Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous Placed on Leave Amid Internal Criticism

The Sierra Club, a leading environmental nonprofit, has placed its executive director, Ben Jealous, on leave following significant criticism from the Progressive Workers Union. The union, representing the organization's employees, has raised concerns about Jealous' management style and decisions, including multiple rounds of layoffs, which they argue have destabilized the nonprofit during a critical period of environmental policy changes.

Jonathon Berman, a spokesperson for the Sierra Club, confirmed Jealous' leave but declined to elaborate, describing the situation as a 'personnel matter.' The specifics behind Jealous' leave and its expected duration have not been disclosed. Loren Blackford, a long-standing member of the Sierra Club, has been named acting executive director in the interim.

The Progressive Workers Union, led by president Erica Dodt, has publicly criticized the Sierra Club's executive team for expanding its size and increasing salaries while laying off staff considered vital to the organization's mission. This situation underscores the broader challenges environmental organizations face in balancing internal governance with the demands of advocating for policy changes in a contentious political climate.