We are excited to present a conversation with local leaders in climate and equity this Earth Day. Join us for Seattle’s Innovation and Leadership in Climate Equity on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Town Hall Seattle. 

Doors will open at 6:30pm, and the event will begin at 7:30pm

The event will be moderated by Hannah Murphy Winter (they/them), journalist, author, and the Editor-in-Chief at The Stranger. Before that, they spent much of their career at Rolling Stone, where they wrote about queerness, the climate crisis, and the intersection between politics and the arts—usually not all at once.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to meet some of our partners! These grassroots organizations are addressing the many facets of climate change and equity in our region. They will have displays in the lobby to share information about their work and how attendees can get involved. 

Featured Speakers:

Joycelyn Chui (she/her) is a passionate environmental steward dedicated to waste reduction and circular economy solutions. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and English and holds a Masters in Public Health from the University of Washington. She specializes in implementing inclusive, community-driven sustainability programs across communities, policies, and environmental science. She founded the Restaurant 2 Garden project to help divert food waste from landfills through innovative, place-based solutions. 

Mickey Fearn (he/him) is a public servant and parks, recreation, and conservation professional for over 50 years, working with local, state, and national governments. Mickey is currently a Professor at North Carolina State University’s School of Natural Resources, focusing on diversity and equity in the field of parks and recreation. He served as the National Park Service’s Deputy Director (2008-2013) and worked under two Seattle mayors where he launched the City's Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Howard Frumkin, M.D. (he/him) is a physician-epidemiologist whose career has focused on health aspects of climate change, the built environment, nature contact, and sustainability, within the framework of Planetary Health. He has served as Senior Vice President of Trust for Public Land, as Dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health, as head of the “Our Planet, Our Health” initiative at the Wellcome Trust, and as Director of the CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health.

Ashley R. Townes (she/her) is a fish ecologist and environmental justice advocate with a global career spanning over 60 countries. She possesses a rich background in program design, environmental monitoring, and crosscultural communication. Ashley is pursuing a Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of Washington, while also working to restore salmon habitat in South Seattle. Her experience includes roles as an Environmental Program Manager in Ecuador and a Consultant for King County. She was also a Washington Sea Grant Fellow under NOAA collaborating with the Port of Seattle.