Elected at age 27, Heather McTeer Toney knows what it means to be a public servant. She was the first African-American, first female and the youngest to serve as Mayor of Greenville, Mississippi from 2004-2012. In 2014, she was appointed by President Barack Obama as Regional Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeast Region. Known for her energetic and genuine commitment to people, her work has made her a national figure in the area of public service, environmental justice and community engagement. She currently serves as the Climate Justice Liaison for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Senior Advisor to Moms Clean Air Force, two affiliated organizations that represent over 3 million environment allies committed to fighting climate change and protecting children from the dangers of air pollution.

Heather has appeared on numerous news outlets and has written for publications including New York Times and the Washington Post. She is a regular columnist for DAME magazine. Most recently, Heather was one of the essayist featured in the breakout climate book of 2020, “All We Can Save”, essays from women at the forefront of the climate movement.

Mrs. Toney earned a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and her law degree from Tulane School of Law. She is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and attends Oxford University United Methodist Church. She is a member of the board of directors for Vote Solar and the Mississippi Free Press. She is married to Dexter Toney and they have three children.