Mariella Puerto

Mariella Puerto is a co-director for Climate, managing Barr’s grantmaking and other initiatives that catalyze the transition to a clean-energy economy. This includes promoting policies and practices that accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency and renewable power sources in the New England region and connecting to similar efforts nationally. She serves on the board of the Environmental Grantmakers Association and as co-chair of the Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities’ GREEN! Working Group.

Prior to joining the Foundation in 2001, Mariella spent four years as deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program and three years as founding director of the Boston Lead Action Collaborative, a public-private partnership created to address the high rates of childhood lead poisoning in Boston. Before embarking on her career in the nonprofit sector, Mariella was a co-op owner of a vegetarian restaurant in Vermont.

Born in Malaysia of Filipino, Chinese, and Thai heritage, Mariella immigrated to the United States in 1986. She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada, and her master’s degree in political science from Ohio University.