Shamar Bibbins serves as a senior program officer for Environment at The Kresge Foundation, where her grantmaking supports policies and programs that help U.S. cities combat and adapt to climate change while advancing racial and economic justice.

Kresge announced on June 17 that Shamar has been promoted to managing director of the Environment Program effective September 30.

Shamar currently plays a leading role in managing Kresge’s Climate Change, Health & Equity Initiative (CCHE). The national initiative is a partnership between Kresge’s Environment and Health programs to address the intersecting imperatives of accelerating action on climate change and reducing health disparities. She also contributes to the development and implementation of program strategies and supports efforts that advance diversity, racial equity, and inclusion in the environmental field.

“I am inspired and guided by the power of people to effect change and a deep passion for social, economic, and climate justice for communities that have been marginalized,” Shamar says. “Supporting place-based innovation and helping build the field of equitable climate resilience is an honor.”

Shamar joined Kresge in 2014, bringing a history of engagement in environmental efforts and a commitment to action on climate change. She previously served as the director of national partnerships at Green For All, a national nonprofit dedicated to building a green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

Shamar holds a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, a bachelor’s degree in science, technology and society from Vassar College, and received a Fulbright Fellowship to Fukushima University where she conducted research on environmental social movements in Japan. Shamar is a proud Detroit native.

Photo: Douglas Schaible