Join the Coalition for Climate Education Policy (CCEP) for a panel webinar on June 2 at 3:00 PM EST! Register here.

Climate education policies don't advance in isolation—they require strategic coalitions, youth leadership, and sustained organizing across political divides. This webinar will feature organizers and advocates from states that have successfully passed climate education policies to share the real story of how they: built coalitions, navigated power structures, and created durable partnerships that will outlast political transitions.

Featuring voices from Oregon, Illinois, New York, and Colorado, panelists will discuss:

• Coalition-building fundamentals: Who needs to be at the table (and who's missing)?
• Strategies for building intergenerational coalitions that center young voices
• Messaging that works across the political spectrum
• Multiple pathways to policy success: legislative vs. administrative strategies
• Translating lessons learned across state lines
• Coalition roles beyond the campaign: Who implements, who supports, who holds systems accountable?

Whether your state is just beginning its climate education journey or looking to strengthen existing initiatives, you'll leave with practical ideas for building the coalitions and organizing infrastructure needed to win—and implement—meaningful climate education policies. 

Panelists: 

Sarah Kirby, Co-Director/Co-Founder, Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE), and Secondary STEM Specialist for Eugene 4J School District

Sarah Kirby is the Secondary STEM Specialist for Eugene 4J School District. She is Co-Founder/Co-Director of Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE), and Oregon ClimatEd, organizations that are implementing Oregon’s new Climate Education Law. She is President of the Oregon Science Teacher Association (OSTA), co-chair of the Oregon Education Association (OEA) Climate Caucus, serves on the Leadership Team of Oregon Science Leaders (OSL), and is part of the Oregon Clean Energy Workforce Coalition, developing a statewide Clean Energy CTE pathway. She has taught 6-12 science for 25 years, 12 of which were spent teaching in a Natural Resource Management CTE program.  She received the OEA Excellence in Education Award for Statewide Leadership on Climate Education.

Rachel Rosner, Program Manager, It's Our Future, Seven Generations Ahead

Rachel Rosner is the Program Manager of It’s Our Future, a program of sustainable communities non-profit, Seven Generations Ahead, where she empowers young people working for climate justice. Rachel holds a Masters in Instructional Leadership and has extensive experience teaching and developing curriculum in formal and non-formal settings as a classroom teacher and a Program Naturalist. She’s also a Climate Reality Leader trained by Al Gore.

Rachel has had the privilege of supporting students in creating Chicago’s first Youth Climate Justice Summit, passing a statewide climate education bill, and attending the United Nations Climate Conference, aka COP over 5 years. 

Emily Fano, Director of Climate Education, NWF, and Co-Founder of the Climate & Resilience Education Task Force

Emily Alix Fano, M.A., is Director of Climate Education at the National Wildlife Federation. An experienced climate resilience education leader and published author, Emily’s projects include the award-winning Resilient Schools and Communities program and the Climate and Resilience Education Task Force, which secured a climate education mandate in March 2026. In 2025, Emily received a Climate Education and Action Award from the U.S. Senate and a Coastal Conservation Champion award. In 2020, she was recognized as a NYC Climate Hero by the Human Impacts Institute, and in 2015 helped to implement a food waste recycling pilot that became a model for the city. 

Mary Seawell, CEO and Founder, Lyra

Mary Seawell is the founder and CEO of Lyra, a Colorado-based nonprofit that focuses on creating innovation in the K-12 education system. Lyra was the driving force behind the creation of the Seal of Climate Literacy, a high school diploma endorsement that students attain through coursework and experiential learning. Mary has significantly influenced public education, especially in areas like school district governance, rural school innovation, and public policy.  Mary received a regional Emmy as Executive Producer of “Standing in the Gap,” a documentary exploring the history of Denver Public Schools’ (DPS) efforts to integrate and close opportunity gaps. Mary served on the DPS school board and was president from 2011 to 2013. She has a JD from the University of Denver and a BA in Journalism from American University.

Moderator: Dr. Deb L. Morrison, IPCC AR7 Lead Author 

Dr. Deb L. Morrison fosters just collaboration, communication, engagement, information access, and learning at the intersection of climate science, sustainability, and learning sciences through research-practice-policy partnerships towards climate empowerment, decision making, and action. She works to iteratively understand complex socio-ecological systems through design-based and action-oriented research while at the same time seeking to improve human-environment relationships and sustainability. Deb is a well-published author on diverse topics, including a Lead Author for the IPCC's AR7 on the topic of climate information and services. She is an experienced facilitator of convenings across diverse communities of practice and an experienced public speaker. More extensive information about Dr. Morrison’s work can be found at www.debmorrison.me.