Born in Malaysia of Filipino, Chinese, and Thai heritage, Mariella Puerto is Interim Vice President for Strategy and Programs and Director of Barr’s Climate program. She oversees strategy development, grantmaking and other initiatives to advance equitable solutions for clean energy, mobility, and resilient communities.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Mariella held roles including deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program and 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.