Executive Director, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health; Lecturer in Public Health (Environmental Health)
Biography
Jennifer Wang is a dedicated leader in climate change and health, with over 16 years of experience working at the intersection of research, policy, community engagement, and communication. As Executive Director of the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, she is responsible for overall leadership of the Center in collaboration with the Faculty Director; leadership and growth of the Center's public health practice and policy activities; and co-instruction of the Clinic in Climate Justice, Law, and Public Health. She seeks to nurture and leverage the talents of the Center's team -- and the broader YSPH/Yale community -- to elevate the Center’s impact in addressing one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century.
Jen came to Yale after seven years at Health Care Without Harm, an international nonprofit working to reduce health care’s environmental footprint. There, she was initially Global Coordinator (eventually Director) of the Healthy Energy Initiative, working with partners in India, China, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Europe to mobilize and train health professionals and health organizations to advocate for coal phase-out, clean air, and a healthy climate. Then, as Associate Director of the International Climate Program, she managed a dynamic team spanning six continents to scale climate-smart health care through mitigation, resilience, and policy advocacy.
Jen’s previous experience includes program development at interdisciplinary centers at the University of Connecticut and UC Berkeley; teaching assistantships in environmental justice and environmental health sciences at UC Berkeley; green building and sustainability consulting at the Delta Institute in Chicago; and nanomaterials research with environmental and health applications at Rice University and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Jen holds a Master of Science in Global Health and Environment from UC Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Rice University. She currently serves as Vice Chair in her second elected term on her local legislative body, where she champions policies to address climate change, affordable housing, public health, and community wellbeing.