BJ Cummings brings an illustrious history of organizing communities to promote environmental health, particularly in the Lower Duwamish Waterway, a priority Superfund site for the UW SRP.
UW SRP is delighted to announce the hire of BJ Cummings to take over management of Community Engagement under the direction of Tom Burbacher, Director of Community Engagement and Research Translation. Cummings has a long and illustrious history of engaging communities to advocate for better environmental health in the Duwamish River Valley.
In 2001 she founded the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, and most recently is the author of the upcoming book "A River Revealed – an environmental and social history of the Duwamish River." In the interim she has co-authored several community health studies, including the Duwamish Valley Cumulative Health Impacts Analysis and Duwamish River Superfund Cleanup Plan Health Impact Assessment. Cummings also served as the Puget Soundkeeper Alliance's "Soundkeeper" from 1994–99, and as Sustainable Seattle's Executive Director from 2016–18. She is principal of Community Environmental Services, a Seattle environmental consulting firm she founded in 2001.
Cummings holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Geography from UCLA,and is the author and producer of numerous articles, books and documentary films on environment and development issues locally and throughout the Americas. Over the past two decades, Cummings has been recognized as a National River Network "River Hero," a Sustainable Seattle "Sustainability Hero," a King County Green Globe winner for Environmental Activism, a recipient of Puget Soundkeeper Alliance's "Inspiration Award" and one of Seattle Magazine's "10 most influential leaders."
We are very lucky to be able to welcome her to our staff.