Dr. Adrienne L. Hollis
I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.— Angela Davis
Adrienne is an advocate for the disenfranchised and environmental justice. She believes in accountability, justice, fairness, transparency and equal rights. Her superpower is her passion for this work.
Adrienne works at the intersection of public health, environmental justice/racism and climate change—focusing on making the connections between historical practices and current conditions. She uses both her toxicology background and her legal training to address environmental issues. Her areas of expertise include environmental justice, policy, partnership development, public health, facilitation, education, organizational enhancement, climate change, data analysis and toxicology. She is particularly interested in the application of the Clean Air Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act, and how populations have been disproportionately harmed under the misuse of these laws.
Experience
Currently, she holds the position of vice president and environmental justice lead at National Wildlife Federation. Adrienne’s past work at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and as an associate professor at Florida A&M University, along with EPA’s Clean Air Act Advisory Committee and CDR Byproducts Committee, have clarified and focused her environmental interests. In addition, her current work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) – Deep Decarbonization Committee and its Planning Committee for Communities, Climate Change, and Health Equity, along with her experience as a facilitator and trainer, have contributed to her commitment to ensure that disenfranchised groups are important partners in any discussions about actions that impact their lives.
In Community
She is a board member of the Endangered Species Coalition; the National Environmental Health Partnership Council; the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; the National Black Environmental Justice Network; and the Imani Group Inc., in Aiken, S.C.; as well as being a member of the American Public Health Association, the Green Leadership Trust and Maryland Nonprofits. She is a Diamond Life member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a public service sorority. In 2022, she was selected to serve on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Board of Scientific Counselors Climate Change Subcommittee.
Adrienne is a native of Mobile, Alabama. She loves her family and her miniature pinscher (“min pin”), Layla. She enjoys music, reading and the Hallmark Channel. Her new passion is hydroponics—she is currently growing basil, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, mint and dill.