FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2024

NEW YORK – Today, during New York’s annual Climate Week, America Is All In announced that Dr. Robert D. Bullard, Truckee Meadows Community College President Dr. Karin Hilgersom, Mayor Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, SC, and Bennett College President Suzanne Elise Walsh, JD will join the coalition as members of its Leaders Circle. The Leaders Circle is made up of individuals across the private and public sectors who are committed to bold climate action. In this role, they will serve as ambassadors of America Is All In, shining a spotlight on the bold climate action taking place in their communities.

“The Bullard Center and America Is All In have been partnering for years to center environmental justice in climate action, especially by supporting communities that can leverage federal investments to bring relief and resilience to those disproportionately affected by climate-fueled extreme weather events. I’m thrilled to be deepening our partnership by joining their Leaders Circle to continue pushing for bottom-up climate action that centers our most vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Robert Bullard.

“A full response to climate change means jobs, and a lot of them. At Truckee Meadows Community College, we’re preparing our students for the clean energy workforce they’ll soon be a part of,” said TMCC President Dr. Karin Hilgersom. “I am thrilled to bring this passion and commitment to America Is All In, and look forward to sharing how we can keep climate momentum going on campus and in our community.”

“In Columbia, we’re seeing how investments in clean energy projects can protect our communities, reduce heat in our City, and make energy more affordable for families,” said Mayor Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, South Carolina. “I’m honored to be a part of the America Is All In Leaders Circle and bring attention to the way city leaders, regardless of party, are stepping up on sustainability.”

“The climate crisis is here, and its impacts are disproportionately affecting women, specifically women of color. That hits close to home for us at Bennett College. That’s why we’re taking on climate action throughout the College  – from student-led organizations committed to environmental justice to classwork and experiential activities where students learn about sustainability practices to campus facilities where, system by system, we are preparing for a clean energy future. America Is All In understands that higher education is an important player in the fight against climate change, and I am thrilled to be coming on board,” said Bennett College President Suzanne Elise Walsh, JD.

The Leaders Circle is currently made up of:

• Ali Santore, Senior Vice President of Government and Social Responsibility, Providence Health
• Barry Parkin, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer, Mars Incorporated
• Bonnie Styles, Executive Director, Association of Science Museum Directors
• Errick Simmons, Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi
• Fawn Sharp, former President, Quinault Indian Nation
• Jeannie Renne-Malone, Vice President, Global Sustainability, VF
• Lauren McLean, Mayor of Boise, Idaho
• Marc Andrus, Bishop of the Episcopal Church 
• Patrick Hamilton, Manager of Sustainability Initiatives, Science Museum of Minnesota
• Ruth Ivory-Moore, Policy and Advocacy Manager for the Americas, Global CCS Institute
• Shelly L. Schlenker, Executive Vice President Chief Advocacy Officer, CommonSpirit Health
• Wawa Gatheru, Founder and Executive Director, Black Girl Environmentalist

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About America Is All In
America Is All In is the most expansive coalition of leaders ever assembled in support of climate action in the United States. Mobilizing thousands of U.S. cities, states, tribal nations, businesses, schools, and faith, health, and cultural institutions, the coalition is focused on pushing and partnering with the federal government to develop an ambitious, all-in national climate strategy that meets the urgency of the climate crisis; scaling climate action around the country to accelerate the transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy; and promoting the leadership of non-federal actors on the world stage.

Led by the U.N. Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Apple Vice President of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson, and former White House National Climate Advisor and and 13th U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, America Is All In, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, is driving a nationwide movement to cut U.S. emissions in half or more by 2030 from 2005 levels and reach net zero emissions by 2050, while guarding against the impacts of climate disruption.

Alongside whole-of-government action on climate, America Is All In champions a whole-of-society mobilization to deliver the transformational change that science demands, with the goal of a healthy, prosperous, equitable, and sustainable future. To learn more or get involved, visit www.americaisallin.com and follow us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Avery Cullinan
America Is All In
[email protected]