Biologist and Science Policy Advocate…
Build something that lasts.
We work with community organizations to clarify their message, strengthen their systems, and move real projects forward.
Prof. Crystal Dixon
Global Sustainability Strategist
Crystal Dixon is an Associate Professor of the Practice in the Environment and Sustainability Studies Program at Wake Forest University (WFU), where she also holds appointments with the African American Studies Program, the Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability, and the Department of Health and Exercise Science (HES). She made history as the first Black Teaching Professional promoted to the Associate rank in HES at WFU. Dixon currently serves as a Faculty Fellow for the Mellon Foundation–funded Environment and Epistemic Justice Initiative and is a member of the university’s Climate Justice Collective.
Her international research and scholarship examine the intersections of environmental racism, sustainability, and public health, with a particular focus on the United States and the Caribbean.
Beyond academia, Dixon is the Founder of Mango Consulting, where she advises organizations on sustainability, environmental justice, and public health. She provides technical assistance for communities and organizations including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and NASA, among others. Her work has been recognized with awards for its impact on advancing equity and sustainability. Dixon’s collaborations reflect her commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship and public engagement. Invited by Melissa Harris-Perry to join the Anna Julia Cooper Center, she has worked alongside organizations such as The Nation and Community Change. As a student at WFU, she completed an independent study with Harris-Perry exploring environmental factors, artistic expression, and systemic racism—an experience that later led to their co-teaching of the course POL 210: Race, Sustainability, and Environmental Justice.
She has also served nationally as a Governing Councilor of the Environment Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA), where she co-authored and advanced the first policy statement addressing the environmental justice implications of COVID-19 medical waste. Dixon has contributed to research supported by the National Institutes of Health and NASA, and her publications and presentations have reached audiences at organizations such as APHA and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. She is a longstanding member of the Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative and is a Subject Matter Expert with Ascend Meditations and the HBCU Environmental Justice Technical Collaborative (HEJTC).
Dixon’s leadership extends into the nonprofit sector, where she serves on the CleanAire NC Board of Directors, advocating for health equity and environmental justice.
Additional Team Members
Prof. Crystal Dixon
Global Sustainability Strategist…
Nakisa Glover
Coordinating Consultant, Justice40 Co-director, Rural Beacon Research Institute…