As the Chief of Climate and Health for Newark Alliance, Kate leads city-wide workforce, supply chain, and housing strategies at the intersection of climate, the environment, and social determinants of health.

In this role, she participates in the development of an inclusive and sustainable green jobs ecosystem in Newark, leveraging the strength of Newark Alliance members, with a focus on interventions that meaningfully address social determinants of health. These include initiatives that improve housing quality and energy efficiency, create and maintain green infrastructure, and build out a multipronged equitable green workforce and local supply chain development strategy that harnesses the expertise of Newark Alliance anchor institutions and other key stakeholders.

A climate, housing and public health professional for two decades, Kate has worked to develop and implement policies that improve housing quality as a driver of better health, economic and social outcomes, support the growth of an inclusive and diverse green workforce, and create and support pathways to transformative climate action. Most recently, as the leader of Governor Phil Murphy’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy, Kate oversaw the development of policies to decarbonize buildings, transportation and energy generation, while increasing access to well-paid careers in the green economy, particularly in communities on the front lines of the climate crisis. Prior to her time at the Governor’s Office, Kate was Vice President of Client Services at the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, a national non-profit dedicated to addressing social determinants of health, opportunity and equity through safe, healthy and energy efficient housing. Kate earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from St. Joseph’s University, and a Master of Public Health from Drexel University, with a concentration in environmental and occupational health.