Weilerstein Will Provide Recommendations to the EPA Administrator on How HBCUs and MSIs Can Nurture the Next Generation of Environmental Leaders
Hadley, Massachusetts, September 17, 2024—Phil Weilerstein, President and CEO of VentureWell, has been appointed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions Federal Advisory Council (HBCU-MSI FAC).
In this role, Weilerstein will join a group of 20 distinguished members, appointed by EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan, to provide independent advice and recommendations on strengthening the role of HBCUs and MSIs in developing future environmental leaders.
Weilerstein brings deep expertise in advancing equitable access to STEM entrepreneurship to this role; a longtime champion of inclusive innovation, he has spent the last three decades expanding pathways for emerging science and technology innovators through training, funding, and mentorship opportunities while cultivating systems change at higher education institutions nationwide. During his two-year advisory term (2024 to 2026), Weilerstein will collaborate with fellow council members to provide strategic guidance in supporting HBCUs and MSIs in their efforts to empower environmental leaders within underrepresented communities and build stronger avenues to careers in the environmental field.
“I am honored to join this esteemed group of leaders,” said Weilerstein. “HBCUs and MSIs play a critical role in empowering the next generation of environmental innovators. I look forward to contributing to the council’s efforts to ensure these institutions have the resources and opportunities to flourish.”
Members of the HBCU-MSI FAC serve in a voluntary capacity and were selected based on their expertise in academia, workforce development, and leadership. The council’s work will support the EPA’s goal of strengthening partnerships with HBCUs and MSIs and promoting environmental justice.
For more information about the EPA’s HBCU-MSI FAC, visit www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-administrator-michael-s-regan-announces-members-inaugural-hbcu-msi-federal.
About VentureWell
VentureWell supports the cultivation of an emerging generation of science and technology inventors and the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems that are critical to their success. Since its founding in 1995, VentureWell has funded or trained over 16,000 science and technology inventors and innovators, resulting in the emergence of more than 4,200 ventures with groundbreaking technological advancements in fields like biomedicine and healthcare, sustainable energy and materials, and solutions for low-resource settings. The startups they have supported have raised subsequent funds totaling more than $6 billion and are reaching millions of people in 51 countries.
Visit venturewell.org to learn more.
Contact: Sara Kay Mooney, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer, VentureWell.