About Planning Ahead
We are a nonprofit organization advancing climate resilience through community-centered education, disaster preparedness, and adaptation planning grounded in environmental justice.
Our Work
What We Offer
At Planning Ahead, we are focused on delivering impactful solutions to address the challenges posed by climate change. Our services include disaster relief training, curriculum development, and support as Adaptation Practitioners. We work closely with communities, organizations, and local authorities to develop and implement strategies for climate resilience and adaptation. Our approach is rooted in equity, practicality, and community engagement, ensuring that our efforts make a lasting and positive impact.
Preparedness + Adaptation
We uniquely bridge emergency management and climate planning, addressing immediate needs and long-term resilience.
Equity-Centered
Environmental justice isn't an add-on, it's our core framework. We design with and for communities most impacted by climate change.
Practical Action
Hands-on training, accessible tools, and implementation support—not just planning documents.
Leadership & Goverance
Planning Ahead is led by a dedicated team of staff and board members who bring deep experience in community engagement, environmental education, climate resilience, and nonprofit leadership.
Our leadership reflects the communities we serve and is grounded in lived experience, professional expertise, and a shared commitment to equity, environmental justice, and meaningful engagement. Together, we steward the organization’s mission, guide strategy, and ensure our work remains community-centered, accountable, and impact-driven.
Student Internship & Engagement
At Planning Ahead, we believe that preparing communities for climate and environmental challenges requires collaboration across generations. Hosting students and emerging professionals is an important part of how we strengthen community resilience while helping build the next generation of environmental leaders.
Through our student partnerships, participants gain hands-on experience working directly with communities on climate preparedness, environmental education, and public health resilience strategies. Students help develop educational tools, support workshops, engage residents in meaningful learning experiences, and contribute fresh ideas and perspectives that strengthen our programs.
These placements are intentionally designed to be mutually beneficial. Students gain practical workforce skills, mentorship, and professional connections, while Planning Ahead and our community partners benefit from new energy, innovation, and collaborative problem-solving.
We are proud to support students as they grow their confidence, deepen their cultural humility, and explore career pathways in environmental education, sustainability, community engagement, public service, and climate resilience. By working alongside our team, students become part of a real community-centered effort to help residents prepare for extreme weather, environmental health challenges, and future climate impacts.
Hannah Miller
Hello, my name is Hannah Miller. I am currently a senior, expecting to graduate in May 2026 from North Carolina State University. My major is Environmental Sciences with a focal area in Natural Resource Policy. Other interests of mine related to my degree include environmental education, water quality, and environmental justice. After graduation, I will be working out of Blacksburg, VA, doing seasonal work on fisheries and watershed restoration. Working with Planning Ahead, I am excited for the opportunity to learn more about public outreach and preparing communities for extreme weather events.
Grace Albertson
I am currently a senior at North Carolina State University, majoring in Zoology with a concentration in Applied Zoology and minoring in Wildlife Science and Environmental Education. My long-term career goal in EE is to help redefine who "belongs" in outdoor spaces by creating affordable, inclusive environmental education programs for communities that have historically been excluded from parks, zoos, and museums.
