Program Director, UEPI; Adjunct Professor, UEP

Sharon Cech (she/her) is a Program Director at the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College (UEPI). With over a decade of experience working to advance farm to school, farmers’ markets, and other local food systems projects that support small-scale and urban producers, her work...

Senior Program Coordinator, UEP, UEPI

Sylvia Chico joined Occidental College in 1992 working in the Facilities Management Department as the maintenance management supervisor and in 2000, transitioned to UEPI and the UEP department as the senior program coordinator. She provides primary support for the UEP faculty, students and alums...

E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics; Professor, Urban & Environmental Policy

Peter Dreier has been involved in urban policy as a scholar, government official, reporter, and advocate for over 30 years. He writes widely on American politics and public policy, specializing in urban politics and policy, housing policy, community development, and community organizing. He is also...

Health Education Manager

Raquel Galarza is the Health Education Manager for the LA Farm to School Initiative at UEPI. Her work focuses leading nutrition education initiatives in local community sites, as well as empowering community members to make changes towards healthy, active lifestyles. In her previous position at...

Project Coordinator, Moving Forward Network

Cecilia (she/her) is the Project Coordinator with the Moving Forward Network. The Network centers grassroots, frontline-community knowledge, expertise, and engagement from communities across the US to uplift and assist frontline experts in transforming the freight transportation system. She helps to...

Professor, Urban & Environmental Policy, Emeritus; Founder, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute

Robert Gottlieb’s research focus is on environmental and food justice, power and inequality, resource politics, alternative transportation, place-based development, global cities, and the infrastructure of everyday life.  He is the author of numerous publications, including fourteen books. A few of...

Campaign Manager, Moving Forward Network

Molly Greenberg (she/her) is the Campaign Manager with the Moving Forward Network. She helps to support the MFN organization and campaigns. The Network aims to build power with communities to transform the global freight transportation system and advance environmental justice. The Network works...

Project Manager, Moving Forward Network

As project manager for the Moving Forward Network at UEPI, Wendy helps manage day to day operations for the MFN. The Network links community-based organizations, scientists, environmental, health, research, legal, media, and coalition advocates, and builds the individual and collective capacity of...

Professor, Urban and Environmental Policy; Executive Director, Urban & Environmental Policy Institute

Martha Matsuoka ’83 is the Executive Director of the Urban &  Environmental Policy Institute and a Professor at Occidental College. She focuses her teaching and research on environmental justice, community-based regionalism, sustainable community development, and social movements.  Her current...

Assistant Professor, Urban and Environmental Policy

Seva Rodnyansky’s research focuses on urban policy related to housing, transportation, residential mobility and neighborhood change. His teaching interests include quantitative data analysis, urban policy and planning, housing policy, and transportation planning. Seva's current research looks at the...

Program Director, UEPI

Rosa Romero is a Program Director at the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute (UEPI) at Occidental College. Rosa specializes in Farm to Preschool, Garden and Health curriculum development and teacher training.  She is currently leading UEPI’s community-based EscWELLa initiative to enrich the...

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Los Angeles, CA 90041