Drew McCartor

Drew McCartor is an environmental health expert, attorney, and nonprofit leader who has spent more than two decades working to reduce the global health impacts of toxic pollution, particularly lead poisoning. He is President and CEO of Pure Earth, an international nonprofit focused on identifying and eliminating sources of toxic pollution in communities around the world.

McCartor joined Pure Earth more than 15 years ago and has held a range of leadership positions, helping develop global programs, build partnerships, and secure funding for pollution-reduction initiatives across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. His work has included environmental assessments and remediation projects involving lead and other hazardous substances, as well as efforts to translate scientific evidence into practical public-health solutions.

Originally trained as a lawyer, McCartor earned his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School and is a member of the Oregon State Bar. He has combined his legal background with extensive field experience in environmental health and international development.

In 2026, McCartor brought his work to a global audience as a TED2026 speaker, addressing the enormous but often overlooked threat of childhood lead poisoning. He is leading Pure Earth's ambitious initiative, supported by The Audacious Project, to help protect 500 million children from lead exposure by 2033.

McCartor's career is centered on a straightforward premise: toxic pollution is a solvable problem, and effective solutions require governments, communities, scientists, and nonprofit organizations to work together to identify sources of exposure and eliminate them at scale.