Elena Craft

Background

About Elena Craft

As an award-winning health scientist, my expertise is in improving air quality, protecting public health, responding to climate-fueled disasters, and creating stronger, more resilient communities by connecting various agencies to expand monitoring capabilities, streamline responses to hazardous pollutants, particularly to Black and Latino communities closest to the threat. Through my scientific lens, I identify and expose environmental hazards associated with disasters, and create partnerships between government, industry, academia, and community groups, building consensus to achieve environmental, health, and advocacy goals. I thrive in collaborating with internal and external partners, leveraging relationships to innovate and impact achieving common goals. & Identified toxicological exposures due to air pollution during climate-fueled disasters, like hurricanes. Uncovered a massive leak of cancer-causing benzene during Hurricane Harvey—resulting in government agencies acquiring monitoring instruments for rapid/precise data of toxic contamination. Pioneered a partnership with Port Houston and local agencies, securing $10M to cut air pollution by replacing aged vehicles with cleaner models. Spearheaded an initiative with an historically Black neighborhood to purchase/install air quality monitors—the largest community-owned and -managed network in the state of Texas. “Elena has spun straw into gold for clean air quality projects in Houston. She has played a lead role in helping Houston-area organizations to secure over $25M worth of federal funds, as well as leveraging over $50M in private investment since 2010 for initiatives, such as the clean truck program, cleaner engine replacements for harbor craft operating along the Houston Ship Channel, and new technology demonstration projects….Her optimism and energy are contagious, and her belief that more is doable and possible have made it so.” House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology hearings 2018, 2015, & 2014 / https://science.house.gov/hearings/state-perspectives-on-regulating-background-ozone To learn more about my experience as a senior director of climate and health, contact me through LinkedIn.