Sheena Cabal

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Land Use and Health Program Associate, Physicians for Social Responsibility

Sheena Cabal joins the MRED+D program with three years of interdisciplinary land use experience. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2020, where she developed a strong foundation in environmental science and a systems-thinking approach to the built environment that is synergistic to people and the planet.

Her passion for development stems from her experience in community engagement around land use, through which she gained insights into how urban planning and real estate development profoundly influence the well-being and empowerment of communities.

As a Climate Corps Fellow with the Los Angeles Community College District, she actively contributed to the Department of Facilities, Planning, and Development’s community engagement programs and Sustainability Vision 2040 Plan for their multi-campus infrastructure. With five out of the nine colleges located in frontline communities, this prompted her transition into environmental justice work as the Land Use and Health Program Associate with Physicians for Social Responsibility—Los Angeles. She collaborated closely with environmental justice organizations to research and generate policy recommendations for land use policies related to housing, development, and CEQA. Additionally, she coordinated coalition spaces to create widely-used educational materials on policy advocacy and community engagement strategies related to the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated land in South Los Angeles. With her involvement in local and state housing justice coalitions, she is adept at development without displacement practices and passionate about social impact real estate.

Her multifaceted experience engaging communities around sustainability, development, and environmental justice brings her to the program to gain the skills needed to become a mission-driven developer who prioritizes people, the planet, and profit justly.