Press Kit/Long Bio

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Dr. Kimi Waite: Scholar-Activist, Author, and Leader in Environmental Justice Education

Social & Environmental Justice Educator

Dr. Kimi Waite is an Asian American Scholar-Activist, Author, and Social Justice Educator with expertise in climate change and environmental justice curriculum and teaching. Her work is grounded in educational justice, informed by nearly a decade of experience teaching and leading in Title I public schools in South Los Angeles and Compton.

Her commitment to global environmental education is shaped by her international teaching experiences in South Korea and Guyana, as well as her explorations and travels to over 85 countries and all seven continents.

Her expertise is backed by four teaching credentials, including Elementary Education, Educational Leadership, TESOL, and Early Childhood Education, lending her research immediate credibility and relevance among K-12 teachers.

Impact, Innovation, and Educational Technology Leadership

A nationally recognized educator, Dr. Waite has received state and national awards for her teaching and educational leadership:

She co-created and directs a flagship community science program that utilizes Geographic Information System (GIS) app-based technologies, which has reached over 3,500 teachers and students across the country, with partnerships that include Indigenous Nations and the Philippines.
She is a former curriculum trainer and blogger for National Geographic Education and an experienced facilitator for K-12 teacher workshops on topics like STEAM Project-Based Learning and 21st-century learning.
She served as a district central office STEM and Innovation Specialist in Compton, where she supported over 20,000 K-12 students and their teachers with online learning and instructional technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her unique methodology is driven by critical arts-based educational research and critical theories, which she applies across various environmental education contexts, including outdoor education, K-12 curriculum, and online teacher professional development.

Public Engagement and Educational Activism

As a publicly engaged scholar, Dr. Waite uses Movement Journalism to reach millions through major news outlets. Her articles have achieved "viral" status, garnering up to 63 million readers through platforms including PBS, The Boston Globe, Ms. Magazine, and The Progressive.

A recognized leader in her field, she focuses on Educational Activism by leveraging her research expertise to drive policy change.

She has been an invited speaker for organizations such as the National Education Association and the National Geographic Society.
She has served as a steering committee member for California’s state climate change education initiative (ECCLPs) since 2019 and contributed to the state recommendations report.

Academic Roles and Publications

Dr. Waite became an Assistant Professor at California State University, Los Angeles in 2023. Before this, she worked in pre-service elementary teacher preparation at California State University, Fullerton.

Author of Three Books:

What Teachers Want to Know About Teaching Climate Change: An Educator's Guide to Nurturing Hope (K-12). An award-winning co-authored book (Corwin Press, 2025).
Teaching Environmental Justice in the Elementary Classroom: Entry Points for Equity Across the K-5 Curriculum. Solo-authored (Routledge, forthcoming February 2026).
Her debut children's book. Solo-authored (National Science Teaching Association Press, forthcoming Fall 2026).