James Smith is an Associate at Croatan Institute where his work touches on the intersection of finance, sustainability, and social justice. Prior to joining the Institute, James worked in the Office of Research and Development at the EPA where he helped communicate EPA research to policymakers and public audiences.

 

While attending UNC Asheville before the EPA, James worked with the fossil fuel divestment campaign which successfully petitioned to divest a portion of the university’s endowment from holdings in fossil fuels and other ESG related concerns. He has worked closely with numerous organizations on environmental issues including the Sierra Club, Intentional Endowments Network, Divest-Invest, and the EIRIS Foundation.

 

James’ work at the Institute primarily sits within the Soil Wealth Program, where he assists landowners and food systems organizations across North Carolina with implementation of conservation practices, access to capital, and coordination of partnerships that ensure more resilient communities and ecosystems. He also runs Sliding Rock Farm, a small regenerative farm in Bassett, Virginia that partners with Henry County Food Pantry to provide healthy food to the community at no cost.

 

In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, fly fishing, backpacking, and cooking. James holds a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.S. in Environmental Communications from the University of North Carolina at Asheville and currently lives between Bassett, VA, and Hillsborough, NC.

 

Education: B.S. Chemistry and Environmental Communications, University of North Carolina at Asheville