Summary - The Road Ahead: EDF’s Plan After the 2026 Midterms

Across the United States, millions of Americans are casting their vote in the 2026 midterm elections and shaping the new political landscape. Voters’ choices will have significant implications for EDF’s work to address climate change and ensure a sustainable future.

Please join EDF’s leading political and policy experts for a special virtual conversation to understand what the election results might mean for environmental legislation, regulation, and state-level action. We’ll discuss the opportunities to defend critical progress and advance climate policy across the U.S.

David Kieve joined EDF Action as its President in February 2022, coming from the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality, where he served as Director of Public Engagement. Prior to joining the Biden Administration, Kieve played a central role in helping the President get elected. He first served as the Director of Early States, helping President Biden emerge from the most diverse and talented field of Democratic candidates ever assembled as the party's nominee. He was particularly hands-on in Nevada, a state where President Biden's strong second-place finish paved the way for his dramatic comeback.

In the general election, Kieve remained a senior member of the campaign team, leading engagement to the broad community of stakeholders motivated by a desire to see the climate crisis addressed. Kieve led all engagement with groups that ranged from hunters and anglers to environmental justice leaders and everyone in between.

Vickie serves as Environmental Defense Fund’s General Counsel and leads its U.S. Legal and Regulatory Program. For over thirty years, she has worked with partners to secure landmark national and state protections addressing climate and air pollution, participated in numerous successful climate and clean air cases to protect human health and the environment, and testified before congressional and state legislative committees. She is also a recipient of the 2023 California Air Resources Board’s Haagen-Smit Clean Air Award and the 2024 ABA Award for Excellence in Environmental, Energy, and Resources Stewardship.Prior to EDF, she served in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of General Counsel where she implemented the historic 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments and received the Gold Medal for Exceptional Service.

Joanna Slaney leads the federal advocacy and government affairs work at Environmental Defense Fund. She is responsible for ensuring that EDF’s policies have the desired impact through effective government outreach, well-designed campaigns and meaningful partnerships. She previously served as legislative director for EDF’s Healthy Communities program and helped pass legislation to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. Before Joining EDF, Slaney spent more than 20 years working on legislation and policy in the Clinton White House, on Capitol Hill and as a consultant. She served as a Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs in the Clinton administration and as press secretary and legislative assistant to former Senator Carol Moseley-Braun (D-IL).

As EDF’s Florida Director, Dawn works to integrate, enhance and scale the impact of EDF’s existing assets in Florida. She works with a growing Florida-based team to mobilize key influencers and constituencies to reach and build relationships with members of Congress and key in-state constituencies.Prior to joining EDF, Dawn held advocacy roles at Clean Water Action, National Parks Conservation Association and at The Everglades Foundation working on restoration of America’s Everglades. Most recently she led the development of a Public Affairs team at The Miami Foundation with a focus on regional resilience and building the bench of local nonprofits to participate in public policy solutions.