Bridging Social Work and Climate/Environmental Justice: Roles for Eco-Social Workers April 3, 2025
Dr. Joonmo Kang is an Assistant Professor in the University of Kansas’ School of Social Welfare. A leader in the evolving field of eco-social work, Joonmo’s research aims to understand how the changing environment, such as climate change, impacts marginalized communities and advance social work practices and policies to support these groups in the face of the climate crisis. This effort is geared towards promoting an inclusive, equitable, and community-driven approach to transitioning towards a climate-resilient society.
Ashley Vernon, MSW, brings local and international experience in program development, community engagement, and research and serves as co-Executive Director of the nonprofit The Giving Grove, which cultivates community and reduces food insecurity through equipping people to create and sustain urban orchards. A dedicated Kansas City community member, Ashley is continuously involved in boards and leadership programs, currently serving as Secretary of Unified Government of Wyandotte Board of Parks Commission, Board Member of Community Capital Fund, Advisory Board Member for the Pride Fund Committee of Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and Advisory Committee Member for the Kansas City Young Farmers Coalition.
Emily Wolfe, MSW, is a macro alum of the KU School of Social Welfare. Prior to entering the climate/environmental justice sector, Emily worked at a health information technology corporation. However, she changed her career path and in 2019 received her MSW. After graduation Emily was an intern at a local energy nonprofit, eventually joining their team full time. For nearly five years, she led their policy and advocacy efforts and was the principal investigator for their terminal truck electrification project. Currently, Emily is a consultant on health and renewable energy initiatives in Kansas. Emily believes social workers have an ethical responsibility to ensure community members and local leaders are at the forefront of the transition to clean energy solutions. She believes it is not only the right thing to do, but the only way our efforts will result in meaningful, measurable, and lasting change.
Laela Zaidi, MSW, is a Mobilizations Organizer at Sunrise Movement, a national youth-led climate organization mobilizing thousands of young people for a Green New Deal. She coaches and trains leaders to wield basebuilding and mass protest tactics to campaign on climate, racial, and economic justice campaigns at both the local and national levels. In Kansas City, Laela co-created a Better Buses for KC campaign with a cohort of young, working-class Sunrisers to demand fast, frequent, accessible, green public transit powered by good union jobs.
Makenna Nickens is Outreach Specialist at the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. She is a Kansas City native with a passion for the city’s people, pride, and history. After completing a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2020, she returned to Kansas City to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Missouri-Kansas City where she graduated in 2022. Makenna has experience working and volunteering with many agencies that provide services in the mid-Missouri and Kansas City regions. Makenna has always felt strongly about social and environmental justice and looks forward to working with MCE in the Kansas City region to achieve progress in those areas and give back to the community.
Allison Thomas began her career working in Kansas City Public Schools through the Americorps program, City Year. Following this year-long program, she decided to pursue an MSW at the University of Kansas, Edwards Campus where she graduated in 2020. Following graduation, Allison accepted a role at a residential facility in KC where she worked in individual and group settings with clients. Through this experience, she became interested in shifting her focus to advocacy efforts and non-profit programming. In 2022, she transitioned to her current role at the Climate + Energy Project, where she leads programming on renewable energy outreach and education. This work includes coordinating a renewable energy siting collaborative group, organizing hands-on community learning experiences (including wind-farm bus tours, clean energy lunch and learns, and more), overseeing CEP's internship program, and planning Kansas's statewide annual renewable energy conference. Allison strongly believes in the importance of building power through partnerships in climate action. She refers to the core social work values of the dignity and worth of the person and the importance of human relationships as the north star of her work.