Creating Sustainable Futures: The Role of a Deputy Policy Director in Climate Action

49er Industry Chat with Christopher Chavez ‘11
Deputy Policy Director, Coalition for Clean Air

Creating Sustainable Futures: The Role of a Deputy Policy Director in Climate Action

Chris Chavez has worked on some of the biggest environmental policies in California. Since 2017, Chris has served as the Deputy Policy Director at Coalition for Clean Air (CCA), an environmental advocacy nonprofit dedicated to protecting air quality, improving public health and preventing climate change. During that time, Chris has worked to ensure that billions of dollars in state climate funds benefit polluted, vulnerable communities, led successful state and local ballot measure campaigns and played a key role in adoption of landmark air quality rules for locomotives, warehouses and refineries. Prior to CCA, Chris was a Legislative Aide for State Senator Fran Pavley (ret.), staffing her on transportation, local government and the Senate Floor. Additionally, Chris served as a Senate Fellow for then-State Senator Alex Padilla and staffed legislation that improved rail service in Southern California and created first-in-the-nation protections for student-athletes. Chris’s career as an advocate started at Cal State Long Beach, where he served as President of the Associated Students and the California State Student Association.