The Board of Directors of the Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science (Public Lab) is very excited to announce its new Executive Director, Jordan Macha. She began her position in this role on April 19, and is succeeding Public Lab co-founder and founding Executive Director Shannon Dosemagen, who departed in 2020.

Macha brings deep experience in community building and leadership in the environmental justice field to Public Lab. In her recent position as Executive Director of Bayou City Waterkeeper, Macha helmed efforts with community partners on wetlands protection and clean water advocacy. As a founding member of the Coalition for Environment, Equity, and Resilience, her team partnered with community leaders and diverse organizations focusing on Hurricane Harvey and flood recovery in the Greater Houston area, encouraging the region to adopt equitable resiliency models to holistically serve its residents. Through her previous work with Healthy Gulf and the Sierra Club, Macha advanced coastal restoration and clean energy priorities across the Gulf region. She received her Master's of Public Administration with an emphasis on Coastal & Urban Water Management and Policy from Texas State University.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the community and staff of Public Lab," says Jordan Macha. "Building on the tremendous momentum of the last eleven years, Public Lab is well-equipped to develop its vision to advance community science and empower knowledge producers to make positive change. I'm excited to join the incredible team of staff, volunteer leaders, and diverse community partners working to make impactful environmental change worldwide."

"The Public Lab Board of Directors is proud to welcome Jordan Macha to this leadership role at such a crucial moment for community advocacy to advance environmental justice," says Board of Directors chairperson Janet Haven. "Her career is proof of an unwavering support for the protection and empowerment of communities, and the board looks forward to Jordan's experience, passion, and leadership shaping the future of our work together."

Macha was influential in the Resilient Houston Plan in incorporating natural infrastructure and equitable nature-centered solutions into its Living with Water strategy, working to future-proof the region's water systems by improving its wastewater facilities and championing policies to protect wetlands and floodplains. She currently serves as the Harris County representative for the H-GAC Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and the environmental representative for the Texas Water Development Board's Region 3 Flood Planning Group. Partnering with Harris County, Jordan and her partners are working with county leadership to embrace an equity-centric and holistic approach to flooding, furthering the advancement of comprehensive, intersectional projects that put people over profits and embrace nature-based solutions.

Shannon Dosemagen notes of the announcement, "I'm thrilled to welcome Jordan to Public Lab. I believe she is the right person to lead the organization into its second decade, building on our legacy of supporting communities in using science and open technology to support their environmental goals."