Meet the Director

Dr. Mary Finley-Brook is a Professor of Geography, Environment, & Sustainability at the University of Richmond whose research focuses on climate justice, energy transitions, environmental policy, and equity in environmental governance. Her work examines how energy systems and environmental decisions affect communities, particularly frontline and historically marginalized populations. Through community-based participatory research, she collaborates with local organizations to advance more equitable approaches to climate action and sustainable development.

Dr. Finley-Brook has conducted extensive research on energy justice, public health, renewable energy access, and the social impacts of environmental change. She has contributed to research on environmental justice in Virginia and beyond, including collaborations addressing energy transitions, pollution, and community resilience. She is the co-author of Climate Crisis, Energy Violence: Mapping Fossil Energy’s Enduring Grasp on Our Precarious Future (2024) and has published widely in environmental studies, geography, and sustainability research.