The Real Mother Nature

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s leader Lisa P. Jackson, 49, has some impressive connections. As the first African American to hold the post of the EPA’s Administrator, she was invited to her current position through a personal invitation from President Obama in 2008.

The New Orleans native, wife and mother of two began at an entry-level position at the EPA and worked her way up over the course of 16 years, cultivating a deep passion for both environmental issues and passing eco-friendly laws. She now manages a staff of more than 17,000 employees from her office in D.C. She spoke exclusively to PINK about blazing trails, what drives her to succeed and where she got her passion for the environment.

PINK: How do you balance Life/Work?

LJ: Young women today are so much more fortunate than our mothers. Some of the extraordinary women of my mom’s generation were the first ones out there working. They didn’t have cell phones or computers that can transport your desk to anywhere in the world. They weren’t able to be in touch with their children through a text message or Skype. Those are the tools that have made it possible for me.

PINK: What has been your proudest accomplishment at EPA?

LJ: Expanding conversations on environmentalism. Whether you’re talking about groups that have never really engaged in environmental issues or about the fact that I am the first African American to lead the agency. I want to make sure that when people think of the EPA, they know we’re not just about traditional environmental groups. The work we do supports communities that believe we have a moral obligation to take care of our planet and pass it to our children.

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By Caroline Cox

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we
borrow it from our children. “ Native American Proverb