The meeting locale of New Orleans and the increased frequency of extreme events in the past few years is opportune for exchange between ecologists and practitioners in exploring our role as partners and agents of education, ecological expertise and data-sharing in addressing social justice dimensions and human health impacts. Extreme events have long-been predicted to increase as a result of climate change, and so their occurrence and the aftermath-recovery efforts provide place-based opportunities for learning, and potential doorways for considering the bigger questions of the impacts of climate change, and our mitigation and adaptation, and pro-active responses to reduce the disproportionate impacts of injustice. How can we better educate, and connect the concepts of ecosystem resilience and human impact, particularly related to environmental justice and disparity? This session has several goals: To examine how ecologists have been engaged in response to extreme events and how they have contributed to increasing ecosystem and human community resilience and identify opportunities for increased engagement. To explore the educational opportunities to connect ecology and social justice, and further partnerships with faith communities and those disproportionately impacted by extreme events. 1) To learn from experts in the fields of communication including education, social media and other outreach regarding best messaging practices. 2) To explore how ecology and ecologists might increase our contributions to public policy. 3) To present innovative approaches and opportunities for ecologists to partner and engage such as in citizen science, and local place-based education so as to expand the audiences with whom we engage. This session contributes to ESA’s aim of being of greater service as ecologists in planetary stewardship through education, policy and partnerships.