Alayna Jenkins

Alayna recently graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy and is currently interning at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. She is also a youth leader for C40 cities climate hub. At Harvard, Alayna was recognized as a Future Climate Leader for the class of 2023 and named an Emerging Climate Leader by Harvard's Salata Institute. During her time, Alayna co-led Harvard's Office for Sustainability Resource Efficiency Program, educating the student body on environmental issues such as energy, water, and food waste. Her role also included working with Harvard's administration to help make facilities and operations more sustainable. As a student, Alayna contributed to various environmental research projects. As part of her senior capstone project, she explored the intersection of climate change and mental health. Furthermore, she analyzed freezer data for Harvard Green labs, collecting information on the energy usage of Harvard's refrigeration systems. Alayna was also a Harvard delegate at COP27 and part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's youth constituency. Recognized as a campus climate leader, she was chosen to moderate a discussion with climate advocate Senator Ed Markey at the Institute of Politics. While in school, she served three years as President of the Board for the Missouri Biodiversity Project, a conservation site led by young people with over 100 plant species. She was also a former fellow at the Open Environmental Data Project, which aims to make environmental data accessible to all.