Environmental Justice Committee

Robert Alvis

Robert Alvis is a social studies teacher at Williams High School. This is his ninth year teaching there. His passion for environmental justice and climate change extends from his study of AP Environmental Science in high school and a Sustainable Development minor in Appalachian State University. Currently, he teaches about climate change as a political issue in the Civic Literacy courses at the high school level. He is passionate about environmental history and encouraging the integration of environmental justice in social studies curriculums. In his free time he enjoys hiking, camping, juggling, and archery.

Ruthann McComb

Ruthann McComb is a science teacher at Elkin High School. Her 29 years as a career science educator have provided many opportunities to explore various aspects of environmental science and environmental justice, at the local, state, and national level. She is a NC Climate Fellow, NC Energy Literacy Fellow, Switch Classroom Teacher Advisor, AP Environmental Science Exam Leader, and has explored natural environments in Japan, Costa Rica, Iceland, and Canada. Ruthann is a North Carolina native and grew up “next door” to the birthplace of the environmental justice movement.  She is passionate about reducing the harmful ecological and health effects of past policies and actions, and works toward that end by educating students and adults in formal and informal settings. Ruthann enjoys traveling, hiking, chasing waterfalls, kayaking estuaries, and soccer. 

Dr. Emma Refvem

Dr. Emma Refvem, NBCT is the 6-12 Science Curriculum Specialist for Durham Public Schools and a certified North Carolina Environmental Educator. She taught Earth & Environmental Science and AP Environmental Science at Riverside High School from 2010 to 2018, where she worked to make environmental science relevant and accessible to all students. She has been deeply involved in environmental education efforts, partnering with the Institute for the Environment at UNC Chapel Hill as a program teacher, NC Climate Fellow, and Energy Literacy Fellow. In her district leadership position, she currently supports middle and high school science teachers in integrating environmental literacy, culturally responsive teaching, and scientific sensemaking into their classrooms. Passionate about the intersections of education, equity, and environmental justice, she believes in empowering students and teachers to take action. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, reading for fun, and playing outside with her family.

Lily Anderson

Lily Anderson is a third grade teacher at Hillandale Elementary in Durham Public Schools. In addition to classroom teaching, she has worked with and designed environmental education programs in Wyoming, Seattle, and abroad for 8 years. She is passionate about providing young students with the opportunity to develop a connection with nature, as well as a sense of agency in the changing climate and environmental realities of their communities. In her free time, Lily enjoys camping, traveling, and making things.