Environment America names Lisa Frank new executive director

WASHINGTON — The nonprofit group Environment America late on Wednesday promoted Lisa Frank to the position of executive director. Frank, who has been the executive director of Environment America’s Washington Legislative Office since February 2021, will now represent the full national group and its 30 state groups. Frank will stay in Washington and retains the title of vice president and D.C. director of The Public Interest Network, Environment America’s parent organization.

“Lisa is a leader of a new generation of environmentalists,” said Douglas H. Phelps, the chairman of the Environment America board and president of The Public Interest Network. She’s the right person to steer Environment America’s work to create a cleaner, healthier and brighter future.”

Frank joined The Public Interest Network as an organizer in Florida before moving to the Environment America development team in 2017 and then to the position running the Washington, DC, office. During her tenure, she has been a driving force behind billions of dollars in investments in clean energy, water infrastructure and sustainable transportation. In addition, she has helped develop campaigns to protect America’s oceans, forests and public lands from drilling, logging and road-building.

“Lisa is a pragmatic idealist with exceptional judgment. She will work passionately for clean air, clean water, open spaces and renewable energy, but with a focus on achievable results,” Environment America President Wendy Wendlandt said.

“Let’s not kid ourselves. The dramatic global measures that are needed to solve climate change are not an easy lift, and we’re running out of time” said Frank. “ But there are incremental steps, especially at the local and state level, which are achievable.  Compromise and bipartisanship are going to be necessary to get short-term results.  And meanwhile, we’re working to raise awareness and change minds until we have an irresistible force to meet the immovable object that Washington, D.C., can often be.”

Frank is a 2013 graduate of Georgetown University. As an undergraduate, she earned magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors, as well as the university’s Government Department Award and American Government Award.