Leah Butler

Leah began her environmental career in federal service at U.S. EPA’s Superfund Division Region 9, starting in 2006. In this role, Leah managed the investigation and cleanup of hazardous waste sites in Arizona and on Hopi and Navajo tribal lands. Before going to graduate school, she also served as a life scientist in Region 9’s Wetland’s Office, working to protect the aquatic resources of California and Arizona from the impacts of urban sprawl. In 2011, Leah embarked on a three-year double Master’s program in Environmental Management and International Relations at Yale University. While in graduate school, Leah advanced a number of projects at the intersection of mining and international development, including developing a corporate standard on biodiversity and ecosystem services for Newmont Mining Corporation, assisting the Liberian Government meet their commitments under the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for conflict-free diamonds, and developing cost-effective land rehabilitation practices for artisanal and small-scale mining sites in Mongolia. Leah’s background and experience in environmental issues broadened to include a range of social, human rights, and labor issues in 2014, when she joined the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA). The RBA is a non-profit coalition of the world’s leading electronics companies working together to improve social, ethical, and environmental performance in global supply chains. Leading the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI), she advances the organization’s mission to foster responsible mineral supply chains globally. In this role, she leads a number of areas including standards development, auditing/assurance oversight, stakeholder engagement, risk management, financial and organizational oversight, and ensuring the organization evolves along with recognized best practices. Leah holds a BA in environmental science from Berkeley and is a native Texan.