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MOVING YALE FORWARD

Yale Forward is a coalition of students and alumni seeking to address both the symptoms and the causes of Yale’s insufficient response to the climate crisis. 

We are working to elect climate champions to the Yale Corporation in order to move Yale toward divesting from fossil fuels, committing more resources to climate-focused initiatives, aligning our endowment with our values as an University, and making our governance more democratic and representative. 

MEET THE TEAM

Yale Forward has built a team dedicated to running the best campaign possible. Meet our hardworking core team members!

ZORAYA HIGHTOWER

ZORAYA HIGHTOWER

2022 Candidate

Zoraya holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Zoraya is dedicated to advocating for economic, environmental, and racial justice.

RACHEL PONTIOUS

RACHEL PONTIOUS

Field Organizer

Rachel, YC '24, is an environmental engineering major and an active organizer in the Yale Endowment Justice Coalition. She plans to spend her leave of absence continuing to advocate for fossil fuel divestment, endowment justice, and climate action at Yale and beyond.


EMILY TUCKER

EMILY TUCKER

Policy Advisor

Emily holds a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, where she specialized in climate and energy policy. She is also a 2015 graduate of Bowdoin College.

SAM TEICHER

SAM TEICHER

Policy Advisor

Sam (YC '12 | F&ES '15) is the Chief Reef Officer of ecosystem restoration start-up Coral Vita. Given the urgent threat posed by climate change to national security, public health, socio-economic prosperity, and nature's wonders, it’s time for Yale to step up and properly lead.

NORA HEAPHY

NORA HEAPHY

Student Liaison

Nora is a junior from New Haven, CT studying Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. She organizes with the Yale Endowment Justice Coalition, Fossil Free Yale, and Yale Students for Prison Divestment.

CHRISTOPHER YOO

CHRISTOPHER YOO

Student Liaison

Chris is a first-year from Los Angeles, CA studying Environmental Studies. He's passionate about the intersections between environmental justice and public health.

MAGGIE THOMAS

MAGGIE THOMAS

2021 Candidate

Maggie holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Maggie cares deeply about democracy, representation, and intentional, thoughtful policy to enact positive change.

DANIEL VERNICK

DANIEL VERNICK

Former Campaign Manager

Daniel is a 2019 graduate of Yale College, where he organized with the Yale Endowment Justice Coalition and Fossil Free Yale. He is committed to ensuring that Yale leads the way in the fight for climate justice.

DIANA MADSON

DIANA MADSON

Policy Advisor

Diana is a graduate of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and an environmental professional. She is passionate about designing innovative climate and conservation solutions in the Intermountain West.

LISA HANSMANN

LISA HANSMANN

Policy Advisor

Lisa is a 3L at Yale Law School and a 2015 graduate of Yale College. Most recently, she worked on policy for Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign, and is committed to advocating for inclusive governance at Yale.

CARLOS BROWN

CARLOS BROWN

Student Liaison

Carlos, YC '23, is a passionate advocate for educational equity studying Ethnicity, Race and Migration. He most recently co-founded the successful #NoFailYale movement and advises the campaign on undergraduate engagement.

SCOTT GIGANTE

SCOTT GIGANTE

Co-founder & Managing Director

Scott holds a Master of Science from the Yale Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and is a current PhD candidate in the Yale Departments of Genetics, Computer Science & Applied Mathematics. Scott oversees Yale Forward’s campaign strategy and data analytics.

MAGGIE FERRATO

MAGGIE FERRATO

Policy Advisor

Maggie is an environmental policy professional and a recent graduate of the Yale School of the Environment. She is passionate about advancing climate action at all scales, from Yale University to the United Nations.

LOGAN YONAVJAK

LOGAN YONAVJAK

Policy Advisor

Logan is a financial services professional, social entrepreneur, and author. She has been working in responsible investing for over a decade and recently co-founded a US-based financial services firm called Provenance Capital Group.

TESS BYARS

TESS BYARS

Policy Advisor

Tess is a progressive policy professional, most recently serving on Elizabeth Warren’s presidential and Senate reelection campaigns. She is a graduate of Yale College and holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. 

OLIVIA SUMMONS

OLIVIA SUMMONS

Student Liaison

Olivia, YC '23, is an environmental educator and advocate pursuing a double major in Political Science and Environmental Studies. She is an impassioned advocate for promoting individual practices in sustainability. 

The members of our team are advising in an individual capacity. The opinions on this website do not represent the positions of their employers.

WANT TO JOIN US? 

There are plenty of ways for supporters and volunteers to make a difference. Join us if you want to move Yale forward.

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