Introducing Meet Your Civic Catalysts, a new series from Green Philly spotlighting sustainability changemakers in public office, their work, and how you can connect with them!

Starting with (drumroll, please)…

Get to know: Liz Lankenau

Role: City of Philadelphia’s Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability since March of 2023. Oversees four divisions: Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Resilience, Environmental Justice, and Energy and Climate Solutions

Green superpower: Creative problem-solving and relationship-building

How Lankenau wields her superpower: Finding different and creative ways to use the (sometimes limited) resources at hand and build strong collaborations across divisions. “We don’t have a lot of time, so we need to use the time we have.”

What Lankenau is looking forward to in the next six months: Utilizing the Office of Sustainability’s Energy Poverty Alleviation Strategy, developed in July 2024, to address energy insecurity and clean energy access in Philadelphia. The strategy aims to help people afford energy bills and live comfortably, remaining in their homes as climate change increases energy prices. 

What she finds fun about her sustainability work: The level of variety! And being “an inch deep and a mile wide” in the Director position, overseeing folks passionate about the work and teeing them up for success. 

Challenges to overcome in the field: Leadership changes, team burnout, climate fatigue, shifting challenges (“Like electric vehicles – we don’t know that they’re being built in a renewable way”), funding.

Advice for getting involved in Philadelphia climate action: There are so many local events and groups; find the thing that interests YOU! Learn about community gardens, libraries, Parks and Rec, the Water Department, green stormwater infrastructure, the Office of Clean and Green. Keep an eye out for what incentives are available!

How to get in contact: The first suggestion is the Office of Sustainability general mailbox. The office aims to be “very responsive” and will direct the question to the appropriate departments until it is resolved. Also, “People can always reach out to me. We are all public servants, so it’s our job to respond.”

Keep up with the Office of Sustainability by subscribing to their newsletter and following them on social media: Get involved | Office of Sustainability | City of Philadelphia

Or, email Liz: Elizabeth.Lankenau@phila.gov 

Cover photo: Rivkin Collective

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Angie Bacha (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based solutions journalist and recent Erasmus Mundus Master's in Journalism, Media and Globalisation student in Aarhus, Denmark. Previously, she worked as a student journalist at Community College of Philadelphia and Editorial Intern at Resolve Philly. Some other hats she has worn: Human Rights and Theatre Studies graduate; teaching artist; carpenter; AmeriCorps volunteer; and rock climbing gym shift supervisor. View all posts by Angie Bacha