Deb Fox named Petaluma’s new climate action manager

The city of Petaluma announced this week that it has appointed Deb Fox, co-founder of a leading local climate action effort and a recognized bike advocate, to be its “climate action manager.”

A Petaluma resident, Fox helped establish Cool Petaluma – originally a local program of the global nonprofit Cool Cities – and served as its director of collaboration and operations after it became an independently run nonprofit. The program has championed community-focused climate change efforts in Petaluma since its start here in 2021.

As Petaluma’s second-ever climate action manager, replacing Rhianna Frank, the city government role will allow “me to do more of what I fully know how to do and need to do, which is connect business and government, nonprofits and schools together to make tangible differences through action,” Fox told the Argus-Courier.

A major part of her work will be to implement Petaluma’s Blueprint for Carbon Neutrality – the city’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and work toward becoming carbon neutral by 2030 – which is now in its final review, she said.

Cool Petaluma is one of numerous community organizations that make up a “support system” to improve Petaluma, said Patrick Carter, assistant to the city manager. The city has worked with the organization since its start “and currently has an agreement with Cool Petaluma to assist with community outreach and engagement on climate issues,” he said.

Though she is no longer with Cool Petaluma, Fox was at the helm of many community efforts to increase participation on climate-related topics.