Meet The Team

Cristina Carvajal is a dedicated advocate for environmental justice and community empowerment with a background in Environmental Engineering. Originally from Colombia, Cristina has built her career around expanding access to environmental resources and creating inclusive pathways for families to engage in climate action. She has led numerous initiatives focused on environmental conservation, sustainability, and addressing the impact of pollution on her community. Additionally, Cristina has served on various committees and coalitions advocating for environmental justice and climate action. In recognition of her contributions, she was named one of Wisconsin's 40 Most Influential Latino Leaders by Madison 365 in 2023 and received the Live Forward Award from Sustain Dane.

Dr. Dama is originally from Puerto Rico and moved to Madison in 2020 to pursue her Ph.D. in Microbiology at UW–Madison. She earned her doctorate in August 2025, focusing on plastic degradation, landfill microbiology, and microbial solutions to reduce plastic waste. In addition to her research, she completed a Ph.D. minor in Life Science Communications and part of the WISCIENCE STEM Public Service Fellows were she joined Wisconsin EcoLatinos as a staff in Fall 2023.  ​ As Program Coordinator, Dama leads community outreach events, develops bilingual educational materials, manages the PFAS and Microplastics campaigns, manages the website and strengthens collaborations with partner organizations and local communities. “It’s work I truly enjoy with all my heart, talking with and supporting our communities is one of the best parts of what I do. Together, we’re helping protect our environment.”