Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, co-assistant director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State has been appointed to the California Air Resources Board, as announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Dec. 9. The board is the lead agency for climate change programs and air pollution control efforts in the state, and whose mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare and ecological resources through effective reduction of air pollutants, with considerations to its effect on the economy at the forefront.
“Cleaner air is essential for California’s families,” Gov. Newsom said in a news briefing. “By committing to achieving carbon neutrality and a clean economy, my administration is fighting for a healthier and more vibrant future for our families and our economy.”
Among the board’s charges is to protect the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change. Requirements for clean cars and fuels and the adoption of innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are some examples of the approaches California has spearheaded.
This latest news follows Pacheco-Werner’s recent appointment to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District in July, also an appointment by Gov. Newsom. Through that role, she joined 14 other members of the board in working to reduce air pollution in the San Joaquin Valley’s eight counties and is one of two members appointed by the governor and who is not an elected official.
Pacheco-Werner, of Sanger, served as a lecturer in Fresno State’s departments of sociology and women’s studies between 2011 to 2017, before becoming a research scientist and now co-assistant director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Fresno State and a doctorate in sociology from University of California, San Francisco.
