After 14 years at Earthjustice, Jessica Ennis, legislative director for Climate and Energy, will join the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) as Director of Public Engagement. The following is a statement from Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen:

“From spearheading equitable climate solutions to building strong partnerships, Jessica’s work embodies Earthjustice’s values of justice, partnership, inclusion, and excellence. We are thrilled that she will bring her deep experience and her commitment to justice to advance the Biden administration’s bold climate and environmental justice agenda. At this critical moment that demands unprecedented action to secure a livable future for all, our government, communities, and the planet will benefit greatly from her leadership. We are grateful for her immeasurable contributions to Earthjustice and will miss her as a valued friend and colleague. We look forward to all she will accomplish at CEQ.”

As Earthjustice’s legislative director for Climate and Energy, Jess played a key role in shaping and advancing equitable climate solutions at the federal and state levels. She advocated for the first-ever protections to curb methane pollution from the oil and gas industry, and defended those standards when industry and their political allies tried to roll them back. She led a successful effort to establish a community solar program in Maryland that has expanded access to clean energy. She was also part of the development of the Equitable and Just National Climate Platform, which brings together national and environmental justice organizations to advance climate solutions that center racial, economic, and environmental justice.