Our Team

Sergio Cahueque joined the team after graduating from College of the Atlantic in the spring of 2017, where he focused his studies on Environmental Sciences and Social Studies. At college Sergio had the opportunity to engage with Earth in Brackets, a student-led organization that explores the overlaps between environmental justice and social justice. During this time Sergio attended meetings under the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change, where he collaborated with grassroots and policy-led organizations working under the climate justice movement. After his experience with international environmental policy and inspired by the grassroots and popular movements in Latin America, Sergio decided to go back to Guatemala (his home country) and conduct ethnographic research for his undergraduate thesis. Sergio spent three months conducting research in La Puya, a peaceful resistance movement made by communities in San Jose del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc. These communities are in resistance against a U.S.-sponsored gold mine that poses a threat to their health by poisoning with arsenic the already scarce water. As an organizer Sergio is committed to creating spaces and providing tools for people to speak up and take action against social and environmental injustices. Sergio believes that to foster a healthy environment and a healthy and honest democracy we need to work from the bottom-up.

Lydia manages our contact database and researches donors, funders, and activists in support of our fund development and digital organizing teams. She also works to run data reports to measure progress and plan projects and programs, manages special projects, such as use of external data sets, to support organizational needs, and participates on the Development Team, coordinating with program teams and management to support related data management. She hold a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Informaitcs from the CUNY New Yory City College of Technology. When she isn't looking at data, Lydia can be found outside in NYC parks with her daughter Luna, or holding a nintendo switch and playing video games, or sitting at a tropical beach.

Emily Carey Perez de Alejo, BS (Cook College - Environmental Policy, Political Science, Public Health), NJ REHS, is the inaugural President and Chief Executive Officer of Defend Our Health.  She previously served as the Program Manager/Director for Community Partnerships and Strategy at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey’s Cancer Health Equity Center of Excellence and was instrumental in developing and guiding the implementation of ScreenNJ, a novel statewide cancer screening program. Emily led ScreenNJ's integration and bi-directional collaboration with healthcare agencies and community organizations regardless of health system affiliation to increase utilization of resources and improve equitable access to screening for subpopulations facing significant barriers to evidence-based cancer prevention and screening. Prior to her time at the Rutgers Cancer Institute, Emily worked for over a decade in Rutgers Cooperative Extension at the Office of Continuing Professional Education, coordinating and leading environmental and public health grants, educational initiatives, and process improvement efforts. She is an experienced grant program director with both a strong regulatory and policy background and a deep passion for equity and evidence-based practice implementation. Emily has spearheaded evidence-based program implementation and improvement, instructional design and professional education initiatives, and assessment and evaluation projects in public health, healthcare, and environmental health (including work with the New Jersey Department of Health, Department of Environmental Protection, the American Academy of Pediatrics NJ Chapter, and both state and national public health and healthcare organizations). Her background further includes extensive experience in community stakeholder engagement, translation of research into practice, and equity-focused systems change. 

Meet Lani Defiesta (they/them), a dynamic individual bringing a whirlwind of passion, expertise, and innovation to the realm of health advocacy. Lani joins Defend with a background of 7+ years of development experience and 10+ years of community and labor organizing experience. Lani received their degree in Economics & Public Policy from Western Washington University, and is a force to be reckoned with, melding analytical prowess with a burning desire for positive change. Stepping into Defend our Health's Director of Development and Community Engagement role, Lani is dedicated to pushing boundaries within fundraising and building community. Outside of Defend, Lani is a Co-Founder of Theory of Change, an avant-garde organization that prioritizes resource mobilization and community building, through orchestrating monthly music-centered fundraising events that support local organizations and mutual aid. They currently reside in Brooklyn, NY with their partner and their little chihuahua, Coco.

As the Office Manager, Stephanie facilitates organizational efficiency and provides support to the Defend team and works to take care of the details so the important work of Defend can move forward. She brings a passion for the intersection of environmental toxins and their impact on climate and human health, and is excited to be stepping into the non-profit sector. Previously, Stephanie was both an environmental bench chemist and high school science teacher. She holds an MA in Education and BS in Biology. When she is not working, she can be found wrangling her three kids out in nature, playing in the garden, or wandering in the woods.

Abby leverages her years of development experience to lead strategic fundraising efforts that ensure Defend Our Health will continue to grow and advocate for a toxic-free future. Through her work, our supporters remain committed to ensuring the long-term success of our organization. Her efforts strive to bring new community donors to Defend Our Health in order to build overall funding revenue and allow for greater advocacy and program work to be done. Abby helps to coordinate and execute budget plans for multiple fundraising programs, including individual giving, grants, events, and corporate sponsorships. When she is not working, you can find Abby on the water sailing or hiking in upstate New York with her partner, Tom, and her rescue dog, Tots.

As the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Taylor (she/her) leads both state and national-level strategic communications efforts for Defend Our Health. She focuses on the advancement of strategic issue campaigns and lifts grassroots voices to address the root causes of environmental injustice and harm to human health and the planet from toxic chemicals and plastic pollution. Before joining Defend Our Health, Taylor held various positions working at the intersection of strategic communications, outreach, and media for presidential and senatorial campaigns, fundraising and event firms, and media and production companies, primarily focusing on sociopolitical issues and strategic storytelling. Most recently, Taylor served as the Corporate Communications Manager for a PR and crisis communications agency where she developed a strategic communications and marketing plan to amplify the brand and handled media relations, digital media, and outreach. An accomplished communications leader and storyteller, Taylor has been dedicated to bringing attention to grassroots movements, organizations, and individuals who are creating progressive change in the fight towards equity and justice across various coalition movements. Taylor earned a B.A. in Sociology with a specialization in Justice, Public Policy, and Youth Advocacy and an M.A. in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University. In her free time, Taylor can be found playing a little too much Call of Duty or planning her next international adventure.

Adam worked for eleven years as an organic vegetable and grain farmer as the co-owner/manager of Songbird Farm in Unity, Maine. The farm focused on local markets, heritage grains and community involvement as pathways to strengthen a sense of place and history. Nordell feels that the local food movement gives people a direct, tangible stake in the health of their local ecosystems. In late 2021, Adam and his wife Johanna discovered severe PFAS chemical contamination of their land, drinking & irrigation water and their bodies. The discovery led to an immediate, voluntary closure of farm operations and launched Adam into an advocacy role, fighting for impacted communities and against continued contamination. He is excited to continue this work as part of the Defend Our Health team, where he will be organizing with people impacted by PFAS and advocating for a responsible, impactful allocation of state resources to support those communities. Adam has a BA in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic. When he is not thinking about industrial chemical contamination, Adam can be found singing lonesome ballads with Johanna, exploring the Maine coast and hill country or looking for salamanders with his son Lulu.

As Director of Campaigns and Programs at Defend Our Health, Maya leads our national efforts to rid consumer products of toxic chemicals and draw down the demand for needless toxic plastics, and to advocate for tighter pollution controls on plastics production. Prior to joining Defend Our Health, Maya worked as a corporate campaigner with Stand.earth where she helped move some of the world’s biggest fashion brands to clean up their deadly climate pollution in supply chains, from burning fossil fuels to using them to make fabrics. Maya received a M.S. in Environmental Studies and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Oregon and she loves to explore the intersection between human organization and biological processes in order to improve our communities, health, and the world we live in. She believes in punching up and holding the most powerful to account. When not pushing for change, she can be found with her family, cooking, or in her garden. If she can’t be found she’s probably in the woods or in a boat.

As the Senior Director of Research, Trisha works to both ensure scientific integrity and lead the scientific strategy behind Defend's work by conducting rigorous research and data analysis. Trisha received her B.A. in Cognitive Neuroscience from UC Berkeley and her PhD in Neuroscience from UC San Francisco. Trisha's passion for environmental health grew from her postdoctoral work, completed at Duke University, where she studied how prenatal exposure to air pollution affects brain development. Trisha has always been passionate about the power of science in shaping policy and worked with various science policy organizations like NSPN and Virginia Scientist-Community Interface. In her free time, Trisha is likely busy with her most recent crafting project or watching bad reality TV (often at the same time).

As the VP of Policy and Advocacy, Sarah spearheads Defend Our Health’s advocacy and coalition work. She works closely with legislators, coalition partners, and supporters to advance Defend's mission of fighting for​ ​safe products, food and drinking water, and sustainable, green jobs. Sarah brings with her over 15 years of experience in the advocacy and communications realms. Prior to joining Defend Our Health, Sarah spent eight years with the Anti-Defamation League as part of their Government Relations, Advocacy and Community Engagement team. She advocated on behalf of the League with Members of Congress, government agencies, and national coalitions, focusing on immigration and reproductive justice issues. She also worked at Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) as part of the media team, helping to advance PPFA’s mission of care, no matter what. Sarah has an M.A. in Applied Politics from American University and a B.S. in Political Science from Portland State University. She also holds a certificate from American University’s Public Affairs and Advocacy Institute as well as their Women and Public Policy Institute. In her spare time, you can find Sarah either in the movie theater or planning her next travel adventure with friends.