Originally aired September 15, 2020
Environmental justice communities — low-income, minority, and otherwise vulnerable populations — face disproportionate risks from natural disasters, yet are too often an afterthought in emergency planning and disaster response. This session examines best practices for building resilience and ensuring equitable outcomes before, during, and after catastrophic events, drawing on experience from EPA emergency management, public health, and community advocacy.
Timothy Fields (Moderator)
Senior Vice President, Tetra Tech; Former Acting Administrator, EPA SuperfundTimothy Fields is a Senior Vice President at Tetra Tech and a leading expert on environmental justice, emergency response, and hazardous waste cleanup. He previously served as Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, overseeing the Superfund program, and has spent decades working at the intersection of environmental law, public health, and community protection.
Cheryl Levine, PhD
Senior Advisor, Office of Emergency Management, U.S. EPADr. Cheryl Levine is a Senior Advisor in EPA’s Office of Emergency Management, where she focuses on integrating environmental justice into the agency’s emergency planning and response programs. Her work addresses how to ensure that disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts meaningfully reach the communities most at risk — including those burdened by poverty, pollution, and limited access to services.
Reggie Cheatham
Director, Office of Emergency Management, U.S. EPAReggie Cheatham is the Director of EPA’s Office of Emergency Management, responsible for national programs that prepare for, prevent, and respond to oil spills, chemical releases, and other environmental emergencies. He leads the agency’s efforts to strengthen community resilience and protect vulnerable populations from the health and environmental impacts of disasters and industrial accidents.
