Isabella Blanco

Isabella Blanco served as a Research Associate at the Environmental Law Institute from 2023-2025. At ELI, she worked on projects advancing nature-based solutions throughout the Mississippi River Basin, supported ELI’s Pro Bono Clearinghouse, and contributed to the development of a state model law for food waste reduction in schools. She also conducted research on the Clean Water Act (CWA) 303(d) Program, coordinated the National Wetlands Awards, and contributed to the Environmental Law Reporter’s International Update.

Before ELI, Isabella gained experience at the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and the UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy, focusing on issues ranging from freight pollution to water justice and environmental policy language. She also helped pass a campus referendum that secured free transit passes for all UCLA undergraduates.

She is now a Program Specialist at Alta Planning + Design, where she supports transportation demand management and promotes equitable access to sustainable mobility. A graduate of UCLA with a B.S. in Environmental Science, Isabella is passionate about advancing environmental justice in communities most affected by the climate crisis.