In 1995, after graduating with her law degree, Johnson Meszaros received an Echoing Green Fellowship. The fellowship provided her the opportunity to start the Environmental Justice Resource Network (EJRN). The EJRN provided legal, technical, and educational assistance to low-income and communities of color affected by environmental hazards. She worked with the Echoing Green Fellowship and EJRN for three years. Johnson Meszaros then worked at the Environmental Defense as a staff attorney. Her next position was Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. Johnson Merzaros also worked for a few years at USC’s Sustainable Cities Program, researching social justice and environmental sustainability.

After USC, Johnson Meszaros joined the California Environmental Rights Alliance (CERA) as their General Counsel and Director of Policy. In this role, Johnson Meszaros ensured that public health professionals engaged in environmental public health policy and supported community-based efforts to protect public health. Her work focused on oil and gas extraction and its impacts on community health. At CERA, she developed state and regional policies to monitor the implementation of air, toxics, and land-use planning policies in low-income communities of color.

In 2007, Johnson Meszaros opened her legal practice that provided pro bono legal assistance on environmental justice issues to low-income and communities of color. In the mid-2010s, Johnson Meszaros was general counsel at Physicians for Social Responsibility.

In 2007, Johnson Meszaros was named co-chair of the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee. The California Air Resources Board established the committee to determine how the state would reach climate change targets outlined in the Implementation of the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32).

For Johnson Meszaros, the highlight of her career is her colleagues. “It’s their combination of community organizing and professionalism that brings work to life for me,” Johnson Meszaros says. “It’s just amazing to work and learn from them.” While the Executive Director of the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, she organized a monthly luncheon series to bring together people from around the Los Angeles area working on environmental justice issues. Johnson Meszaros believes it is important for activists, community members, and professionals to get to know one another and bond when they are not involved in a crisis. The monthly luncheons started many friendships and collaborations and built knowledge and information-sharing networks.

Now, Johnson Meszaros works at Earthjustice as the Managing Attorney for the Community Partnerships Program. She works at Earthjustice’s California regional office in Los Angeles, CA. She works with communities of color and low-income communities on issues related to air pollution, energy, and the urban environment. Her work focuses on policy development, implementation, and enforcement. She has worked on many significant projects, including eliminating oil extraction in L.A.’s urban neighborhoods, meeting the Clean Air Act’s health-based air standards, and stopping inappropriate siting of sources of air pollution. Johnson Meszaros strives to be community-centered in all her work, including efforts to reduce childhood lead poisoning, prevent destructive freeway siting, influence land use policies and their impact on community health, reduce health impacts of air toxics, and advocate for air permit development. Johnson Meszaros’s work also includes advocating for Superfund clean-up, compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, encouraging public participation in environmental decision-making, and evaluating climate change policy impacts on communities of color.

The Community Partnerships Program at Earthjustice sharpens the focus on communities. “People must be at the center of the environmental movement,” says Johnson Meszaros, “I’m concerned about the dirty air people breathe and the industry next door that’s sending toxic pollution into their schools. The environment includes everywhere people live, work, play, learn, and worship. This program focuses on those spaces. We stand with the communities facing the worst hazards with the fewest resources and dig in for long fights to challenge the status quo. This new program will connect and propel the local community work already happening at Earthjustice for even more impact” (Woodcraft, 2018).

Johnson Meszaros’ work is varied and often includes serving on agency policy workgroups, engaging in media advocacy, and mediating negotiations with various stakeholders.

Johnson Meszaros is a mother of two children, a decent archer, and loves well-told stories.