Program Community Engagement Coordinator
Open To Work
Harry Castle
Michigan Public Health Institute, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Lansing,MI
Work Preference
Job Search Status:
Open to workDesired Job Title
Sustainability CoordinatorSustainability ConsultantClimate Action ManagerSustainability ManagerProgram ManagerWork Type
Full TimeConsultingLocation Preference
RemoteOn-SiteLocation:
Lansing, MI, USOpen to relocation:
NoImportant To Me
Work-life balanceCareer advancement4-day work weekCompany CultureSummary
Experienced environmental and sustainability professional with over 6 years in leading engagement and communication strategies for environmental health initiatives in Michigan. Specializes in project management, coalition-building, and facilitation, impacting over 100,000 residents annually. Combines technical and qualitative expertise to enhance accessibility and actionability of environmental information.
1
Certification
6
Years of experience
Work History
Board Member At-Large
7 Months- Crafted organizational communications and website content, supporting strategy development for grassroots environmental advocacy nonprofit.
Community Manager (Freelance)
11 Months- Cohort Facilitation & Education: Facilitated learning programs for a community of climate practitioners, educating cohort members in behavioral design, storytelling, and gamification to expand the impact of climate and sustainability projects.
- Enrollment Strategy & Growth: Led recruitment, data management, and selection for the School of Climate Action Design. Identified high-impact member projects and managed the enrollment pipeline to ensure a diverse, high-impact community.
- Program Optimization: Gathered and synthesized feedback from alumni and current members to refine ongoing community management and curriculum delivery.
Program Community Engagement Coordinator
6 Years 4 Months- Developed statewide engagement strategy for environmental health programs, including Michigan Eat Safe Fish and PFAS response programs, aligning outreach with community needs and program goals.
- Coordinated cross-sector partnerships, communications, and trust-building among government agencies, community partners, and impacted residents, enhancing collaborative efforts across Michigan.
- Led expansion of Eat Safe Fish River Walker sub-programs, driving 20% annual increases in material distribution from 2022-2025 through tailored outreach, improved data practices, and stronger performance tracking, with over 30,000 interactions annually.
- Implemented regional PFAS response team structure, establishing standard procedures and strategic guidance to enhance engagement across 350+ active sites.
- Created health education materials, including presentations, talking points, fact sheets, and briefs, translating complex scientific information into accessible content for diverse audiences.
- Facilitated workshops and trainings that captured community input and informed collaborative material design and program delivery.
Education
Master of Science - Community Sustainability
- Applied research program integrating systems thinking, social-ecological resilience, and qualitative methods to address sustainability challenges. Graduate thesis examined the motivations driving community gardeners' participation in Lansing-area food systems, investigating the social and personal factors that sustain long-term environmental engagement.
Graduate Specialization in Gender, Justice, and Environmental Change (GJEC):
- Advanced specialization in gender and social justice frameworks and their relationship to environmental challenges.
Graduate Certificate in Community Engagement:
- Graduate certification designed to help graduate and professional students develop systemic, respectful, and scholarly approaches to their community-engaged work. To complete the certification, students must show mastery of core engagement competencies, complete a 60-hour mentored community engagement experience, and write and present an engagement portfolio.
Bachelor of Science - Environmental Science
Applied environmental science program that emphasized scientific and policy solutions to real-world environmental challenges. The curriculum integrated natural sciences with social, cultural, and economic systems thinking and included training on environmental impact assessment, regulatory compliance, and an introduction to GIS tools.
Skills
Community engagement
Strategic planning
Program evaluation
Partnership management
Stakeholder mapping
Data analysis
Content development
Community outreach strategies
Environmental sustainability strategies
Coalition building
Climate action initiatives
Environmental advocacy initiatives
Process improvement
Networking
Communication strategy skills
Certification
- Corporate Climate Action Essentials, Environmental Defense Fund
- Introduction to the ISSB Standards (Level 1), Sustainability Reporting Institute
- Climate Action Design, Hello World Labs
- Climate Change: Learning for Action, Terra.do
- Project Management, Google, Coursera
- Climate for Health Ambassador, Climate for Health
- Advanced Facilitative Leadership, Michigan State University Extension
- Career Essentials in Data Analysis, Microsoft and LinkedIn Learning
Timeline
Board Member At-Large
Capital Area Friends of the Environment
03.2026 - Current
Community Manager (Freelance)
Hello World Labs, School of Climate Action Design
11.2025 - Current
Program Community Engagement Coordinator
Michigan Public Health Institute, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
06.2020 - Current
Michigan State University
Master of Science from Community Sustainability
University of Plymouth
Bachelor of Science from Environmental Science