Joel Pannell oversees efforts to build and promote American Forests’ positions on a range of urban forest policy and related social equity issues. He works to build and maintain relationships with policy makers, senior government officials, partner organizations, key stakeholders and other related entities to advance policies centered at the intersection of urban forestry and social equity. Over the last decade plus, Pannell has played a leading role in expanding equitable access to public lands including the creation, and significant growth, of the only federal grant program addressing park equity in cities as well as the launch of the 10 Minute Walk Campaign. Prior to joining American Forests, Pannell led Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign and directed urban policy for The Trust for Public Land. Pannell is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Leadership.