Ashley Rudzinski on Bridging Science and Environmental Policy

September 12, 2026

Ashley Rudzinski MPA '14

Before Ashley Rudzinski MPA ’14 came to Cornell, her work had taken her around the world studying wildlife, from Gunnison sage-grouse and Australian frog species to leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles.

She loved the research, but grew increasingly frustrated by the gap between scientific findings and policy action. That disconnect, particularly around the urgency of climate change, ultimately pushed Rudzinski to move from research into environmental policy. She came to Cornell to move into the space between those two disciplines and explore how public policy could better respond to the urgency of the science.

At Cornell, Rudzinski built on her scientific background through an interdisciplinary environmental policy education that included coursework in genetics, environmental law, and federal administrative law. Since then, her career has spanned environmental and clean energy advocacy in Utah and the Great Lakes region.

Today, Rudzinski is Climate & Environment Program Director for the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities in Traverse City, Michigan, and Co-Director of the Great Lakes Business Network. We spoke with her about bridging science and policy, leading environmental advocacy across the Great Lakes, and her advice for future Brooks students.

Q. Tell us about your current role and the work you do.

Currently, I work as the Climate & Environment Program Director for Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities. My team leads campaigns across the state to advance our clean energy economy and reduce the use of fossil fuels. A primary focus of my role is working to stop the Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline and the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure across the Great Lakes region.

My team is also engaging on data centers to help communities brace for impacts to their water resources, community context, and energy affordability. We tackle rural clean energy siting issues while balancing current and historical land use practices along with the needs of our local farming community. I also help coordinate a solar group-buy program and lead solar energy workshops for local students.

I also wear another hat, serving as Co-Director of the Great Lakes Business Network in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation. In this role, I help businesses serve as champions of the Great Lakes, fighting the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, microplastics pollution, and aquatic invasive species while supporting the rapid and equitable deployment of clean energy across the Great Lakes.

I support our network of more than 250 businesses in advocating with congressional representatives, state governors, and attorneys general on behalf of the shared waters of the Great Lakes.

Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in environmental policy?

Before I attended Cornell, I supported research teams across the globe studying incredible creatures like the Gunnison sage-grouse, several Australian frog species, and leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles. I loved this work but grew frustrated with the lack of policy-sector response to our findings.

Simply put, public policy is not meeting the urgency of the moment demanded by science, most notably the climate crisis. I decided to pivot from research to policy, aiming to work in the gray area between the two disciplines.

My goal is to foster a deeper connection between the hard and soft sciences and help public policy catch up to the urgent needs of a warming planet.

Q. Why was Cornell the right place to help you achieve your goals?

The interdisciplinary nature of the coursework was the first thing that appealed to me. Even though I was an environmental policy major, I petitioned to take courses like genetics, environmental law, and federal administrative law that were adjacent to but outside the traditional MPA course framework. This expanded knowledge base has proven valuable in my career, and not many graduate schools offer that kind of flexibility.

The other reason Cornell was the right place for me is simply the global connections it offered. I learned from top experts in their fields and made important contacts that have helped propel my career forward.

Q. What advice would you give future Brooks students who want to make a meaningful impact in environmental policy?

Before coming to Cornell, I had envisioned a career in the public sector, working for the EPA or another state or federal agency focused on driving environmental change from within the government.

Then, I spent a summer working at EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and the vision cracked. I gained valuable experience and professional connections, but I learned, unmistakably, that my theory of change was different. It wasn’t the place where my skills and passion would translate into the kind of impact that I wanted to make in the world.

I came back to Cornell somewhat deflated, feeling a bit directionless and frustrated. That’s when my advisor, Professor Richard Booth, told me something that has stuck with me ever since:

“Knowing what you don’t want is just as important as knowing what you do want.”

That single sentence reframed the whole experience. It wasn’t a detour; it was data. It’s been a lesson that has propelled me forward both personally and professionally ever since.

So here is my advice to any Brooks student chasing a meaningful impact: You can’t daydream your way to clarity. The only way to know if something is a good fit is to try it out, really live and breathe it, and then assess if that aligns with your values and skills.

It’s the difference between something sounding right on paper and feeling right in practice. And if it doesn’t feel right, that’s not a failure. It’s valuable information that you couldn’t have gotten any other way.

You can always change your mind and, in fact, you should expect to. Being open to the possibilities is one of the best ways to find where you can make the biggest impact.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Ashley Rudzinski graduated from Cornell in 2014 with a Master of Public Administration, prior to the establishment of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. References to the Brooks School reflect the school’s current name.