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On Tuesday, April 23rd Tufts Environmental Alumni hosted an evening lecture and networking reception featuring guest speaker Michelle DePass, Assistant Administrator for the Office of International and Tribal Affairs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Ms. DePass is an expert on environmental and social justice issues, including negotiating on behalf of community groups and advocating for better environmental policy at both the national and international levels.

TIE_Michelle DePass

Michelle DePass came to EPA after serving as an Environment and Community Development Program Officer at the Ford Foundation. As Program Officer, she was responsible for supporting the development of sound environmental policies and practices in the local, national, and international arenas. As Assistant Administrator, she leads EPA’s international and tribal portfolios, and is responsible for the full range of EPA’s environmental policy development and program implementation in tribal lands and in sovereign nations outside of U.S. borders. In this capacity, DePass represents the EPA within the United States government and works with tribal governments, foreign governments, and international organizations on matters relating to the environment. DePass is a lawyer, public administrator, and policy maker who has worked with environmental and human and civil rights organizations, academic institutions, and labor. She has also worked in all levels of government, including city, state, and federal. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Tufts University, her law degree from Fordham University School of Law, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Baruch College School of Public Affairs.