Los Angeles, California, United States, October 2025 – TreePeople, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit dedicated to building a more sustainable and climate-resilient Southern California, has announced the appointment of Dr. Casandra “Cassie” Rauser as its new Chief Executive Officer. Following a nationwide search led by Envision Consulting, Rauser was selected for her exemplary leadership, deep expertise in sustainability, and lifelong commitment to community and environmental stewardship.
John D. Bunzel, Chair of the TreePeople Board of Directors, expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, saying, “I am thrilled we have finally found our next CEO. Cassie Rauser has it all: experience, expertise, and true authenticity. There is no limit to what TreePeople can achieve under her leadership.”
A respected climate and sustainability strategist, Dr. Rauser has spent her career at the intersection of science, policy, and community engagement to advance equity-centered climate solutions. She is the Founder and Principal of MorphoStrategies, where she led groundbreaking projects in wildfire recovery, resilience planning, and coalition-building across Los Angeles. Her initiatives have included developing the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Climate Implementation Plan and coordinating Accelerate Resilience LA’s Fire Response Network, along with supporting organizations such as Resilient Palisades and the East LA Community Corporation in implementing climate-smart rebuilding and greening strategies.
Previously, Dr. Rauser served as the inaugural Executive Director of UCLA’s Sustainable LA Grand Challenge, a landmark initiative aimed at transforming Los Angeles into the most sustainable megacity by 2050. Under her leadership, the program united academia, government, and community partners to develop scalable models for urban sustainability and environmental justice. She holds a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Irvine and contributes to multiple boards and advisory councils focused on biodiversity, climate action, and sustainability leadership.
Speaking on her new role, Dr. Rauser shared, “TreePeople has spent more than 50 years showing what is possible when people come together to care for the environment and each other. I am excited to work alongside this extraordinary community to expand TreePeople’s impact, strengthen its partnerships, and help shape a more equitable and climate-resilient Southern California.”
She added, “As a proud Angeleno, I have long admired TreePeople’s incredible legacy of inspiring and mobilizing communities to care for people and nature. I am honored to step into this role at such a pivotal moment, when our city and region are facing profound challenges but also unprecedented opportunities. Together, with staff, board, and community, we can continue to build on TreePeople’s strong foundation and grow its impact for generations to come.”
About TreePeople
Founded over 50 years ago from the vision of a passionate teenager, TreePeople has inspired millions to unite in building a greener, more sustainable Southern California. The organization has planted and cared for millions of trees, restored thousands of acres of wildfire-scarred land, and educated hundreds of thousands of environmental stewards. TreePeople continues to innovate in tackling California’s most pressing environmental challenges—from restoring native ecosystems after wildfires to greening asphalt-covered schoolyards and mitigating extreme heat with community-led tree planting initiatives. Through research, education, and action, TreePeople empowers communities to create a thriving future for people and nature alike.
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