Our Team

Dr. Dorceta Taylor is a distinguished professor at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE). She oversees the programming and strategic development for the Environmental Fellows program at the University of Michigan. She authored the most comprehensive report on diversity in the mainstream environmental movement, “Diversity in the Environmental Institutions: Mainstream NGOS, Foundations & Government Agencies,” commissioned by Green 2.0, which called for programs like DDCSP to diversify the conservation workforce. She is also the author of three books focused on environmental history and environmental justice.

Molly Blondell oversees various aspects of the Environmental Fellows Program. She brings research experience focused on the politicization of natural resources and land access, decarbonization, and the development of policy interventions to reduce cumulative air pollution impacts experienced by frontline communities.  Molly holds a Master of Science from the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (where she also was a part of the 2019 cohort of EFP), and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago. Outside of her research and work, she is an avid runner and a Judge for the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt.

Ivy Ortiz, Program Manager 

Ivy Ortiz graduated from the University of Michigan, School for Environment and Sustainability, with a master’s degree in Environmental Justice. Aside from administrative and mentoring roles, their expertise lies in using quantitative research methods within R, Geographic Information Systems, and Remote Sensing applications. When they aren’t busy programming, they enjoy cross-country running, boxing, gardening, cooking, and playing with their adopted, sassy cat Wanda.