Zelalem Adefris

Zelalem Adefris is currently the CEO of Catalyst Miami, assuming this role in April 2023 after serving as its vice president of policy and advocacy and deputy CEO. She continues her commitment to identifying and addressing issues that disproportionately affect low-income communities throughout Miami-Dade County, Florida. Since joining the organization in 2016, Adefris has held various leadership roles, including overseeing the policy and engagement department and leading the climate resilience programs and advocacy work. Her past professional roles include environmental justice organizing at the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island and conducting emergency preparedness research for the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Adefris holds an MPH in global environmental health from Emory University and a bachelor's degree in community health from Brown University. In addition to her position at Catalyst Miami, she holds several important roles in the field. She is a co-chair of the Miami Climate Alliance and a philanthropic trustee of The Solutions Project. She also serves on the boards of the Miami-Dade College Earth Ethics Institute and the Miami-Dade County Community Action Agency.

Her leadership and dedication have been recognized on several occasions. Most notably, she was named a 2020 Grist 50 Fixer and was a finalist for the 2020 Florida International University Emerging Leader award. In 2017, she received the Miami Times New Generation of Dreamers award. In addition, she was recognized as a 2023 Rockwood Leadership Institute Fellow.