Marylee Orr is Executive Director of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) in Baton Rouge, a community based not-for-profit organization that is committed to resolving the environmental struggles of Louisiana. Orr began her advocacy work in 1984 when she organized a group called “Mothers Against Air Pollution.” Through the perspective of a concerned parent, Orr became educated about the air quality problems facing Baton Rouge and the impacts they could have on sensitive populations. This engagement also opened her eyes to the injustices faced by minority communities within Louisiana’s industrial corridor. Since 1986, when Orr co-founded LEAN, her work over three decades has focused on using environmental challenges as an empowerment opportunity to not only solve health and safety issues but also address the fundamental imbalances facing minority communities across Louisiana. Her work has been widely recognized and repeatedly awarded.