Andrea Cristina Mercado to join the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund and Climate Equity Action Fund as our new CEO

September 10, 2024

After a national and competitive search, we are thrilled to announce that Andrea Cristina Mercado will be taking the helm as the new president and chief executive officer of the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund and Climate Equity Action Fund on January 2, 2025.

Andrea brings over two decades of experience in civic engagement, strategic campaigns, and leadership within multiracial communities. We are excited for her to bring her field and organizational expertise to The Funds and to join us in driving increased philanthropic investments to advance community-led climate action and clean energy transition.

Andrea will join the Equity Funds after serving as executive director of Florida Rising Together and New Florida Majority Education Fund, our long-time grantee partner organizations. Under her leadership, Florida Rising has been an exemplary grantee, uniting a powerful coalition of state-based infrastructure to lead large-scale civic engagement programs that have increased the political power for communities across Florida, played a pivotal role in registering over 200,000 Floridians to vote, secured significant victories in voting rights and climate justice and set crucial legal precedents. Her exceptional ability to mobilize communities and negotiate with major utility companies has directly benefited more than 75,000 low-income families in South Florida. You can read more about her experience in her bio, below.

The Equity Funds’ executive team has known Andrea for well over a decade and, alongside the board, couldn’t be more proud and honored to champion one of our grantee leaders to step into this role. Andrea shares The Funds’ values and track record of building a powerfully diverse movement. She has an exceptional talent for uniting people for climate action, and we are thrilled to welcome her into this role at such a pivotal time to continue scaling our partnerships and impact.

Since our founding in 2016, the Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund has been at the cutting-edge of building a more effective and powerful movement for climate action. Alongside our sister fund, the Climate Equity Action Fund, we have leveraged a combined $200 million dollars in 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) funding to support over 200 community-organizing groups across the country. These grantee partnerships have driven significant victories for clean energy legislation and climate action that improves worker protections and economic opportunities, supports safer housing and more affordable energy, reduces carbon emissions, and addresses racialized disparities in health outcomes and economic opportunities. Andrea's leadership will undoubtedly support us to amplify and expand these efforts, and her appointment underscores our long-standing commitment to shift resources and power to community-driven solutions. 

Under Andrea’s leadership, we will continue to make critical investments in the leadership of multiracial community-based organizations to build the power of a large and diverse constituency base of climate voters, develop policy expertise, increase capacity for strategic communications, and support strategic campaigns for policy and implementation efforts.

While eager to begin our new chapter with Andrea C. Mercado at the helm, it is with respect and appreciation for her role as a critical leader of the voter mobilization infrastructure in Florida, that our board and leadership team applaud Andrea’s commitment to continue in her leadership role at Florida Rising through November 2024. Andrea will begin her role as president and CEO at the Equity Funds on January 2, 2025, and over the next several months, we will be collaborating closely with her to ensure a seamless transition.

On behalf of our full team we extend our gratitude to both our grantee and philanthropic partners for your support during this transition time. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our shared purpose of growing a powerfully diverse movement for climate action that brings us closer to a future where we can all thrive and live with dignity. 

Please join us in celebrating Andrea C. Mercado’s appointment as the incoming president and chief executive officer at the Equity Funds. We are elated for this next chapter in our journey.

In community,
The Equity Funds’ Board of Directors and Executive Team