Julia Olson graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, with a J.D. in 1997. For the first part of her 22-year career, Julia represented grassroots conservation groups working to protect the environment, organic agriculture, and human health. After becoming a mother, and realizing the greatest threat to her children and children everywhere was climate change, she focused her work on representing young people and elevating their voices on the issue that will most determine the quality of their lives and the well-being of all future generations. Julia founded Our Children’s Trust in 2010 to lead this strategic legal campaign on behalf of the world’s youth against governments everywhere. Julia leads Juliana v. the United States, the constitutional climate change case brought by 21 youth against the U.S. government for violating their Fifth Amendment rights to life, liberty, property, and public trust resources. Julia and OCT are recipients of the Rose-Walters Prize for Global Environmental Activism. She received the Kerry Rydberg Award for Environmental Activism in 2017 and is a member of Rachel's Network Circle of Advisors. To rejuvenate, Julia loves being high up in the mountains with her family and her dog or playing tunes on her ukulele with friends.

Aubrey is an Oregonian who attended the University of Oregon and earned a B.S. in Environmental studies. After completing an internship with the City of Eugene Parks and Opens Spaces program where she mentored youth in collecting ecological data, Aubrey began her administrative career managing a local sustainable business. She hopes to bring her unique skills and expertise to the mission of Our Children’s Trust. In her down time she can be found tending to her garden, browsing local antique malls and spending time in Oregon’s plentiful natural spaces.

Erin Barnhart grew up in rural Oregon and attended the University of Oregon, earning a B.A. in Geography. An AmeriCorps alum and Fulbright Scholarship recipient, she has also earned a Graduate Certificate in Not-for-Profit Management and a Master of Public Administration from the UO as well as a Ph.D. from Portland State University, where she studied community development and international civic engagement. Erin has spent her career in higher education, public outreach, and community engagement. As Chief Communications Officer, Erin provides strategic vision and leadership for OCT’s efforts to educate, inform, and engage diverse communities around youth-led climate litigation. Her favorite ways to recharge include native plant gardening, hiking with her partner, and not hiking with their many cats.

Nate Bellinger earned a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts before moving to Oregon. After spending three years working as a firefighter, ski instructor, and rafting guide, Nate returned to school and earned a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Oregon. His thesis documented the social and environmental impacts of Ecuador’s commercial tuna fishing industry. Nate then decided to pursue a law degree to develop an additional skill set to fight for solutions to the multitude of injustices in the world, and in 2014, graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law. As a Senior Staff Attorney at Our Children’s Trust, Nate works to protect the constitutional rights of youth to a stable climate system and advocates for science-based solutions to the climate crisis. Nate’s scholarship has been published in the ABA magazine, Natural Resources & Environment, and the Wake Forest Journal of Law & Policy. When not at work, you can find Nate working in his garden, running in the woods, or exploring the Pacific Northwest’s magnificent lakes and forests with his family.

Brittany Brazell received her B.A. in Psychology from Sonoma State University with a focus on child and adolescent psychology, in addition to earning her SHRM-CP certificate. Brittany has ten years of non-profit experience working in mental health, affordable housing, education, and now the human rights legal space as the HR Manager at Our Children’s Trust. She is passionate about working in human-centric environments and supporting individuals, teams, and organizations to function authentically and efficiently while promoting growth and progress. In her spare time, Brittany enjoys all types of music, noodles, and adventures with her husband and son.

Helen has lived in eight U.S. states, but spent most of her childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. She attended the University of Oregon earning a B.A. in International Studies and minors in Business and Spanish. Beginning her career in communications, her work concentrated heavily on social media and content creation in both English and Spanish. She has worked with organizations based in the U.S., Mexico, and Colombia. At Our Children’s Trust, Helen focuses on social media management, community engagement, and media coordination. She is passionate about protecting the natural world around her for future generations and is excited to apply her skills in communications to a cause that is close to her heart. In her spare time, Helen can be found at the beach or playing with her dog, Bubba.

Miyoko Brunner is a native New Yorker who earned a B.A. in Economics from Carleton College. For the past 15+ years, Miyoko has focused on advancing human rights and social justice institutions by establishing robust campaigns, expanding partnerships, and securing philanthropic support. She brought her expertise to not-for-profit organizations such as WITNESS, American Documentary, and now Our Children's Trust, where she will help expand the donor cultivation program to bolster its critical efforts. Miyoko is passionate about protecting the climate for future generations as the mother of a toddler girl who spends her days collecting leaves. Outside of work, Miyoko has volunteered for many charities, including the ELM Project, where she was a Program Director overseeing a volunteer-run camp for HIV/AIDS and sickle cell-affected youth, and the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility in NYC, where she is currently on the Board of Directors. Miyoko spends her spare time surrounded by food - either in the kitchen, with a pile of cookbooks, or sitting around a table with family and friends.

Susan Carey has a Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from the University of California, Berkeley. Since joining Our Children's Trust in 2015, Susan has held a variety of positions supporting the OCT team. In her current role as Litigation Paralegal and Assistant to the Executive Director/Chief Legal Counsel, Susan supports Julia Olson in both an operations and litigation capacity. In her free time, Susan enjoys gardening, hiking, volunteering, and being outdoors with her family.

Anders Carlson has studied climate change and its impacts for over 20 years. He earned a B.A. in Geology and in German from Augustana College, IL, a M.S. in Geology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. in Geology with a minor in Oceanography from Oregon State University. As an academic researcher and professor, Anders focused on ice-sheet and glacier changes, their attendant impacts on sea level and climate, abrupt climate change, and the role of greenhouse gases and Earth’s orbit in driving regional to global climate change. In addition to the lower 48 and the North Atlantic, his field areas included Alaska, Arctic Canada, Greenland, Svalbard, mainland Scandinavia, Patagonia and Antarctica. Anders now uses his broad climate expertise to help bring about meaningful change to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and create a better tomorrow. This passion permeates over into his free time where glaciers hold a special place in his heart and he spends as much time as possible with his family exploring and skiing the alpine zone.

Eillin Delapaz-Aceves is a second-generation Latina, vegan, and Floridian, passionate about using multimedia storytelling as a tool to educate people about climate change and sustainability. She earned her B.A. in English Writing Studies and M.A. in Digital Journalism and Design from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Before coming to Our Children’s Trust, Eillin worked as a freelance writer and videographer. She also taught middle school students about climate science and wildlife conservation via an e-learning platform. At Our Children’s Trust, Eillin’s work is centered around creating inspiring and science-based educational content for social media and the website. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her wife, play with her dachshund, Bear, and spend time in nature.

Elizabeth Dickinson is the Chief Development Officer. She has had the opportunity and honor to advance social justice for over 40 years, working with not-for-profit organizations, foundations, and government agencies. Most recently, Liz served as the Executive Director of the CUNY School of Law Foundation and directed institutional advancement for the nation’s #1 public interest law school. She has strengthened neighborhood-based multi-service settlement houses in New York City and advanced public health programs at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. At Women’s Environmental and Development Organization, she worked with the Rachel Carson Institute in the development of the WASTE (Women Assessing the State of the Environment). At WITNESS, she secured support to launch a human rights program in North America that resulted in the 2010 passage of the Elder Justice Act and in the 2011 TRUST films to advance the mission of Our Children’s Trust. At LatinoJustice, she launched LAWbound® to expand the pathway to law school for Latinos.

She has served on the Boards of the Lower East Side Printshop, HIV Law Project, and Sapna NYC. Liz received her BA from Kenyon College and her MBA in not-for-profit management from Binghamton University.

She enjoys cooking with her adult sons, painting and printmaking, exploring Prospect Park with her lab Luna, and has a lifelong love of Block Island, which the Nature Conservancy has called one of the 12 “Last Great Places.”

Mat dos Santos is the General Counsel and Managing Attorney at Our Children’s Trust. Mat currently oversees the legal program at Our Children’s Trust, which brings climate litigation on behalf of youth in federal and state courts in the United States and tribunals across the globe. Prior to joining Our Children’s Trust, Mat served as the legal director at the ACLU of Oregon and worked on a variety of civil rights issues including LGBT rights, immigration, and criminal justice reform. Mat is currently on the board of directors at the Transgender Law Center, Latino Network, and the Chosen Family Law Center. When they are not busy fighting for basic human rights, Mat loves spending time writing music and climbing mountains with their partner Clay and two dogs Aela and Tuco.

Stephanie is a native Texan. She started her career in criminal defense and spent the last ten years focusing on labor and employment matters on both the plaintiff and defense side at the state and federal level. As a native Spanish speaker, Stephanie taught ESL to students through a local community organization and appreciates devoting time to volunteering with various non-profit organizations. When not helping the team at Our Children's Trust advocate for a safer climate, Stephanie enjoys camping and hiking national and state parks, swimming, live music, and writing.

Laura Gehrke grew up in the sunny state of Florida. She attended Florida State University, earning a B.S. in Hospitality Management. Laura began her career as an event professional in 2012, and received the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation in 2016. She is passionate about sustainability, and increasing awareness of the vulnerability of island nations due to the climate crisis. At Our Children’s Trust, Laura plans, promotes, and facilitates events to educate and engage the community in youth-led efforts for climate litigation. Laura enjoys bread-making, classic cinema, camping, and hiking.

Since 2010, Phil Gregory has served as Of Counsel with OCT on a pro bono basis, all while maintaining his litigation practice with the Gregory Law Group. Phil’s representative cases litigated issues like title to real property on the California coast and decades-long groundwater contamination, while his pro bono trial work has addressed flooding during Hurricane Katrina, preserving old growth redwoods in Richardson Grove, and saving Coho salmon in the Smith River. In 1976, Phil obtained his B.A. from Bowdoin College, graduating magna cum laude in two majors. In 1980, Phil obtained his J.D. and M.B.A. from Santa Clara University. He is a Master of the Bench and former past President with the Hon. William Ingram American Inn of Court. He is also a Fellow with the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and a member with the American Board of Trial Advocates. For 16 years in a row, Phil has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by superlawyer.com. Phil loves backpacking, tending his vineyard, spending time in Maine, and playing with his grandchildren, Alice (pictured), Lincoln, and John Jr.

Based in the Washington, D.C. area, Liz develops and executes strategies to advance Our Children’s Trust’s strategic legal campaign with policymakers in the legislative and executive branches. She leads OCT’s congressional work on Capitol Hill and continues to increase the organization’s presence in D.C. Worried about the world that would be left behind for her young niece, she pursued her passion to protect the planet and step-up to diversify leadership within the climate movement. A part of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and as its Director of Maryland Volunteer Outreach, she successfully mobilized and empowered communities during the historic fracking ban and clean energy jobs legislative state campaigns. Liz graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University and received her J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Maryland. She enjoys paddling in dragon boat races, eating on self-guided food tours, and meditating.

As Press Director, John oversees most external communications on behalf of Our Children’s Trust, and manages interactions with the media. Hailing from upstate New York before heading to the Big Apple, John has over 15 years of experience in communications and media relations across several sectors, including government, nonprofit, and legal education, to name just a few. He holds a master’s in Creative Writing from Goddard College and a bachelor’s in English from SUNY Geneseo. He most recently served as senior manager of public relations at the American Foundation for the Blind. In addition to advocating for a safer climate, John spends his free time reading, cooking, and spending time outdoors. He is also a bad movie connoisseur.

Kelly has been a human rights lawyer for over 20 years. She graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1999 and then began her career working at the intersection of environment and human rights in Tanzania. Upon returning from East Africa, Kelly found herself working to protect the landscapes of the western U.S. from fossil fuel development. Kelly then took a break from law to pursue an M.F.A. in Science and Natural History Filmmaking from Montana State University. This is how she met Our Children’s Trust. In 2010 Kelly was leading the North American program for the international human rights organization, WITNESS, and as part of her work she partnered with OCT to create a ten-part film series, Stories of TRUST, elevating the voices of OCT’s youth plaintiffs. Once this partnership ended, Kelly stepped onto OCT’s Board while traveling the world teaching communities how to use video to document grave international crimes and devastating human and environmental rights violations. Kelly now heads up all of the global work at Our Children’s Trust. In her off time, she can be found with her dogs, Tingo and Charley, rowing or paddle boarding around the canals of Amsterdam or biking the tens of thousands of miles of bike paths throughout Europe.

Laura Mebert earned her JD from the University of Michigan Law School. She also has a PhD in social anthropology from the University of Manchester (UK) and a Master’s degree from CIESAS-Sureste (Mexico). Laura came to the law after a prior career as a social anthropologist who studied large-scale injustices, including poverty-wage jobs, Coca-Cola’s privatization of water, and fossil-fuel expansion amidst the climate crisis. Her research focused especially on how grassroots movements can hold power structures accountable. Because courts play a crucial role in protecting fundamental rights, she left her job as a tenure-track assistant professor of social sciences at Kettering University to join the legal fight for children’s right to a livable climate. Laura enjoys vegan cooking, watching the plants and animals in her yard thrive, and hanging out with her spouse.

Michelle Miller graduated with her Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies. After 13 years of experience as a Paralegal, she found her way to OCT. Michelle lives in Iowa with her husband and two children. Michelle can be found outdoors camping, hiking, and boating in the summer and cuddled up reading in the winter.

Andrea is Senior Litigation Attorney at Our Children’s Trust, where she represents youth in climate change cases against governments and serves as co-counsel in the lawsuit Juliana v. United States and as counsel of record in Navahine v. State of Hawai`i, Aji P. v. State of Washington, and Reynolds v. State of Florida. Andrea also supports a number of OCT’s other state and global cases, including La Rose v. Her Majesty the Queen in Canada. Andrea led the effort in the state of Florida on a petition for rulemaking filed by over 200 children that resulted in renewable energy goals for the state. After graduating from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1998 and Arizona State University School of Law in 2001, where she served as co-Executive Editor of Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science and Technology, Andrea clerked for the Hon. John C. Gemmill on the Arizona Court of Appeals. Prior to joining OCT, she has served as an Honors Attorney for the U.S. Department of Transportation, In-House Legal Counsel for the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, and Staff Attorney for the Western Environmental Law Center.

Brianna received a B.S. in Criminal Justice with a minor in Statistics from the University of Central Florida 2013. After graduating, she worked as a paraprofessional in a special education school, working specifically with students with autism. These experiences led Brianna to seek ways to fight systemic injustices perpetrated against vulnerable individuals. On that path, Brianna obtained a J.D. from Brigham Young University in 2019. Prior to joining Our Children’s Trust, Brianna worked for a small firm in Southeast Idaho. Her practice focused on immigration removal defense and appeals as well as criminal defense for indigent individuals. When she is not working, Brianna enjoys spending time with her family, trying to learn new languages, reading, taking walks, and practicing yoga.

David Schwartz is a native of sunny Southern California, but has lived across the United States. He earned his B.A. in History from the University of Michigan in 2012 and his J.D. from Duke University School of Law in 2015. David has worked exclusively in the non-profit environmental and public interest law sphere since graduating law school, with stints at Duke Law's Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and Georgetown Institute for Public Representation (Environmental Law and Justice Clinic). During these positions, he worked on a wide array of environmental, administrative, and freedom of information law matters - most notably working on amicus curiae briefs on behalf of coalitions of public health organizations in two D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals cases challenging Trump Administration Clean Air Act rollbacks. Now as a Staff Attorney at Our Children's Trust, David works on a range of matters for OCT's litigation in state and federal cases. In his free time, David enjoys playing guitar and harmonica, walking and training his rescued pit-mix, Cooper, hiking, and going on long bike rides.

Kelly is a proud Oregonian who grew up on his family’s farm just outside of Eugene. He recently graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Finance. During his studies, Kelly discovered an interest in small businesses and non-profits, recognizing the transformative power these organizations possess. While at Portland State, Kelly also recognized the law as a tool to change and understand the world. With these interests in mind, Kelly looks to find a career at the intersection of law and change.

As an undergraduate, Kelly followed his passion for running as a member of the school's cross-country and track teams. When he isn't running, he enjoys exploring the world around him through traveling and almost every outdoor activity.

Andrew Welle earned his J.D. at the University of Oregon School of Law in 2013 with a concentration in environmental law. Following law school, Andrew worked as an associate in a nationwide AM 100 law firm for two years before accepting a post-grad fellowship with Oregon Law's Environmental and Natural Resource Center, where his scholarship focused on multinational trade agreements, environmental sovereignty, and the Public Trust Doctrine. Afterwards, Andrew worked with Blue River Law on Endangered Species Act, NEPA, Clean Water Act, and Freedom of Information suits, and on additional matters as a sole practitioner, including representing the League of Women Voters as amici in Juliana v. United States. As a senior staff attorney with Our Children's Trust, Andrew works on both federal and state efforts, including drafting briefs in Juliana and serving as counsel in Sagoonick v. State of Alaska, and Aji P. v. State of Washington. In his free time, Andrew enjoys backpacking, trail running, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and playing in the local band, the Garden Weasels.