Rebeca joined the Ecology Center in June 2026 and brings over a decade of experience in environmental justice policy, organizational and program development, and strategic planning. Prior to joining the Ecology Center, Rebeca led organization-wide strategic initiatives to enhance overall impact and efficiency at the National Wildlife Federation in addition to leading efforts to institutionalize environmental justice principles across all Federation practices, policies, and programs. Rebeca also built capacity among the Federation to participate and support an environmental and climate justice agenda through relationship building, project development, and fundraising. She also analyzed federal and state legislation and programs to develop policy proposals to ensure fair and equitable impacts and benefits for communities of color and communities of lower wealth. At the onset of her career, Rebeca worked in a community-based organization managing diesel emission reduction assistance programs for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the United States Environmental Protection Agency while representing the organization in a variety of community-based participatory research projects geared towards reducing air pollution in the city of Detroit.
Rebeca earned a Master of Science in Environmental Justice, Policy, and Planning and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning in Land Use and Development from the University of Michigan.