Dr. Tiffany Wise-West’s passion for environmental and civil engineering began young, during a formative visit to a local water treatment facility after being named “youth water commissioner” for the day. She found herself engrossed in the water purification process taking place in the local river, and how technology could be leveraged to turn a natural resource into something easily accessible by a simple tap. As if by fate, Dr. Wise-West later engaged in a research program at that very river, but this time, her work with invasive mollusks expanded her interest in restoring damaged ecosystems. This marked the beginning of an illustrious career in the environmental sphere, ranging from her prolific grant-writing projects to her policy development and implementation efforts.

Dr. Wise-West is a UCSC alumna who received her MA and Ph.D. in Environmental Studies. She has been the City of Santa Cruz’s Sustainability and Resiliency Officer for over eight years, which speaks volumes to her commitment to our communities’ eco-health. She has worked within various sectors, including academic, public, and private, to create change accessible to all organizational actors contributing indirectly or directly to the climate crisis.

In addition to championing environmental advocacy and policy, Dr. Wise-West centers on diversity and inclusion in all her initiatives. Her work on the Health in All Policies (2019) initiative looks at the intersection of housing affordability and climate resilience to create a more equitable community for every Santa Cruz resident. In the wake of the natural disasters that have hit our city, leaders like Dr. Wise-West have been evaluating their larger role in the climate crisis.

How Santa Cruz Protects Its Coast

For the past few years, storms have ravaged the 4.5-mile stretch of Santa Cruz coastline. Dr. Wise-West has been at the forefront of the City’s efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and coastal damage amidst these natural disasters. Her role in Santa Cruz’s Climate Action Plan 2030 gives her an informed and critical perspective on how local government plans to instate change that directly impacts all residents and surrounding communities. She will present the city’s approach to promoting coastal resiliency at Blue Innovation Day on October 6th from 1:00 PM to 1:45 PM.

A glimpse into Santa Cruz’s 2030 plan reveals a community-driven initiative to implement rapid change proactively and collaboratively. The report is guided by five key values: equity (in all respects), accessible transit and infrastructure, efficient and low-carbon energy and water, protection of natural resources and parks, and elimination of food waste. Santa Cruz has already made numerous impressive strides toward creating a more sustainable community; for starters, the city reports that they expanded solar energy to 3,567 residents and 116 businesses between 2008 and 2019 and covered 37% of municipal building energy consumption using renewable energy. The city plans to take up 152 community action plan measures to address a variety of community values, including sustainable government, climate mitigation, climate economy, and climate restoration.

Learn More!

If you’re interested about how Santa Cruz is leading greener initiatives to combat the climate crisis and build resilient coastlines, don’t miss Dr. Wise-West’s upcoming workshop. While federal governments often seem to hold the key to reversing environmental degradation, local governments like Santa Cruz have powerful tools to make meaningful changes in their ecosystems. Through local policies, community engagement, and education, everyone can play a vital role in healing our planet. Together, we can make a lasting impact.