Today, Evergreen Collaborative announced that Lashelle Johnson and Rekha Rao, two nationally recognized leaders in advancing state and federal climate and clean energy policy, have joined its Governing Board of Directors.
“We’re honored to welcome Lashelle Johnson and Rekha Rao to our governing board,” said Evergreen Collaborative Executive Director Lena Moffitt.“Each of these leaders offers extraordinary expertise and a shared commitment to advancing bold climate and clean energy solutions that deliver real benefits for people and communities. Lashelle brings a dedication to environmental equity and clean energy access for communities nationwide, while Rekha brings deep expertise in shaping state and federal clean energy policy. I’m excited to have them and their unique skills at the table as Evergreen continues to advance policies to lower household bills and pollution in our fight against the climate crisis.”
“I’m thrilled to join the Evergreen Collaborative Governing Board at such a pivotal moment for climate and clean energy policy,” said Evergreen Collaborative Governing Board Member Lashelle Johnson.“Evergreen has earned a reputation for translating bold vision into real-world results, and I’m excited to help drive that work forward. The fight ahead demands everything we’ve got, and I look forward to working alongside this incredible team to deliver.”
“Joining the Evergreen Collaborative Governing Board is an incredible opportunity, and I’m grateful to be part of an organization with such a strong track record of getting things done,” said Evergreen Collaborative Governing Board Member Rekha Rao. “Evergreen’s ability to combine policy depth with real advocacy muscle is exactly what this moment requires, and I’m excited to contribute to their mission and the talented team behind it.”
Lashelle Johnson is the Senior Director of State Climate & Equity Policy at the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), where she serves as state policy lead to the organization’s 30 state leagues. Her work focuses on developing campaigns and strategies that center racial and economic justice and building a clean economy that’s accessible and affordable to everyone. Johnson has also launched and grown LCV’s state clean energy regulatory program, which focuses on utility accountability, from three to 20 states. And Johnson is recognized as one of Green 2.0’s Environmental Experts of Color. She holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Virginia Commonwealth University and is an alumna of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership Emerging Leaders Program. She is based in Washington, D.C.
Rekha Rao is Managing Director of Clean Energy at S2 Strategies, where she focuses on state and federal clean energy policy. Before joining S2, Rao served as a Senior Director at the Climate Imperative Foundation, where she developed and led the organization’s U.S. power sector work. She has also led legislative and regulatory policy development in both the private and nonprofit sectors, including for Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and has advised clients on energy project development at two Washington, D.C. energy law firms. Rao holds a law degree from American University and is a graduate of UCLA. She is based in the Bay Area.
Johnson and Rao were each unanimously elected to three-year terms as Directors of Evergreen Collaborative’s Governing Board, joining Molly Keenan, KC Golden, Keya Chatterjee, Evan Weber, and Holmes Hummel. The Governing Board provides strategic guidance, oversees the Executive Director, and works closely with Evergreen’s informal Advisory Board to guide organizational decision-making.
