Roya Alkafaji

Manager, Healthy Communities

Work

Areas of expertise:
Lead in drinking water, water quality, environmental health, children’s health

Roya is a Manager for EDF’s Healthy Communities program. In this role, Roya supports EDF’s efforts to reduce lead exposure, specifically from drinking water. She works to ensure public health is protected through equitable lead service line replacement by working with key partners, tracking and analyzing policy related to the federal Lead and Copper Rule, and engaging with the Lead Service Line Replacement Collaborative where EDF is a co-founder.

Background

Roya brings several years of experience working on issues of lead in drinking water. Before joining EDF’s Healthy Communities team, Roya worked directly with water utilities supporting their efforts to address lead service lines in their systems. Prior to this, she launched and managed Illinois’ lead in water testing program for child care facilities that delivered free sampling and training to providers throughout the state.

Education

BS, Psychology, Loyola University Chicago

Publications

Pakenham, C., Alkafaji, R., and Philbrick, D. (2019). Municipal Strategies for Full Lead Service Line Replacement: Lessons from Across the United States. Illinois Municipal Policy Journal, 4(1).

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