Oceana has named Christy Leavitt as its plastics campaign director, tasked with leading a new U.S. campaign against plastic pollution. Oceana is the largest international advocacy organisation dedicated solely to ocean conservation and aims ‘to rebuild abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one third of the world’s wild fish catch.’
Leavitt has over two decades of experience working at the national, state and local levels on environmental campaigns ranging from water pollution and climate change to conservation. Before joining Oceana, she was senior director of Environment America’s environmental defence campaign, which fought to protect U.S. public lands, climate, oceans and water.
In her new role, Leavitt will lead Oceana’s campaign to reduce single-use plastics. She will work closely with Oceana’s team of field organisers, scientists and policy experts to push for policies regulating single-use plastic production and use as well as advocate for meaningful corporate commitments that stem the tide of plastic entering the oceans.
Leavitt said, “Once you’ve seen the extent of the plastics problem — how it’s impacting everything from our oceans and climate to our food and health — it becomes impossible to ignore. We can no longer deny that plastic pollution is threatening our future, and the only solution is to stop plastic at the source. During this pivotal moment, I am honored to have the opportunity to work with Oceana in leading real change and reversing the plastics crisis while we still can.”
While at Environment America, Leavitt also served as national field director and federal clean water advocate. During this time, she spearheaded field campaigns to build public support for the Clean Water Rule to ensure the protection of America’s waterways and for the Clean Power Plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants. She also served as regional director of state operations at the Public Interest Network and as the federal clean water advocate for U.S. PIRG.
Click here to learn more about Oceana’s new campaign to stop plastic pollution.
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