Mia MacDonald

Mia MacDonald serves as an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies in the College of Arts and Science at New York University and is the Executive Director of Brighter Green, a New York-based public policy action tank. Her work bridges environmental policy, animal welfare, and sustainable development with global impact through policy recommendations adopted internationally and integration into academic curricula worldwide.

Education:

• Master's in Public Policy (International Development) from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government
• B.A. in English (with honors) from Columbia University, including a year at Oxford University

MacDonald's research examines critical intersections between environmental systems, animal welfare, and sustainable development frameworks. Her policy analyses address climate justice, food systems, and biodiversity conservation, reflected in contributions to Wangari Maathai's "Unbowed" and Vanessa Nakate's "A Bigger Picture". She develops actionable recommendations through Brighter Green that influence both policy venues and academic discourse globally.

As an educator, she has designed and taught graduate and undergraduate courses at New York University and Columbia University, creating specialized curricula in environmental studies. Her policy work through Brighter Green has been implemented in international networks and startup initiatives across multiple continents.

MacDonald leads Brighter Green's research team while maintaining board leadership positions including current service on the Africa Network for Animal Welfare-U.S. board, and former chair roles for the Green Belt Movement-International and Culture & Animals Foundation. She previously served on boards of Farm Sanctuary and the Food Empowerment Project.