Healthy Gulf is thrilled to celebrate the completion of our Spring 2025 Fellowship Program. Under the leadership of our Executive Director, Marti Collins, Sage Michael serves as Fellowship Program Manager—an opportunity that allows him to work with emerging leaders—from grassroots organizers to academics and community members—seeking professional growth. This role also reflects Sage Michael’s own growth during his time at Healthy Gulf.
Our fellowship program was intentionally designed to be inclusive, recognizing that not every professional path is traditional. Sage Michael himself came to this work through grassroots organizing. In his home community of New Orleans East, there is no shortage of advocates, yet even the most committed rising leaders often need a bridge between passion and a full-time career. Healthy Gulf serves as that bridge. With a diverse team of organizers, scientists, policy advocates, and lawyers across the Gulf South, our fellows gain exposure to multiple perspectives on environmental and climate justice work.
Spring 2025 Fellowship: Highlights
The Spring Fellowship Session began in March with a cohort of talented, motivated fellows. Our aim was to provide relationship-building, professional development, and space for them to explore their individual interests.
Jordan Mychael – Climate Justice Fellow, New Orleans
Jordan worked alongside the Climate Justice Campaign in New Orleans. With a history of community leadership—from advocating for an abandoned park to serving as a city liaison, and even working with Healthy Gulf in the past with our People Empowering Projects Initiative—Jordan hit the ground running. He supported the Youth Envision Project, engaging 4th–8th grade students in New Orleans East to imagine greener, more sustainable schoolyards. Jordan also played a key role in the Energy Future New Orleans – Light Is Your Right Campaign, organizing events and mobilizing residents for safer neighborhood lighting. His white paper on the topic will be published this winter.
Paul Johnson – Environmental Justice Fellow, Southeast Louisiana
Paul, an LSU Environmental Science student, worked with Southeast LA Organizer Gregory Swafford across the River Parishes. He attended public hearings, submitted comments, and supported local efforts to hold industries accountable for pollution beyond legal buffer zones. Witnessing the health disparities and systemic challenges communities face only strengthened his commitment. Using GIS and QGIS, Paul mapped industrial facilities, chronic illnesses, and vulnerable populations to help communities advocate for themselves. He will continue his academic journey with a new major in the field.
Kelsey Fontenot, MPH – Policy Fellow
Kelsey brought extensive experience from Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, where she studied household air pollution and its health impacts. Her expertise in environmental health analysis, data visualization, and community engagement seamlessly translated into policy advocacy. From Earth Day in Lake Charles to Light Is Your Right events in New Orleans, Kelsey consistently showed enthusiasm and commitment. She recently began a new role as Community Scientist at Pontchartrain Conservancy.
Bryn Sarner – Policy Fellow
Bryn, a Tulane Law graduate with a certificate in environmental law, is committed to Environmental Justice and “working beyond the confines of law and policy toward environmental and racial liberation.” Her experience includes serving as speaker chair for the Tulane Environmental Law Summit, supporting Gordon Plaza residents in housing justice, and working with allies like Taproot Earth. Bryn is exploring her path within the environmental sector, combining legal knowledge with broader advocacy.
Capstone Project: Blue Ammonia & Carbon Capture
For their joint capstone, Bryn and Kelsey examined the environmental justice implications of Louisiana’s blue ammonia buildout, with a focus on carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure and CO₂ pipelines. They highlighted the Satartia, MS CO₂ pipeline disaster as a cautionary example and advocated for a 2-mile buffer zone around pipelines. Their research, presented in both detailed reports and a wallet-sized zine, combines mapping, risk analysis, and cultural context for accessible community use.
Looking Ahead: Fall 2025 Fellows
As we celebrate our Spring Fellows, we are excited to welcome a new cohort of rising leaders. The Fall 2025 Fellowship began on December 8th with finalists chosen through a competitive pool of applicants. After a rigorous interview process, five fellows were selected—three to support our Louisiana Organizing team and two to join Policy/Science efforts.
Building on the foundation of the spring cohort, this new group will continue supporting communities across the Gulf South through coalition-building, public comment advocacy, grassroots mobilization, research, and environmental justice campaigns.
The Fellowship Program remains a vital pathway for developing leaders rooted in community, science, law, and policy. As our Fall Fellows begin their journey, we look forward to the energy, insight, and commitment they will bring to protecting people, culture, and ecosystems across the Gulf.
Together, we are growing the next generation of leaders for a healthy Gulf.