In February, 2021, Ninya Loeppky joined HEFN as a Programs Consultant. Ninya has been leading and managing non-profit projects and grantmaking programs for the last eighteen years. Most recently she managed the Health & Environment and Regional Food Systems programs at The John Merck Fund. Before that, she worked as a non-profit consultant and project manager for grassroots groups focused on environmental justice, climate change, and youth development. Ninya’s graduate studies at Tufts University focused on understanding the divide between environmental justice and climate activism, and ways to overcome it. She was born in Albuquerque, and moved to the Boston area 15 years ago, where she lives with her husband, Xavi, and young son, Gael.

What Inspires Me Most About Environmental Health and Justice:

Focusing on the connections between justice, health, and environment allows us to think, strategize, and work holistically and to see our inherent connections to one another.

Why I Love My Job:

I love getting to know and work with the HEFN core team, our members, and movement partners! It’s also such a privilege to work directly on the most pressing issues we face: shifting power and resources to racial justice and re-creating our economy so it’s not entrenched in fossil fuels.

When I'm Not at Work You Might Find Me:

Building train tracks with my toddler, going to hippie dance parties and outdoor concerts, and spending as much time as I can with my family, friends, and community at large.

Contact Me When:

You want to connect with other funders / HEFN programs related to the fossil fuel supply chain (including toxics, petrochemicals, and plastics), especially if you’re interested in how funders can best support building frontline power against the chemical and fossil fuel industries and for Just Transition.