Shilpi Chhotray
Co-Founder and President
Shilpi Chhotray (she/her) is an award-winning advocate, journalist, and media strategist dedicated to advancing climate and environmental justice. As the Co-Founder and President of Counterstream Media, she leads the organization’s strategy, fundraising, and storytelling initiatives that cover frontline voices and strengthen movement organizing.
Shilpi is also the host of A People’s Climate for The Nation, where she interviews community organizers, legal strategists, and cultural workers shaping the future of the climate movement. Her writing has been published in The Guardian, Nonprofit Quarterly, Prism, and The Nation, with commentary in The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, BBC, ABC, NBC, and Al Jazeera.
With nearly 15 years of experience, Shilpi’s work spans global campaigns on plastic pollution, narrative strategy across social movements, and the creation of media platforms that challenge extractive systems. Prior to founding Counterstream Media (formerly People over Plastic), she served as the Global Communications Lead for Break Free From Plastic, where she played a foundational role in movement-building — establishing and leading its communications hub, while campaigning on plastic reduction policy at local, federal, and international levels. She also worked at Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance where she guest-authored for National Geographic.
Shilpi is also the creator and host of the five-season People over Plastic podcast, which helped shape Counterstream’s storytelling work today.
She lives in Oakland, California, on Ohlone land with her family.