Mariella Puerto

Mariella Puerto is Director of Barr's Climate program, managing grantmaking and other initiatives to advance equitable solutions for clean energy, mobility, and resilient communities. She serves as Chair of the board of the Environmental Grantmakers Association.

Prior to joining the Foundation in 2001, Mariella spent four years as deputy director of the Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program and three years as founding director of the Boston Lead Action Collaborative, a public-private partnership created to address the high rates of childhood lead poisoning in Boston. Before embarking on her career in the nonprofit sector, Mariella was a co-op owner of a vegetarian restaurant in Vermont.

Born in Malaysia of Filipino, Chinese, and Thai heritage, Mariella earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Brandon University in Manitoba, Canada, and her master’s degree in political science from Ohio University.