Advisory Council
The Nature and Health Advisory Council provides unique perspectives to help inform the Center’s strategy and programming.
Marc Berejka, JD (he/him)
- Senior advisor, Brumidi Group
Marc started his career as a telecommunications attorney in D.C. As the Internet and connectivity became ubiquitous, he shifted to tech advocacy. Through the 2000s and early Obama Administration — while at Microsoft and the U.S. Commerce Department — Marc played leading roles on policies that have shaped broadband, wireless, online contracting, data privacy and security, and more. After public service, he returned to the Pacific Northwest and joined REI Co-op, where he oversaw the growth and strategy of the co-op’s governmental, nonprofit, and philanthropic engagement. He has provided thought-leadership and supported allies on the recreation economy narrative, the role states can play in advancing the outdoors, the connection between time outside and our wellbeing, and the feasibility of pursuing many of these goals in a bipartisan way.
Dr. Pooja Sarin Tandon, MPH (she/her)
- Associate professor of pediatrics, UW School of Medicine
- Adjunct associate professor, UW School of Public Health
- Researcher, Seattle Children’s Research Institute
- Health director, Trust for Public Land
Dr. Tandon is a general pediatrician and health researcher who has dedicated her career to advancing children’s health by promoting healthy behaviors and reducing disparities. In particular, her work has focused on play equity, and promoting access to physical activity and outdoor recreation.
In her book, Digging into Nature: Outdoor Adventures for Happier and Healthier Kids, Dr. Tandon explores how and why children and their families are happier, healthier, and more resilient when spending time outdoors.
Dr. Tandon was the senior author of a landmark 2021 paper in the journal Pediatrics, on the relationship between nature contact and children’s health. She has published numerous other research papers including a study on the correlation between park access and mental health among parents and children during the COVID-19 pandemic, and synthesis of research on nature-based engagement by Latinos in the United States.
She has served on the Board of Directors of Islandwood, a leading environmental education center in the Pacific Northwest, and on Washington state’s Parks Rx Legislative Task Force, where she worked to develop a pilot statewide “Parks Prescription” program. Dr. Tandon also co-founded the Climate Change CARE Committee for the Department of Pediatrics Committee at the University of Washington School of Medicine and led her division’s Diversity in Hiring working group. Her powerful TEDx talk titled “The Power of Belonging in Nature” underscores her commitment to ensuring that every individual has the right to play, learn, and thrive in the outdoors.