Tonyisha Harris
Manager of Strategic Climate Initiatives, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois
Tonyisha Harris Tonyisha Harris is the Manager of Strategic Climate Initiatives in Illinois for The Nature Conservancy. © Tonyisha Harris
Areas of Expertise
Climate, Advocacy, Community Outreach, Environmental Justice
Biography
Tonyisha Harris is a climate and energy leader, communications strategist and coalition builder dedicated to advancing equitable climate solutions. She is the manager of strategic climate initiatives at The Nature Conservancy in Illinois, where she leads cross-sectional strategies for climate mitigation and adaptation, manages cross-functional teams and helps advance the organization’s 2030 goals. Tonyisha works with frontline communities, environmental advocates, policymakers and corporate partners to accelerate renewable energy deployment and nature-based climate solutions.
Recognized for her ability to bridge policy, communications and community engagement, Tonyisha has built a career at the intersection of climate action, movement building and public leadership. Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy, she served in leadership roles at Good Power HQ (formerly Action for the Climate Emergency), where she directed communications, youth media and strategic partnerships, elevating youth voices in climate advocacy and strengthening regional coalition efforts. She also held leadership positions with the Illinois Environmental Council, helping to develop and coordinate statewide conservation and clean energy. Her favorite win was helping the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in Illinois.
A compelling storyteller and public speaker, Tonyisha serves as the creator, director and host of In My Backyard—a climate documentary series highlighting frontline community-driven solutions to climate change. She is frequently invited to moderate panels, speak at conferences and participate in national climate convenings such as NYC Climate Week and Aspen Ideas: Climate.
Beyond her professional roles, Tonyisha is an active civic and nonprofit leader. She is a 2026 Chicago United for Equity Fellow and serves on several boards and advisory bodies, including Friends of the Forests Preserves, the Illinois EPA Commission on Environmental Justice and Renew Wisconsin, and she previously chaired the New Leaders Council Chicago board. Her leadership has earned recognition through nominations such as the Climate Action Museum Climate Action Hero Award and the Vote Solar Dr. Espanola Jackson Energy Justice Award.
Tonyisha holds a B.S. in environmental science from Loyola University Chicago and is returning to earn her MBA in 2028. She is a Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program alumna, New Leaders Council Fellow, 2021 Public Voices on Climate Change Communications Fellow and Global Youth Climate Training Program Fellow. She remains committed to ensuring that climate solutions are community-centered, inclusive and transformational for future generations.
In the News
Tonyisha has written and been featured in a variety of publications about youth climate activism and environmental justice.
New York Times
Learn how climate change inflicts a toll on mental health from Tonyisha Harris.
MacArthur Foundation
Surrounded by coal-fired power plants and other polluting, planet-warming industries, Tonyisha Harris reflects on the negative health impacts her community faces.
Visible Magazine
The climate emergency keeps getting worse. Tonyisha shares her hopeful vision for young climate leaders to be the solution.