Nailah Pope-Harden

Deputy Director
Equity and Tribal Affairs

Nailah has been Executive Director at ClimatePlan since 2021 and was a Policy Manager there from 2019 to 2021. ClimatePlan is a partnership that works across California to improve land-use and transportation planning with a focus on protecting health, communities, and climate. At ClimatePlan, Nailah was responsible for expanding the network presence, cultivating new members, and ensuring the mission and vision of the organization was being carried out. Nailah has been Principal at Nailah Consulting since 2012, specializing in multi-racial, multi-generational campaigns. Nailah was an Organizer at the Capital Region Organizing Project from 2016 to 2017 and a Parent Organizer at the California Charter Schools Association in 2015. Nailah is a member of the New Leaders Council, serves on the board of America Walks, and recently started a professional development group for women of color in environmental professions.

Nailah has spent more than 15 years advocating for transportation justice, racial equity, environmental justice, and climate action. She comes to this position with years of experience in community organizing and coalition building. Her advocacy work spans across neighborhoods, regional, statewide, and national campaigns. Of the over 40 campaigns she has participated in, Nailah finds the most joy in planning community events in the south Sacramento neighborhoods she grew up in. Nailah earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Government from California State University, Sacramento, and resides in south Sacramento with her five-year-old son. Together, they enjoy playing in the backyard, reading books, singing, and dancing. Nailah’s personal and professional life is always ensuring her son has a healthy, safe, loving environment and future. She does this by building community everywhere she goes, learning from those around her, and being open to (transformative) change.