diff --git a/media_commons_booking_app/src/policy.ts b/media_commons_booking_app/src/policy.ts
index 6bb3af11..73cb41a2 100644
--- a/media_commons_booking_app/src/policy.ts
+++ b/media_commons_booking_app/src/policy.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ export const OLD_SAFETY_TRAINING_SHEET_NAME = 'Sheet1';
 
 /********** CONTACTS ************/
 
-export const SECOND_APPROVER_EMAIL = 'ss12430@nyu.edu';
+// TODO configure this via admin UI
+export const getSecondApproverEmail = (branchName: string) =>
+  branchName === 'development'
+    ? 'media-commons-devs@itp.nyu.edu'
+    : 'jg5626@nyu.edu'; // Jhanele
 
 /********** ROOMS ************/
 
diff --git a/media_commons_booking_app/src/server/admin.ts b/media_commons_booking_app/src/server/admin.ts
index 23e8dad5..058ed663 100644
--- a/media_commons_booking_app/src/server/admin.ts
+++ b/media_commons_booking_app/src/server/admin.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import {
   ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns,
-  SECOND_APPROVER_EMAIL,
   TableNames,
+  getSecondApproverEmail,
 } from '../policy';
 import { approvalUrl, rejectUrl } from './ui';
 import {
@@ -22,58 +22,55 @@ export const bookingContents = (id: string) => {
   return bookingObj;
 };
 
-export const approveInstantBooking = (id: string) => {
+const firstApprove = (id: string) =>
   updateActiveSheetValueById(
     TableNames.BOOKING_STATUS,
     id,
     ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns.FIRST_APPROVED_DATE,
     new Date()
   );
+
+const secondApprove = (id: string) =>
+  updateActiveSheetValueById(
+    TableNames.BOOKING_STATUS,
+    id,
+    ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns.SECOND_APPROVED_DATE,
+    new Date()
+  );
+
+export const approveInstantBooking = (id: string) => {
+  firstApprove(id);
   approveEvent(id);
 };
 
+// both first approve and second approve flows hit here
 export const approveBooking = (id: string) => {
-  const firstApproveDateRange = updateActiveSheetValueById(
+  const firstApproveDateRange = getActiveSheetValueById(
     TableNames.BOOKING_STATUS,
     id,
-    ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns.FIRST_APPROVED_DATE,
-    new Date()
+    ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns.FIRST_APPROVED_DATE
   );
-  console.log('first approve date', firstApproveDateRange.getValue());
 
-  //COMPLETE ALL APPROVAL
-  if (firstApproveDateRange.getValue() !== '') {
-    // second approve
+  console.log('first approve date', firstApproveDateRange);
+
+  // if already first approved, then this is a second approve
+  if (firstApproveDateRange !== '') {
+    secondApprove(id);
     approveEvent(id);
   } else {
-    // TODO fix logic here? why are we trying to do this twice?
-    // first approve
-    updateActiveSheetValueById(
-      TableNames.BOOKING_STATUS,
-      id,
-      ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns.FIRST_APPROVED_DATE,
-      new Date()
-    );
+    firstApprove(id);
 
     //TODO: send email to user
     updateEventPrefix(id, 'PRE-APPROVED');
 
     const subject = 'Second Approval Request';
     const contents = bookingContents(id);
-    const recipient = SECOND_APPROVER_EMAIL;
+    const recipient = getSecondApproverEmail(process.env.BRANCH_NAME);
     sendHTMLEmail('approval_email', contents, recipient, subject, '');
   }
 };
 
 export const approveEvent = (id: string) => {
-  // add 2nd approval timestamp
-  updateActiveSheetValueById(
-    TableNames.BOOKING_STATUS,
-    id,
-    ActiveSheetBookingStatusColumns.SECOND_APPROVED_DATE,
-    new Date()
-  );
-
   const guestEmail = getActiveSheetValueById(
     TableNames.BOOKING_STATUS,
     id,
diff --git a/media_commons_booking_app/webpack.config.js b/media_commons_booking_app/webpack.config.js
index 7426f06d..37a7587d 100755
--- a/media_commons_booking_app/webpack.config.js
+++ b/media_commons_booking_app/webpack.config.js
@@ -431,6 +431,9 @@ const serverConfig = {
       // removes need for assigning public server functions to "global"
       autoGlobalExportsFiles: [serverEntry],
     }),
+    new webpack.DefinePlugin({
+      'process.env': JSON.stringify(envVars),
+    }),
   ],
 };