About

Director
agsten@usc.edu

Allison Agsten is the inaugural director of USC Annenberg’s Center for Climate Journalism and Communication where she develops initiatives to bolster public understanding of – and response to – climate change. She is also executive producer of the USC energy transition podcast series, Electric Futures, and the author of a range of reports addressing climate change and the media, corporate sustainability practices, and policy-related issues.

In addition to her appointment at the Annenberg School, Agsten provides support to faculty, staff, and students in her work as an eco-chaplain within the university’s Office of Religious Life. At USC, she is also a fellow of the Los Angeles Institute of Humanities and an affiliate with the Schaeffer Behavioral Science and Policy Initiative. Beyond Los Angeles, she is an affiliate of the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Biological Sciences and the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Previously, Agsten has held roles in the fields of  journalism, communications, and public engagement, including as a producer at CNN, Director of Communications at LACMA, and Curator of Public Engagement at the Hammer Museum. Her work has been recognized by the city and the county of Los Angeles, the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, a range of philanthropic organizations, and local, national, and international media.

Agsten holds an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA from UCLA.

Engagement Coordinator
shreyaag@usc.edu

Rhysea Agrawal is a climate journalist and communicator who reports on the environment, health, politics and social issues. She is currently working as the Climate Center’s Engagement Coordinator and was previously the Center’s first rural climate reporting fellow at Malheur Enterprise in Vale, Oregon. She also works as a newsroom fellow for The Xylom, an award-winning science publication, as well as a news reporting cohort fellow for Sojourners Magazine.

Her work has been published in several outlets including Los Angeles Times, CalMatters and Planet Forward, and she has appeared on radio stations like CapRadio, LAist, KCBS and KQED to talk about her reporting. She graduated from USC in 2023 with bachelor’s degrees in Geological Sciences and English, and a master’s degree in Journalism. She also founded and was formerly the inaugural editor of Annenberg Media Earth. She hopes to bridge gaps in climate communication and education and help save the planet with her work.

Senior Producer
carra@usc.edu

Mallory Carra, is a veteran journalist, podcast producer and adjunct professor with 20 years of journalism and new media experience. She teaches digital, audio and TV journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and has worked on several podcasts, including Sarah Turney’s Voices for Justice, The Why Files, and USC’s Electric Futures. Previously, Mallory worked on podcasts at Spotify’s Parcast Studios for over 5 years. She also writes articles for NBCU Academy’s Equity Lab and is the founder of the West Coast Media Jobs newsletter.

Research Assistant
sazariah@usc.edu

Sarah Azariah is a second-year graduate student in USC’s Digital Social Media program with five years of experience in marketing, brand strategy, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. She is passionate about making climate awareness more accessible and actionable through digital media and trend-driven storytelling. Her interests focus on using social platforms and digital communication to connect broader audiences to sustainability and social impact initiatives.

Sarah is also a sustainable urban design enthusiast who enjoys exploring how cities, culture, and design can shape more sustainable communities.

Research Assistant
ellendav@usc.edu

Ellen Davis is a USC undergraduate student at the Sol Price School of Public Policy studying public policy with a focus on healthcare policy, particularly at the intersection of health and sustainability. Born and raised in Alabama, she is also deeply committed to keeping equitable access at the forefront of all her work. Ellen is a Hayes Barnard Sustainability Fellow and serves as a guide for USC’s two largest outdoors organizations, reflecting her devotion to and appreciation for the natural world.

Associate Producer
scline@usc.edu

Spencer Cline is a seasoned podcast and multimedia producer who got his start in college radio hosting a political talk show program titled “Talking With Spencer” during the election cycle of 2016. From there, he enrolled at the University of Southern California’s where he obtained his Masters of Public Diplomacy at the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, where he was one of the executive producers of Annenberg Radio News. Today, he is a freelance radio and podcast producer and has worked on projects such as Electric Futures and the Center for Music Ecosystems.