Our Staff

Y. Armando Nieto
Chief Executive Officer
Oakland, CA Office
510.444.3041 x318
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Y. Armando Nieto is a seasoned development professional with experience in membership development, annual giving, grant writing, and special events. He has been Associate Producer of the Kenny Loggins Christmas Unity Telethon since 1999. Prior to joining Redefining Progress, Armando served as Managing Director of the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment; and as Executive Director of Eagle Eye Institute, Earth Share of California, and the Environmental Defense Center. His professional affiliations include Hispanics in Philanthropy, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, North American Association for Environmental Education, and Golden State Environmental Education Consortium. He serves on the Advisory Boards of the Community Water Center, Just Communities, and Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy.

Sustainability Indicators

John Talberth
Director, Sustainability Indicators Program
Santa Fe, NM Office
505.986.1163
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John Talberth’s background is in environmental economics and planning. He served as Executive Director and Director of Conservation for Forest Conservation Council, coordinating programs designed to protect national forests, reduce urban sprawl, and promote sustainable economies in forest-dependent regions. Prior to that, Dr. Talberth worked as Economist and Research Director for Ecology and Law Institute, which provides expert support in the fields of conservation planning, environmental economics, and environmental law to social change organizations throughout the U.S. Dr. Talberth earned his Ph.D. in environmental and international economics from the University of New Mexico and his M.A. in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon.

Sustainable Economics

Andrew Hoerner
Director, Sustainable Economics Program
Oakland, CA Office
510.444.3041 x328
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J. Andrew Hoerner's work focuses on the use of tax and market-based instruments to better harmonize economic, environmental and social justice goals. He has been Director of Research at the Center for a Sustainable Economy, Director of Tax Policy at the Center for Global Change at the University of Maryland College Park, and editor of Natural Resources Tax Review. He has done research on environmental economics and policy on behalf of the governments of Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United States. Andrew received his B.A. in Economics from Cornell University and a J.D. from Case Western Reserve School of Law.

Devashree Saha
Research Associate, Sustainable Economics
Oakland, CA Office
510.444.3041 x339
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Devashree Saha's work involves analysis of the distributional effects of climate change and of climate and energy policy. Ms. Saha's background is in environmental policy and planning. She has research experience tracking local government adoption and implementation of sustainable development initiatives to identify factors conducive to creation and operation of sustainability efforts. Prior to joining Redefining Progress, she completed a Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of Texas and a Master's degree in Political Science from Purdue University.

Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative

Nia Robinson
Director, Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative
Washington, DC Office
510.444.3041 x315
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Nia Robinson, an inaugural Climate Justice Corps Fellow in 2003, brings to the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative (EJCC) her skill in, commitment to, and passion for organizing. Her transition from concerned citizen to the helm of EJCC demonstrates her commitment to EJCC’s core work. Before joining EJCC, she was an organizer and labor relations representative with Service Employees International Union and a program organizer with the Earth Tomorrow Program of the National Wildlife Federation.

Ellen Choy
Program Associate, Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative
Oakland, CA Office
510.444.3041 x337
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Ellen Choy has a background in environmental justice and policy as well as a strong passion for community involvement, stemming from her work as a high school tutor and an organizer within the hip hop and spoken word communities throughout the past five years. Prior to EJCC she worked with International Rivers Network as the organizer of the 2007 International Day of Action for Rivers. She is a recent graduate with honors of UC Berkeley's Conservation and Resource Studies program, and spent a semester studying environmental policy at the University of Costa Rica.

Kari Fulton
Campus Climate Justice Coordinator
Washington, DC Office
202.340.0976
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As a representative of Environmental Justice and Climate Change, Ms. Fulton works on mobilizing students of color to take a stance against environmental racism. She is a "Young People For" Senior Fellow and an alumna of Howard University, a leading Historically Black College and University. During high school and while attending Howard University, Ms. Fulton worked on improving educational standards as a student leader, AmeriCorp member and tutor in public schools.