Tamara Toles O’Laughllin

Tamara Toles O’Laughlin is an internationally recognized environmental advocate and climate strategist focused on people and planet. Her niche in environmental work is developing high impact programs and multimedia campaigns to dismantle privilege and increase opportunities for vulnerable populations to access healthy air, clean energy, and a toxic free economy at the local, regional and national level.

Tamara casts a wide net in service to community. Among her activities, she is founder of ClimateCritical.Earth, a visionary new organization that is supporting the next generation of climate leadership. She is an Advisory Board Member at Climate Refugees, and Senior Advisor of the Green Leadership Trust, which builds a more powerful environmental movement by expanding the leadership of Black, Indigenous and people of color serving on US environmental nonprofit boards. She is a member of the WorldEconomic Forum, Global Future Councils group. She is a two term Chair of theMetropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Air and Climate Public AdvisoryCommittee. Tamara recently concluded a six year term as the chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Women’s Voices for the Earth which disrupts industry standards by forcing ingredient disclosure and the elimination of toxic chemicals from personal care products.

In June 2021, Tamara was appointed President and CEO of the Environmental Grantmakers Association. Previously, Tamara served as the North America Director at350.org and 350 Action, where she drove regional strategy in the United States andCanada. As the leader of 350’s programming she led mission critical work and organizational investments to build a multiracial, multi-generational climate movement capable of holding leaders accountable to science and justice. Prior to joining 350.org.Tamara was executive director of the Maryland Environmental Health Network inBaltimore, Maryland, where she championed its mission to promote the elimination of environmental threats to human health.

Tamara is a thought leader working across sectors to support inclusive climate change action. She serves on the Advisory Board of Climate Power 2020, and is a member ofPolitico’s sustainability forum, The Long Game, where she provides insight on issues of climate change and social responsibility.

She graduated from the Vermont Law School in 2009, with a Juris Doctor and Master ofEnvironmental Law and Policy with a concentration in energy generation and carbon constraint.

Tamara has worked for two decades to embed the principles of environmental justice into environmental work, with attention to community capacity building, mobilization, equity in enforcement, and environmental health.

Over the course of her career she has held full time, fellowship and intern positions with distinguished organizations including the District Department of Energy andEnvironment in Washington DC, the Maryland Energy Administration Advisory Council of Historic Preservation, The Environmental Protection Agency, the Center on Race, Poverty and Environment, Natural Resources Defense Council, and the New York CityDepartment of Environmental Protection, among others.

IG/Twitter: @tamaraity www.tolesolaughlin.com

Sub-specialtes:
Environmental Justice
Energy (Oil & Gas)
Climate Activism
Climate Advocacy for communities of color
Climate & Health