A Message from HEFN's Steering Committee Co-Chairs

Amy Panek and Jalonne White-Newsome, HEFN's Steering Committee Co-Chairs
Inviting Your Thoughts on Upcoming Leadership Transition & Dynamic Next Chapter
HEFN co-chairs Amy Panek and Jalonne White-Newsome invite input and advice for a smooth transition as they share "with gratitude for her remarkably steady hand and presence through the years" that Kathy Sessions will step down as Executive Director in the summer of 2019.

2018 Year in Review

Kaleidoscope collage of faces
Looking Back and Leaping Forward for Environmental Health and Justice
With appreciation to all of its members, partners, and colleagues, here’s a snapshot of HEFN’s work in 2018.

Moving Past Petro

HEFN Funders Broaden Focus
Funders concerned about impacts of fracking now are collaborating to support the environmental health of communities in moving beyond the fossil fuel and petrochemical economy.
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Welcome

Image courtesy of the Justice Funders
Beyond Equity, Toward Liberation
March 7, 2019, Dana Kawaoka-Chen
Dana Kawaoka-Chen, executive director of the Justice Funders, encourages founders to adopt regenerative practices that realize a new vision of philanthropy that redistributes wealth...
Give.Thanks./ Unsplash Image by Simon Maage
Steering Ahead with Gratitude, Welcomes, and Thanks
February 11, 2019, Cindy Glass
HEFN bids a fond and deeply appreciative farewell to Steering Committee members Carolyn Fine Friedman and...
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Who We Are

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Jake Mogan
Steering Committee Member
Jake is a Program Associate within the Energy program at The 11th Hour Project, where he works to reduce the public health and ecological impacts of antiquated energy systems in the US. He holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College.
Ogonnaya Dotson Newman
Steering Committee Member
Ogonnaya Dotson Newman is a program officer in the Environment program at The JPB Foundation. JPB’s mission is to advance opportunity in the US through transformational initiatives that empower those living in poverty, enrich and sustain our environment, and enable pioneering medical research.
Kathy Sessions
HEFN Executive Director
Kathy Sessions is HEFN's Executive Director. In 1999 Kathy helped funders create HEFN, and she has worked to build HEFN and environmental health and justice philanthropy ever since.  She oversees HEFN’s programs and services, working closely with staff, funder leaders, and members.
Ellen Braff-Guajardo
Steering Committee Member
Ellen Braff-Guajardo, based in Fresno, California, is a Senior Program Officer with the Sierra Health Foundation.
Andrea Levinson
Program Assistant
Andrea Levinson joined HEFN as its Program Assistant in July of 2011. She manages HEFN’s membership program, updates and maintains the HEFN website, prepares E-newsletters, assists with meeting program development, schedules conference calls and meetings, provides research support, and performs...
Amy Panek
Steering Committee Member
Amy Panek serves as Senior Program Officer for the Park Foundation’s Environment Program, with its grant-making focused on ensuring drinking water in the United States is clean, affordable and accessible, and is protected and managed as a public good.  The Foundation supports organizations working...
Jalonne White-Newsome
Steering Committee Member
Jalonne White-Newsome is senior program officer at The Kresge Foundation, responsible for the Environment Program’s grant portfolio on sustainable water resources management in a changing climate. Jalonne also leads the foundation’s work addressing the intersection of climate change and public...
Andrea Bretting Photo
Andrea Bretting
Steering Committee Member
Andrea Bretting joined the Claneil Foundation in 2008, bringing with her many years of experience with local, national and international nonprofits. She began her career in Philadelphia as a community social worker. While liv

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