Joint Center Announces Green For All CEO Appointment to Climate Change Commission

WASHINGTON – The CEO of Green For All, a national organization focused on building an inclusive green economy, and a prominent Washington lawyer have joined the Commission to Engage African Americans on Climate Change, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies announced today.

The newest members of the Commission, which was established in 2008 by the Joint Center to help enhance African Americans’ awareness and understanding of climate change and to advance their perspectives in critical policy discussions, are Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Chief Executive Officer of Green For All, and Broderick D. Johnson, Esq., a partner in the Washington office of the international law firm Bryan Cave LLP.

Under Ms. Ellis-Lamkins’ leadership, Green For All has become one of the country's leading advocates for a clean-energy economy, and one of its most important voices on the intersection of economics and environment.

Mr. Johnson, the head of Bryan Cave’s Public Policy and Governmental Affairs Group and a member of the firm's Executive Committee, previously served in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs during the Clinton Administration. Johnson was also instrumental in working with the Joint Center to create the Commission at the outset.

They join 14 other members of the Commission, which is comprised of leading experts representing government, health, industry, civil rights, academia, labor, consumer protection and environmental protection.

"Over the past two years, this Commission has contributed to a greater understanding in the African American community of the far-reaching consequences that climate change will have on people of color, and particular in bringing their voices into the discussion during this critical time," said Ralph B. Everett, Joint Center President and CEO and co-chair of the Commission. “Our mission will be further advanced with the addition of these two distinguished public policy practitioners.

"We are delighted to have Mr. Johnson and Ms. Ellis-Lamkins join the Commission and help us further our efforts to build a broad coalition of strategic partners to ensure that communities of color are fully engaged in the climate change debate," said Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis, the Commission’s other co-chair.

In addition to building awareness and empowering key stakeholders and influencers with information on climate change and its projected impact on communities of color, the Commission’s focus includes efforts to support clean energy initiatives and particularly the “green” jobs and economic opportunities they can bring to those communities.

The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is one of the nation’s leading research and public policy institutions and the only one whose work focuses primarily on issues of particular concern to African Americans and other people of color. For more information about the Joint Center, please visit our Web site at http://www.jointcenter.org.