Eric Ini

Community engagement, public affairs, nonprofit, and coalition-building leader with 15+ years of experience developing trusted relationships with elected officials, community organizations, school systems, nonprofit leaders, businesses, and diverse communities across the United States and Africa.

Former Chief

Equity & Partnership Officer at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, Environmental & Climate Justice Director at Michigan United, and Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, with a record of translating community needs into organizational strategies, policy initiatives, and measurable public-interest outcomes. Accomplished interpersonal and intercultural communicator skilled at navigating complex stakeholder environments, resolving conflict, managing sensitive information, engaging the media, and building durable partnerships across cultural, political, and institutional differences. Experienced in responsible AI governance, ethical AI practices, stakeholder risk assessment, and using AI tools to improve research, communication, program design, and organizational workflows.

Chief Equity & Partnership Officer - Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy (MCEA) - Minnesota, USA

(2022-01 - 2026-12)

• Built organization-wide community engagement, partnership, and accountability systems that strengthened MCEA's relationships with environmental justice organizations, community leaders, advocacy coalitions, government stakeholders, and other external partners.
• Designed and implemented a Partnership Guide establishing clear principles, responsibilities, decision-making processes, and accountability standards for equitable collaboration with community organizations and external stakeholders.
• Developed a multiyear diversity, equity, inclusion, and intercultural development strategy that strengthened staff capabilities in interpersonal communication, cultural awareness, conflict navigation, power analysis, and relationship management.
• Created and led an internal Skills and Practice Team that equipped staff to communicate effectively across cultural differences, manage challenging stakeholder relationships, and apply equity principles in external advocacy and coalition work.
• Applied intercultural facilitation, inclusive engagement, and partnership-building practices to strengthen relationships with diverse communities and coalitions supporting Minnesota's landmark 100% Clean Energy Law, enacted in 2023.
• Represented MCEA in environmental justice coalitions, including the campaign addressing pollution from Smith Foundry, and helped strengthen coordination among residents, organizers, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and public officials.
• Helped design and implement a community-centered organizational strategic plan that more effectively incorporated the experiences, priorities, and leadership of communities most affected by environmental and infrastructure decisions.
• Organized community learning and environmental justice engagement activities that connected staff and organizational leaders directly with frontline communities, local organizations, and neighborhood leaders.
• Advised executive leadership on community relationships, partnership risks, organizational reputation, sensitive stakeholder concerns, and strategies for maintaining trust across complex public-facing initiatives.
• Collaborated across legal, policy, communications, development, operations, and executive teams to align community engagement strategies with organizational priorities and public policy objectives.

Environmental & Climate Justice Campaign and Organizing Director - Michigan United - Michigan, USA

(2020-01 - 2022-12)

• Directed statewide climate, energy, and environmental justice organizing involving impacted residents, faith communities, nonprofit organizations, labor partners, advocates, elected officials, and other community stakeholders.
• Built and maintained coalitions supporting the expansion of distributed solar access and challenging Michigan's restrictive residential solar cap, helping generate sustained community and legislative pressure for equitable energy reform.
• Organized four major advocacy actions at the Michigan State Capitol, coordinating community members, organizational partners, public officials, speakers, logistics, communications, and policy messaging.
• Translated complex energy and environmental policies into accessible community education materials and organizing strategies that enabled residents to participate effectively in legislative and regulatory processes.
• Led engagement with legislators, government agencies, community organizations, and advocacy partners to elevate local concerns and connect community needs to state-level policy discussions.
• Managed and coordinated multidisciplinary teams across Michigan, strengthening collaboration, performance, leadership development, and strategic alignment in a fast-moving public affairs environment.
• Supported community engagement and public accountability efforts related to the Flint Water Crisis, ensuring that the experiences of affected residents remained central to advocacy and government accountability discussions.
• Developed trusted relationships across racial, cultural, geographic, and political differences, using active listening, empathy, interpersonal communication, and conflict-resolution skills to sustain diverse coalitions.
• Served as a public-facing organizational representative at community meetings, advocacy events, legislative engagements, coalition discussions, and media-related activities.
• Monitored emerging community concerns, policy developments, and political risks and communicated strategic recommendations to organizational leadership and campaign partners.

Senior Campaigner – Forests, Community Rights & Public Affairs - Greenpeace Africa - Cameroon, Congo Basin and West/Central Africa

(2014-01 - 2020-12)

• Built long-term relationships with Indigenous communities, traditional leaders, local elected officials, civil society organizations, researchers, journalists, government agencies, corporations, investors, and international advocacy networks.
• Co-led community engagement and public affairs strategies addressing deforestation, land rights, industrial agriculture, illegal timber, and infrastructure development across culturally and politically complex environments.
• Helped secure a major campaign outcome in which the Government of Cameroon reduced the Herakles Farms palm oil concession from approximately 76,000 hectares to 19,000 hectares, protecting forests and community land interests.
• Worked directly with affected communities to document concerns, identify local priorities, develop engagement strategies, and elevate community perspectives in national and international decision-making processes.
• Contributed to the Greenpeace investigation and campaign that resulted in the first enforcement action under the European Union Timber Regulation in the Fibois illegal timber case.
• Helped build international pressure that contributed to the Norwegian Government Pension Fund's divestment from Halcyon Agri following concerns about deforestation and community rights.
• Strengthened collaboration among local communities, Indigenous peoples, nonprofit organizations, legal experts, researchers, investors, policymakers, and international campaign partners.
• Managed sensitive stakeholder relationships and confidential campaign information in operating environments involving corporate interests, government agencies, community disputes, and potential reputational risks.
• Conducted media interviews, supported public communications, briefed journalists, and translated complex environmental and human rights issues into clear and compelling public messages.
• Used intercultural communication, diplomacy, active listening, negotiation, and conflict navigation to build trust and maintain productive relationships across linguistic, cultural, and institutional differences.
• Coordinated multicultural teams and cross-regional projects involving colleagues and partners in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Europe, and the United States.

Environmental & Energy Governance Analyst - World Resources Institute (WRI) - Washington, DC

(2012-01 - 2014-12)

• Produced research and stakeholder analysis on energy governance, environmental policy, institutional accountability, and sustainable natural resource management.
• Engaged public institutions, civil society stakeholders, researchers, and policy experts to assess governance challenges and identify opportunities for more transparent and inclusive decision-making.
• Translated technical, legal, and policy information into practical recommendations for diverse government, nonprofit, and community audiences.

Environmental Justice Campaigner - OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon - Portland, Oregon

(2011-01 - 2011-12)

• Organized and engaged transit-dependent residents, community advocates, and public agencies around transportation justice and equitable access to public services.
• Supported community participation in public meetings and policy processes, helping residents communicate their needs directly to government and transportation decision-makers.
• Built relationships with culturally diverse communities and partner organizations.