Denise G. Fairchild, Ph.D., is president emerita of Emerald Cities Collaborative (ECC), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to greening cities across the U.S., building resilient local economies, and ensuring equity and inclusion in both the process and the outcomes of a green and healthy economy. In that role, she built community-led partnerships with labor, environmental, and business organizations to increase energy efficiency, clean energy, sustainable foods, and clean water, with a focus on low-income and communities of color.
She is currently a Climate Breakthrough Awardee, the largest global climate award granted to an individual, and is focusing on cultural solutions to climate change and sustainable development.
Prior to joining Emerald Cities, Denise was on the faculty of Los Angeles Trade-Technical College for 15 years, where she founded and led the Community Planning and Economic Development Program, training community residents in real estate, organizing, and economic development skills to revitalize their neighborhoods. From 1989 to 1995, she was director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation in Los Angeles, where her work on workforce development and health promotion earned an award from the National Community Development Initiative.
She has a B.A. from Fisk University, a master’s degree in city planning from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in urban planning from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She serves on a number of national organizational boards.