About Us – Climate Access

Mission

Climate Access builds the political and public support needed to advance bold action by developing effective communication and engagement strategies.

Vision

Climate Access aims to help catalyze the social transformation needed to tackle the climate crisis by engaging the public as partners in co-exploring climate risks and co-creating solutions through values-based storytelling and equitable and inclusive citizen engagement.

Support our work

Climate Access is a pioneer in climate communications. Since 2011, we have built a highly diverse global network of climate leaders who are using our tools and guidance and have worked with partner organizations and government agencies to reach beyond the choir and generate broad and diverse support for climate action. This includes shifting the public discourse around critical issues from adapting to climate impacts to making the clear case for a phase out of fossil fuels and fair and fast energy transition. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we couldn’t do this work without you. Please consider making a donation today.

Donate

Approach

Climate Access is a U.S. based organization that serves a global membership in close partnership with our Canadian-based sister organization, Re.Climate. Climate Access engages the public as partners in developing and implementing solutions that address the climate crisis and meet the needs of communities including those most impacted by the impacts of climate change and the transition to clean energy and low-carbon economies. Climate Access does this through the creation and testing of new communication and engagement strategies in partnership with nonprofits and government agencies that draw from research and best practices in the field and by increasing the capacity of a diverse range of messengers to apply what’s working in their outreach efforts via a 4,000 member plus learning network representing nonprofit, government, academic, community, health, youth Indigenous and other leaders.

Climate Access has a long track record overcoming pervasive barriers to action and political divides by creating and amplifying values-based frames and narratives and inclusive engagement campaigns. Whether working on local, regional, state, national or international issues, we focus on making climate change relatable and generating the social capital needed for change from the community level up.

Programs

Learn more about our three program areas: Strategic Framing & Storytelling, Activation & Engagement, and Capacity Building.

Explore our collection of Climate Access publications: Deepen your understanding of climate communication and engagement through our practical tools and guidance

Our Team

Cara Pike

Executive Director

Cara Pike is the founder and executive director of Climate Access. Cara is a pioneer and leading thinker in climate communications. With more than two decades of experience, Cara’s expertise has been sought by nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and government agencies including the City of Boston, the State of Vermont, EPA, FEMA, Urban Sustainability Directors Network, Union of Concerned Scientists and others. She regularly advises government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Her studies and toolkits on environmental engagement translate complex issues into actionable strategies that are helping thousands of climate advocates more effectively frame sustainability issues and promote behavior change. Cara is also Co-Founder and Senior Communication Advisor to Climate Access’s partner organization, Re.Climate.

Meredith Herr

Deputy Director

Meredith (she/her) plays a lead role in the production and curation of strategic communications and outreach tools for climate leaders. Her enthusiasm for the field began during her time at Earthjustice where she investigated the social values that influence environmental engagement. Previously, Meredith explored the dynamics of personal and societal transformation with grassroots social change leaders as an assistant research scientist at the Research Center for Leadership in Action. Meredith has a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Vassar College and a Masters of Public Administration in Public Policy Analysis from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.