Brielle L. Green

I attribute my success to a strong foundation in environmental education from childhood, my ongoing curiosity, learning from people and experiences through observation and asking questions, and the relationships and networks I’ve built along the way.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is that it’s not always about what you know but about who you know, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships and networks. Keep focus, but stay open to the unlimited possibilities of the places you go and the people you may meet.

I would say that every space, every room that you walk into, every person that you meet, there's an opportunity to learn something that you didn't know. I've learned a lot from just literally observing, and that doesn't necessarily mean being quiet or not using your voice or speaking up when you have a good idea. Definitely do that when you can, and you should. But I think a lot of times people don't take the time to learn from the situations they're in, whether they're positive or negative, witnessing the space, how people move in it, and reflecting. A large portion of my career has probably been spent conducting informal interviews. Everywhere I go when I'm meeting new clients, partners, or staff on the Hill, I ask probing questions about their work, themselves, and their journey. It has nothing necessarily to do with me trying to change my career, but it's just informative, learning how people think, how they got to where they are, learning how different systems operate, and figuring out different connections people have with one another. You learn so much by engaging with who people are and actively listening to their stories and goals. People love being asked questions about themselves, and I feel like that's what makes a good conversation: the sharing of narratives. The type of work that I do is very relationship-based, and I think that's a great way to have relationships.

Some of the biggest challenges in my field right now include congressional attacks on access to justice and broad regulatory reforms that impact administrative law, both of which directly affect environmental litigation and enforcement. At the same time, there is a meaningful opportunity to bring more young Black women and other diverse emerging leaders into the environmental and environmental-justice space.

I'm motivated by our collective ability to protect our health and environment; that's the true heart of my work. Whether the work furthers my mission directly or indirectly, I want to be purposeful in it, knowing always that whatever I'm doing, I want to do it well. I want to be intentional and respectful in all that I do. An aspect of that is always about your reputation, and that definitely helps you be in the spaces you need to be to do your job well and bring the people forward who are coming behind you.