Katie Balakir

Senior Policy Associate, HEAL Utah

March 19 at 4:15 p.m. | Room 320 | Beyond the Podium: Using the 2034 Olympics to Build a Healthier, More Connected Utah

Katie Balakir joined HEAL as a senior policy associate to support HEAL’s clean air and energy campaigns. Growing up as the daughter of two steelworkers in Northwest Indiana, Katie was surrounded by the constant tug-of-war between industry and the environment. When her dad later developed lung cancer, she gained a firsthand understanding of the health consequences of long-term exposure to air pollution. Katie has worked across the environmental space in Utah on issues ranging from public land management to transportation policy. She is passionate about bridging the gap between policy and community by ensuring that everyone, especially those most disproportionately impacted, have a seat at the table where decisions are made.