Kira Presley Email & Phone Number

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Kesem is a national 501 organization that supports children who are affected by a parent's cancer. It provides year-round programs and services to support these children, ages 6–18, at no cost to families. Kesem has a presence at more than 130 college and university chapters in 44 states and the District of Columbia.Starting in August, 2023, I was selected to be the Volunteer Coordinator for Kesem at UCLA. The Volunteer Coordinator role largely involves representing Kesem to counselors, UCLA's community, and camper families alike. I am in charge of directing regular meetings to recruit, train, and oversee 200+ counselors, optimizing engagement and event coordination. The majority of my time is spent strategizing how to properly engage my peers when it comes to recruiting new counselors and properly focusing, without fail, on the DEI aspects of counselor and camper recruitment, as well as engaging counselors through training to ensure that everyone is prepared for our week of camp and that our campers are in good, safe hands. I am also tasked with implementing strategic coordination techniques to organize high-impact fundraising events (goal to raise $30,000+ per event) while fostering a welcoming and supportive space for campers and counselors in the meetings that I lead throughout the year.As a Camp Counselor for Camp Kesem at UCLA, I'm part of an amazing group of people who provide year-long, unwavering support through letters, visits, day-events, fundraising, the week-long camp itself, and more to children affected by a parent's cancer.

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Facilitating the skill development of 10 undergraduate students through a multi-university (Stanford-based) research project. In my role as the course research instructor, I am tasked with teaching the undergraduate students the many skills needed to successfully develop and implement a reputable research project. I will be guiding the students through a research project that aims to calculate the carbon, land use, and nutrient footprints of dietary changes amongst recreational athletes at 5 universities. While student research instructors at each university will be analyzing the physical health impacts of different dietary changes among university students, my research group will augment the study by calculating the planetary boundary impacts. We hope to publish a paper with this research and use our findings to influence universities to cater more plant-based diets than ever before.

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

From January, 2023 to December, 2023, I spent almost a year teaching research skills to and leading multiple different groups of 10-12 undergraduate students through a UCLA-based research project under the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. We researched the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes within environments adjacent to industrial-scale farming operations (CAFOs). In doing this, we participated in community-engaged sampling in 30+ sites with 5+ community partners, working on multi-day fieldwork trips. With funding from UCLA, private donors, and non-profit partners, as well as direction from Dr. Jennifer Jay, my main priority was to facilitate the skill development of the undergraduate students through dynamic 3- to 9 -month research projects. Skills taught include laboratory proficiency, data collection & analysis, community engagement, project management, academic writing. After each research project, we evolved our methods of testing antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes in the environment. We also used fecal indicator and nitrate tests with the goal of helping each community identify the levels of CAFO-caused antibiotic-resistant bacteria and harmful chemicals in their environment to then give the communities and partners the right tools to fight for a healthier and safer environment.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

In this role, I monitored and analyzed nearly 2000 bills and actions originating from the 118th Congress and the Biden Administration. Upon gathering months of legislative data, I analyzed my findings and presented the insights to bolster C2ES’s policy priorities and recommendations for Congressional representatives, business entities, and lobbyist organizations. The fully up-to-date legislative trackers that I compiled are pivotal in providing C2ES members with multiple different lenses to look at the climate interests and pursuits of our Congress and Administration. I spent a large portion of my time collaborating with Congressional representatives, affiliate organizations, and Fortune 500 entities on sustainable initiatives as well. This included representing C2ES in Congressional briefings, nonprofit coalition meetings, business conferences, and more. My role was often to communicate C2ES's interests and needs while collecting and synthesizing important information discussed in the meetings to then bring back to my supervisors. Finally, I produced four articles discussing a few of C2ES's overarching policy priorities, namely the Farm Bill, the 118th Congress, Industrial Decarbonization, and Engineered CO2 Removal. The articles focusing on the Farm Bill and 118th Congress are currently in their last pre-publication phase.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

As a student intern at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, my responsibilities included:- Attending key associate meetings and providing structural feedback on compliance and initiative-based discussion- Operating as a pre-publication sounding board for compliance memos, standards, and initiatives- Providing user interface and functional testing of data monitoring tools- Creating standard operating procedure for Federal Register Notice publications

I worked as a College Advocate in the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition Internship Program. In this program, I participated in a robust learning curriculum that extensively covers the impacts of industrial animal agriculture on social justice, environmental justice, policy, and non-human animals. I was also involved in numerous trainings, including public speaking, lobbying, and various kinds of political and social advocacy. I fostered a long-term commitment to advocacy through this program. In addition, I spent my time working on differing projects, including but not limited to giving FFAC presentations to groups of people, promoting Green Monday and/or DefaultVeg, working on institutional campaigns, lobbying federal or state legislative bills, writing articles, and more.

As part of my participation in the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Undergraduate Scholars Research Program, I conducted research with a team of other SLAGC URSP students on how best to introduce more plant-based menus into UCLA's dining services. On top of my close research with a UCLA professor and her team as part of my involvement with SLAGC URSP – as described in the position above this one – I collaborated closely with my student team to understand the obstacles and different factors surrounding implementing plant-based menus at UCLA. By the end of the academic year, we provided UCLA administrators with a better understanding of the impacts that plant-based menus can have on students and the environment, the general consensus and responses that students may have upon the implementation of plant-based menus, and how to properly implement more plant-based foods into our menus.

Los Angeles County, California, United States

I was selected to be one of thirty students participating in the Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Undergraduate Research Scholars Program at UCLA. In this program, I worked with Dr. Jenny Jay as well as a cohort of professors across various universities and other colleagues associated with DefaultVeg. My research responsibilities included finding on-campus events for DefaultVeg to work with, performing planetary boundary impact calculations and data analysis from these events, spreading awareness of the importance of DefaultVeg and its work, as well as contributing to the writing of a future publication based on DefaultVeg experimental data. I thoroughly enjoyed researching the effects of plant-based versus animal-based foods on our planetary boundaries!

As the Director of Scholarship for the Delta Gamma Fraternity of the Alpha Sigma Chapter, I promoted the advancement of learning and education throughout the chapter. I worked to prolong and maintain the continuity of Delta Gamma's impressive streak of having one of the highest overall chapter GPAs on UCLA's Greek Row by planning and helping members find educational opportunities, scholarships, tutors or necessary academic help services, mental health relief services, study sessions and incentives, professor and networking dinners, alumni scholar events, and more.

As the Director of Sustainability for the Delta Gamma Fraternity of the Alpha Sigma Chapter, I worked towards increasing the sustainability of the chapter itself as well as increasing environmental awareness and education across various chapters in UCLA's Panhellenic Association. In this role, I gave weekly sustainability presentations filled with up to date information and sustainability practices/tips and tricks to the entire chapter, worked towards implementing more recycling and composting bins inside the Delta Gamma house, provided members with as many environmental clubs, petitions, marches, positions and jobs, and resources as I could find, worked with the house chefs to serve more plant-based meals at a higher frequency, began trying to implement compostable or recyclable, if not reusable, tableware, and transitioned the rest of my sustainable ideas to the next officer for full completion. Even though I am no longer actively working in this role, I will continue my presence as a sustainably-minded member of the chapter by continually providing environmentally-related resources whenever possible.

CALPIRG, on UCLA's campus, gathered together various sustainability directors and leaders in different campus organizations, clubs, and communities to create an Environmental Coalition. In this coalition, each individual supported, advertised for, and gave advice to the other directors in regards to their events and environmental goals.

I worked as a Fellow for the State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) at Climate XChange (CXC). The SCPN is a national network of 15,000+ advocates, policymakers, and business leaders working to pass effective and equitable climate policy in their state. My responsibilities surrounded growing the SCPN to include a higher diversity of climate activists with different perspectives and backgrounds to bolster the inclusivity and knowledge held by the network. I also used my outreach and networking skills to publicize CXC's free webinars, networking events, informational emails, policy dashboards, and more in hopes that environmentalists across the U.S. could have free access to a surplus of climate information and resources for their benefit. In addition, I worked as part of CXC's communication and programming teams in which I wrote and published SCPN member spotlights and climate policy articles as well as helped plan webinars, networking events, and other CXC events.

Homecoming at UCLA is an on-campus club that works to foster a sense of community and inclusivity among the student body. This organization hosts a 'Welcome Week' full of activities to engage Bruin spirit and pride in the community, Westwood stores and businesses, parents and alumni, faculty and UCLA staff, and especially the students themselves. We hosted various trivia nights, movie nights, parents weekend tailgates, rallies, food events, and more to increase Bruin spirit!

As a club member of Bruin Democrats at UCLA, I actively participated in lobbying, advocacy, outreach, and other events that the club held. My time in this club helped open my eyes to the processes by which government officials, passing bills and policies, lobbying, and more work in the political arena.

As a club member of CHAARG, I participated in team workouts and female-empowerment related bonding exercises. This fitness club fostered a sense of community around women who enjoy fitness and health.

The Environmental Student Network works to engage young environmental activists across all passions and backgrounds. As a club member, I participated in environmental volunteer events, club bonding, resource and information sharing, and other activities to promote a more sustainable campus.

Laguna Hills, California, United States

In this role, I lead and supervised children as they jumped in the park, ensuring safety among all customers and enforcing rules among jumpers. I also provided front desk service and receptionist duties in which I helped guests book their flight tickets, problem solved issues, handled payments and scheduling, and answered questions. Finally, I maintained cleanliness in the park while hosting birthday parties for customers.

Aliso Viejo, California, United States

Assisted and lead art classes in which I helped children of all ages with their individual artwork (ranging from sketches to paintings in all different mediums). I also set up the painting area & cleaned the studio during and after each art class. Additionally, I supervised birthday parties as both the lead & assistant painter in which I hosted a mini “follow along” art class for the birthday child and friends.

Laguna Hills, California, United States

I worked as an ice-cream server in which I prepared, rolled, and served ice-cream. I also maintained and cleaned the machines, workspace, and general store area while giving customers an enjoyable experience.

Bachelor Of Arts And Sciences, International Development Studies, Environmental Systems And Society, 3.98 Gpa

Activities and Societies: Sustainable LA Grand Challenge Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, Climate XChange State Climate Policy.

Certificate In Social Sciences & Humanities, International Relations And Affairs

I spent 6 months in Paris, France at Sciences Po in an effort to learn the French language, study international affairs at an esteemed.

High School Diploma

During my time at Laguna Hills High School, I took as many AP and Honors classes as was allowed in my schedule, participated in cross.