage residents in the South Ward, focusing on issues such as air quality, waste management, climate change, and health impacts. She also develops and maintains partnerships that support collaborative initiatives, research, and advocacy efforts focused on environmental justice in Newark. Aside from this, Tiarra has over eight years of experience working in the education field supervising over 50 staff members to ensure students achieve academically and develop strong social and emotional skills. Her experience in education transitioned into her current role with project development and strategic planning skillsets. Tiarra holds a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences from Rutgers University and is a certified Master Mentor Teacher.

X Braithwaite

X Braithwaite is a Newark-native, the Environmental Justice Organizer for Clean Water Action in New Jersey and the Co-Chair of the Newark Branch NAACP Environmental Justice Committee. X’s journey in activism began with the Newark Students’ Union, where they played a crucial role in education reform victories. Their commitment to social justice was further strengthened through the Bonner Scholar Program and their pursuit of a Bachelors of Science in Community and Justice Studies at Guilford College. At Guilford, X engaged in grassroots organizing, contributed to community-driven research, and facilitated courses on understanding oppressive systems and transformative justice. These experiences solidified their dedication to community empowerment and systemic change. X now works to ensure equitable access to clean air, water, and green spaces, advocating for environmental justice in Newark and beyond, striving to create a more just and sustainable world.

Terrance L. Bankston

Working Groups: Air, Water

Terrance, a New Jersey native, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Bloomfield College and a Master’s Degree in Administrative Sciences from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Terrance was recognized in 2008 by Ebony magazine as one of the top USA 30 leaders under 30.

Presently, Terrance is the Senior Ports and Freight Campaigner at Friends of the Earth’s (FOE)’s Oceans and Vessels Program, directing organizing, coordination, and advocacy efforts in the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Northwest regions to reduce air pollution from port and freight activity. Terrance in June of 2023, was appointed to the Environmental Justice Advisory Council (EJAC) for New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). As a member of EJAC, Terrance represents Parents Engaging Parents (PEPNJ), a statewide parent advocacy non-profit with a focus on social and environmental justice.

Terrance has also worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Clean Water Action in New Jersey. In 2021 and 2022, Terrance co-led an Environmental Justice campaign, defeating Amazon and the NY/NJ Port Authority. Since January 2023, Terrance has served as the New Jersey Environmental Justice representative on the New York – New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (NYNJHEP) Management Committee. NYNJHEP is powered by the Hudson River Foundation and provides a forum for public and private stakeholders to reach agreements that will benefit communities in regard to shared priorities. These shared priorities seek to improve the health of the Estuary and Environmental Justice communities while enabling all people to realize the benefits.

Terrance has had success with working with both internal and external partners, creating new innovative programming for the local community, staff, faculty, alumni, and transitional programs for students (both new to high school and college). Most recently, Terrance was contracted by the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) as 1 of 7 outreach coordinators selected by Beverly L Wright, Ph.D to assist local Environmental Justice (EJ) groups with successfully designing local EJ projects and successfully applying for federal funding opportunities. As an Outreach Coordinator for DSCEJ, Terrance discusses and promotes the Justice 40 Act and engages in a project designed to build a grassroots infrastructure that will support community-based organizations (CBOs) and Environmental Justice groups to 1) advocate for thoughtful, transparent, and sustained stakeholder engagement; 2) the identification and dismantling of bias and systemic racism embedded in programs; and 3) the use of federal investment to reduce pollution in environmental justice communities.

Terrance is pleased to share both his personal and professional experience and interest in helping to create new and maximize existing partnerships, to best assess and respond to issues that impact the Estuary, EJ Communities, other non-port communities, and its people.