Sarah Vogel

About Sarah Vogel

Sarah is the Senior Vice President, Healthy Communities at EDF. She leads a global team of scientists, attorneys, and policy experts to protect health by reducing exposure to toxic chemicals and air pollution and to advance more equitable environmental health policies in the face of a changing climate and energy transition. Major achievements of the program under her leadership include: bipartisan passage of major reforms to the nation’s chemical safety law in 2016; first of their kind safer chemical commitments by Walmart to reduce its chemical footprint in 2013 and 2017; and innovative air quality monitoring and health impact assessment as demonstrated in projects in Oakland, California, Houston, Texas, and London, UK. She also co-leads the Clean Air Catalyst with World Resources Institute, a USAID funded initiative working in three cities in India, Indonesia, and Kenya, that builds capacity and community engagement to identify and implement clean air solutions. The current portfolio of strategic initiatives that Vogel oversees includes: advancing safer chemicals, transforming the petrochemical sector, climate and health, and global clean air. Prior to joining EDF in 2012, she served as the program officer for Environmental Health at the Johnson Family. She holds a PhD from Columbia University, a Master of Public Health and Master of Environmental Policy from Yale University and a BA from the University of Virginia.

Experience

1. Senior Vice President, Healthy Communities

   Environmental Defense Fund

   Jan 2020 — Present

   Responsible for strategic vision and delivery of impact through initiatives centered on clean air, safer chemicals and climate and health, a $12M portfolio of projects. Direct teams of scientists, attorneys and policy experts focused on reducing exposures to hazardous chemicals and air pollution, particularly among marginalized and vulnerable populations, and supporting healthier lives and communities in the face of climate change. Recent major accomplishments: Secured major new rules to restrict hazardous chemicals including toxic air emissions from chemical facilities and federal chemical bans; secured strong rule to restrict lead in drinking water and helped secure $15B for lead-pipe removal in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Major leadership roles: Co-founded and co-lead with World Resources Institute the Clean Air Catalyst, a $15-20M USAID global cooperative agreement, working in three cities (Indore, India; Jakarta, Indonesia and Nairobi, Kenya) to accelerate solutions to clean air. Director of the Community Engagement Core of the Research and Engagement for Action on Climate and Health (REACH) Center at George Washington University; and as EDF lead on Community Health Data Initiative in partnership with Harvard’s Bloomberg Center for Cities, Meharry Medical College and the African American Mayors Association. Serves on EDF’s Mission Leadership team.

Education

• Yale School of the Environment

  Master of Environmental Management

• Columbia University

  Doctorate of Philosophy, Sociomedical Sciences

• University of Virginia

  Bachelor’s Degree, political and social thought

• Yale School of Public Health

  Master of Public Health - MPH

Skills

• Policy Analysis
• Program Management
• Fundraising
• Public Policy
• Research
• Community Outreach
• Public Speaking
• Nonprofits
• Sustainability
• Environmental Awareness