Methodology

Contributors

Katherina ‘Kat’ M. Rosqueta, Founding Executive Director, Adjunct Faculty, Faculty Co-Director, High Impact Philanthropy Academy

• Adjunct faculty, School of Social Policy and Practice
• Senior fellow, Wharton Center on Leadership & Change Management

Rosqueta  is the founding executive director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, faculty co-director of High Impact Philanthropy Academy, adjunct faculty in the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), and a senior fellow at the Wharton Center on Leadership & Change Management. Founded as a collaboration between SP2 and alumni of the Wharton School, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy is the premier source of knowledge and education on how philanthropy can do more good. 

Kate Barrett, President, Campbell’s Foundation

Kate Barrett is the President of the Campbell’s Foundation. Formerly a Project Director at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy, Kate was responsible for overseeing the research and writing of The XX Factor: A Comprehensive Framework for Improving the Lives of Women and Girls. In a previous role at the Center, she was a Project Manager and Analyst, and led the research and production of our guide, High Impact Philanthropy to Improve Teaching Quality.

Previously, Kate worked as a Business Analyst and a Senior Associate at McKinsey & Company, and as Director of Content Solutions at CorpU. Kate earned her MBA from The Wharton School and holds a BA in Community Health from Brown University.

Alison Buttenheim, Professor of Nursing and Health Policy, Penn Nursing, Perelman School of Medicine

• Director of Engagement, Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
• Scientific Director, Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics
• Associate Director, National Clinician Scholars Program

Buttenheim focuses on public health, particularly in areas where behavioral science and environmental factors influence health outcomes. As Director of Engagement at the Leonard Davis Institute and a key contributor to the NASEM Report, her work focuses on how human behavior influences environmental outcomes. Through her leadership on Penn’s Committee on the Institutional Response to the Climate Emergency (CIRCE), she promotes sustainable practices in research, education, and university operations, driving efforts to reduce carbon footprints and engage the community in climate action.

CarraCote-Ackah, Head of Philanthropic Engagement and Legacy Planning, Goldman Sachs and Senior Fellow, CHIP

Carra Cote-Ackah is a senior fellow at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy. She was a co-author of the CHIP’s paper, Program-Related Investments: Is There a Bigger Opportunity for Mission Investing By Private Foundations? and has co-authored several Center reports on U.S. domestic issues.

Carra presently serves as Head of Philanthropy Engagement and Legacy Planning at Goldman Sachs. In this role, she leads the firm’s comprehensive philanthropic strategic offering and customized educational programs to support multigenerational legacy and stewardship. Previously, she was Executive Director of Vanguard’s global Community Stewardship corporate team and President of the Vanguard Group Foundation. She also has served as a Program Officer at the Robertson Foundation.

Carra recently completed her 20-year tenure with the Surdna Foundation and its family programs, as a fifth-generation member of one of the oldest and largest family foundations in the U.S. In January 2025 she joined the Board of the National Center for Family Philanthropy.

Emily Falk, Professor of Communication, Psychology, Marketing, and OID (Operations, Informatic, and Decisions), Annenberg School for Communication

• Vice Dean of the Annenberg School for Communication
• Director, Communication Neuroscience Lab and the Climate Communication Division of the Annenberg Public Policy Center

Falk focuses on how communication can drive climate action. As Director of the Climate Communication Division at the Annenberg Public Policy Center, her work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and communication to understand the mechanisms that motivate climate action. Her research spans local initiatives, like environmental justice in West Philadelphia, to global media campaigns, aiming to effectively communicate climate science and promote sustainable behaviors.

Jared Farmer, Walter H. Annenberg Professor of History (U.S. History, Environmental History, Landscape Studies), College of Arts and Sciences (History)

• History and Sociology of Science Graduate Group
• Religious Studies Graduate Group
• Initiative in the History of the Built Environment at the Weitzman School of Design

Farmer explores the deep connections between human activity and the environment. His research focuses on the historical impact of fossil fuels and the cultural significance of ancient trees in the face of climate change. As a member of the Initiative in the History of the Built Environment at the Weitzman School of Design, Farmer’s work critically examines how landscapes shaped by energy use, like Philadelphia’s petrochemical corridor, reflect broader planetary consequences. His interdisciplinary approach combines history, ecology, and culture to address the environmental challenges of today.

Elinor Haider, Senior Director, Philadelphia Program, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Elinor Haider oversees Pew’s Philadelphia research and policy work. In this role, she leads Pew’s efforts to partner with Philadelphia’s policymakers and civic stakeholders to address barriers to economic mobility and learn from national experts about solutions that have been effective at improving government performance and accountability in peer cities. Haider also leads Pew’s support for The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage and civic grantmaking to increase community access to vibrant arts and cultural experiences as well as Pew’s work aimed at strengthening religious tolerance in the U.S.

Before joining Pew, Haider served as vice president of market development for the environmental company Veolia North America, leading policy development and oversight for Veolia’s regulatory and sustainability departments. She previously served as deputy commerce director for former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter and vice president of financing at the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation.

Witold Henisz, Deloitte & Touche Professor of Management, Wharton School of Business (Management)

• Vice Dean & Faculty Director of the ESG Initiative
• Academic co-director, KEROVKA crisis-management simulation
• Principal, PRIMA LLC

Henisz focuses on integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into sustainable business practices. Henisz’s research emphasizes how businesses can strategically navigate geopolitical risks while addressing climate change. His work, including the book Geostrategy by Design and studies on ESG’s impact on municipal bonds, demonstrates the financial and environmental value of integrating ESG factors into corporate and investment strategies to foster sustainability and long-term success in a climate-conscious world.

Eva Hernadez, Executive Director, Mosaic

Hernandez is a seasoned strategist and leader, with more than two decades of experience in the environmental movement. Throughout her career, she has served as an organizer, campaigner, strategist, and leader at organizations including the Sierra Club, MoveOn, Dogwood Alliance, and Green Corps. This varied experience will help Mosaic support the key collaborations and shared tools advocates need to boost their influence and win the most impactful environmental victories.

Most recently, Hernandez held the position of Managing Director of the Sierra Club, one of the foremost environmental organizations in the US with millions of members and 63 Chapters across the country. In that role, she managed high performing teams of leaders to deliver on the strategic goals across campaigns and field, in addition to managing the movement partnerships work, and allocating resources across campaigns. During her tenure, she worked on national campaigns ranging from “Beyond Coal” to “Our Wild America” and spearheaded significant organizational transformation to modernize the 130-year-old institution to create more rigorous, equitable, and impactful systems, structure, culture, and results.

Hernandez serves on the boards of Friends of the Earth, GoAustin/Vamos Austin (GAVA), and Mothers Out Front. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy from The University of Kansas and is a graduate of the Women’s Leadership Program at the Yale School of Management.

Sarah Light, Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, Wharton School of Business (Legal Studies and Business Ethics)

• Inaugural Mitchell Blutt and Margo Krody Blutt Presidential Professor
• Faculty Co-Director, Wharton Climate Center

Light focuses on environmental law and corporate sustainability. Her research examines how legal frameworks shape corporate behavior in addressing climate change and pollution. Through her work at the Wharton Climate Center, Light leads research on climate risk’s impact on business strategy, financial markets, and energy transitions. Her scholarship, including studies on greenwashing and climate governance in the banking sector, advocates for stronger regulations and ethical practices to promote sustainability and climate resilience.

Chenyi Ma, Research Assistant Professor, School of Social Policy & Practice

• Co-Principal Investigator for the national project of Homeless Desistance
• Statistician at the Center for Guaranteed Income Research

Ma focuses on environmental justice, urban inequality, and sustainable development. His work emphasizes how marginalized communities often bear disproportionate environmental burdens. Ma’s research, including projects on energy insecurity and disaster response, highlights the social and economic factors that exacerbate vulnerability during climate-related events. Through their analysis of programs like LIHEAP and disaster preparedness among low-income households, Ma advocates for more equitable and sustainable solutions to address environmental and housing challenges in vulnerable communities.

Carol McLaughlin, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Perelman School of Medicine, School of Social Policy & Practice

• Attending Physician, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Infectious Diseases Division
• Co-Director Global Health Track, Master of Public Health
• Senior Fellow, Center for Public Health
• Senior Advisor, Global Public Health, Center for High Impact Philanthropy

McLaughlin focuses on the intersection of global health, infectious diseases, and environmental factors. Her work highlights how climate change, pollution, and access to clean water impact health outcomes, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

McLaughlin’s research on community-based health approaches and disease prevention emphasizes health equity and sustainability, advocating for resilient health systems that adapt to environmental challenges while improving global public health.

R. Jisung Park, Assistant Professor, School of Social Policy & Practice, Wharton School of Business (Business Economics and Public Policy)

• Research affiliate at the Institute of Labor Economics
• Faculty affiliate of the California Policy Lab (CPL)
• Faculty affiliate Wharton ESG Initiative
• Faculty affiliate Kleinman Center for Energy Policy
• Russell Sage Foundation Visiting Scholar (2024-2025)

Park focuses on environmental and labor economics, examining how climate change affects economic outcomes such as productivity, health, and inequality. His research explores the hidden costs of rising temperatures, emphasizing the need for sustainable policies to address climate-related economic disruptions. Through his work on green energy transitions and the economic impacts of natural disasters, Park advocates for equitable solutions that ensure a just transition for workers and safeguard human capital in the face of environmental change.

Rand Quinn, Associate Professor of Policy, Organizations, Leadership, and Systems Division, Graduate School of Education

• Faculty Director of Civic House
• Senior Research Specialist, CPRE

 Quinn focuses on the intersection of urban education, social movements, and environmental justice. His work explores how environmental factors disproportionately impact low-income and minority communities, particularly in education. Through his research on collective action for climate transitions and student activism for climate justice, Quinn advocates for civic platforms that empower communities to influence policy. His scholarship connects social justice with sustainability, emphasizing equitable reforms in education, housing, and public policy as critical components of addressing environmental and urban inequality.

Michael Weisberg, Bess W. Heyman President’s Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences

• Deputy Director of Perry World House
• Director of the Galápagos Education and Research Alliance
• Department Chair of Philosophy
• Senior advisor, Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the UN
• UN Representative & senior advisor, Fiji & Paula negotiating teams to COP

Weisberg specializes in environmental ethics and the philosophy of science, with a focus on how scientific models are used to understand environmental phenomena. A climate diplomat, climate policy researcher, and experienced academic leader, he has worked to negotiate and achieve collective outcomes in the complex landscape of climate, ocean, and development issues at the highest levels of international diplomacy. An expert on the climate needs of small island developing states, Weisberg was a leading voice in the development of the “mosaic of solutions” for addressing loss and damage due to the adverse impacts of climate change, developed in collaboration with the Maldivian Government and the International Peace Institute, where he is a Non-resident Senior Advisor.

Student Team

Carleigh Douglas, Applied Research Assistant, CHIP 

Carleigh Douglas is an Applied Research Assistant for Climate Initiatives at CHIP, where she is focused on the EII initiative. She is passionate about finding cross-sector opportunities for businesses, nonprofits, and policy organizations to partner together to address climate change. 

Carleigh is a first-year MBA candidate at The Wharton School majoring in Business, Energy, Environment, & Sustainability. Prior to Wharton, she spent eight years at BlackRock across the New York, San Francisco, and London offices working on sustainable investing strategy, with a particular focus on climate resilience and nature-based solutions. 

Evan Zheng, Applied Research Assistant, CHIP

Evan Zheng is senior in the College of Arts & Sciences double majoring in Cognitive Science and Computer Science with a minor in Consumer Psychology. Evan has always had a strong passion for philanthropy, focusing many of his projects on social impact. Through working at CHIP, he hopes to gain a deeper understanding of non-profit work to create a positive impact and support local communities. At Penn, Evan is the VP of Consulting of GRC (Global Research Consulting) and the Head of Marketing and Communication in the Institute of Contemporary Arts Student Board. In his free time, Evan likes to discover new music and go thrifting.