Profiles of Members of EPA's LGBT Community: Andrew Reighart
Profiles of Members of EPA's LGBT Community
Office of Atmospheric Programs
Office of Air and Radiation
Washington, DC
Where were you born?
Baltimore, MD
What brought you to EPA?
I started at EPA as a Greater Research Opportunities for Undergraduates Fellow over the summer of 2012, where I worked in the Office of Global Affairs & Policy within the Office of International & Tribal Affairs supporting Administrator Lisa Jackson’s participation at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) and the agency’s Arctic Council portfolio.
Describe the type of work you do at EPA.
I work to implement the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule and the Acid Rain Program to reduce power plant pollution and meet the Clean Air Act’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Specifically, I help to allocate allowances, run pollution allowance auctions, and ensure program compliance. Outside of my core role, I also am co-chair of Equality EPA, the non-labor employee group (NLEG) for LGBTQ+ folx and allies, a member of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Council (DIAC) and a volunteer for the Response Support Corps, which sends staff members on short-term emergency response deployments during large-scale disasters.
What is your highest level of education? What was your major?
I earned my Masters of Public Policy from the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, where I completed the environmental policy and international security & economic policy specializations. Prior to that, I attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where I majored in Public Policy Studies and Political Science and minored in Biology, Environmental Studies, Economics, and French – a truly liberal arts experience!
What message would you like to send other members of the LGBTQ community who are considering college or a career in environmental protection?
If you are interested in working at EPA to protect the environment and human health, I would suggest trying to complete a bachelor’s degree and/or engage in professional opportunities that give you a background in both science and policy. Information technology and computer science are also increasingly necessary skill sets needed for developing and implementing environmental policy in the 21st century. Certainly earning a Masters, JD, and/or PhD can be incredibly useful to a career here at EPA, but don’t feel like a graduate education is required to be a valuable resource to the agency. And as it pertains to the visibility and inclusion of LGBTQ+ folx and allies, EPA is simply one of the best agencies to work for – come join us!