STAFF

J. Mijin Cha
Director of Campaign Research

Mijin brings several years of researching and writing experience to Urban Agenda. Her work and academic experience has focused on U.S. and international environmental justice. Mijin began her advocacy career under the guidance of Luke Cole at the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment. Her previous work experience includes senior policy specialist in clean energy and smart growth at the Progressive States Network and with the Integrated Center on International Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepal as an expert legal consultant for a project to increase access to environmental justice in rural areas of South Asia. Mijin is a graduate of Cornell University and holds a JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and LLM and PhD degrees from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies.

Joanne Derwin
Executive Director

Co-founder and executive director of Urban Agenda, Joanne has over fifteen years of experience as a social justice advocate working with labor and community organizations. She initiated Urban Agenda in 2004 to conduct strategic research and build coalitions to influence public policy on social, economic and environmental justice concerns in New York City. Previously, Joanne was a researcher and policy analyst at the Consortium for Worker Education, and a program associate for the governance and civil society unit at the Ford Foundation. Joanne has done research for Partners of the Americas, and the Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership in Washington D.C., and spent a year as an English professor at the University of Alicante, Spain. She is a graduate in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder and holds a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University.

Alex Majumder
Web Manager and Technology Advisor

Alex brings to Urban Agenda a wide range of computer-related skills, including websites, databases, desktop publishing and design, which he developed with the goal of helping small organizations with progressive missions. He also has several years of experience as an organizer on many issues, including the anti-war movement, immigrants' and workers' rights, and solidarity with Latin American movements. He graduated with degrees in Ethnic Studies and Psychology from Brown University.

Leigh Pasqual
Director of Special Projects

Leigh is a writer and communications professional who has worked in both the private and non-profit sectors for over twelve years. She specializes in communications strategy, public and media relations, field project documentation and web content development. Leigh has several years of experience working on gender equality and women's human rights issues in both a professional and private capacity. She has served as the press officer of the UN Development Fund for Women in New York, and continues to consult on gender-related projects for the UN, and serve on non-profit committees. She was most recently the director of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, a public policy think-tank. Leigh is a graduate of the National University of Singapore, and holds a Masters degree from Oxford University in the United Kingdom.