Contact CLF

General Inquiries: (617) 350-0990

Media Inquiries: Karen Wood, (617) 850-1722

Membership/Donations: Tim Harwood, (617) 850-1738

Maine Advocacy Center
47 Portland Street, Suite 4
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 207-210-6439
Fax: 207-221-1240
Directions

Massachusetts Advocacy Center
62 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02110-1016
Phone: (617) 350-0990
Fax: (617) 350-4030
Directions

New Hampshire Advocacy Center
27 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301-4930
Phone: (603) 225-3060
Fax: (603) 225-3059
Directions

Rhode Island Advocacy Center
55 Dorrance Street
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 351-1102
Fax: (401) 351-1130
Directions

Vermont Advocacy Center
15 East State Street, Suite 4
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: (802) 223-5992
Fax: (802) 223-0060
Directions

Staff Directory

  • John B. Kassel is CLF President. He has over 20 years of legal experience and most recently served as co-managing partner and co-founder of Shems Dunkiel Kassel & Saunders (SDKS), a mission-driven Burlington, Vermont law firm, where he counseled non-profits and businesses on the creation and permitting of renewable energy projects. Prior to that, he served as Secretary of Vermont’s Agency of Natural Resources, a cabinet-level position in the administration of Gov. Howard Dean, after joining the agency previously as its general counsel. Kassel has also served on CLF's Vermont Advisory Board.

    Hailing from Middletown, New York, Kassel lived in Vermont for 30 years. He is a graduate of Middlebury College, and received his law degree from Cornell. He and his wife, Julie Campoli, enjoy hiking, backcountry skiing, kayaking and general adventuring throughout New England, as well as domestic pleasures like gardening and caring for their landscape at home in Vermont.

Maine Advocacy Center

  • Sean Mahoney is Vice President and Director of CLF's Maine Advocacy Center. Prior to joining CLF in 2007, Sean practiced environmental law in San Francisco and Portland, ME for 15 years, where he represented a variety of commercial and non-governmental entities in all aspects of state and federal environmental litigation and permitting.

    At CLF, Mahoney focuses on marine conservation and sustainability, climate change and restoring and protecting Maine’s rivers and coastal watersheds.

    Mahoney, a resident of Falmouth, received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College. He was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Fred I. Parker, U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sri Lanka. Mahoney has been recognized as a leading lawyer in his field by a number of organizations, including the respected legal research and publishing firm, Chamber & Partners. He has served on a number of boards, including GrowSmart Maine (chair), Gulf of Maine Research Insitute, Konbit Sante and the Falmouth Land Trust.
  • Greg Cunningham is a Senior Attorney. Greg joined CLF in 2008 after 10 years at  Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, where he was a shareholder and helped to develop its  environmental practice group. Prior to that, Greg was a partner in a toxic tort litigation firm.

    He recently served as the Chair of the Natural Resources Section of the Maine State Bar Association and co-authored the Maine Environmental Law Handbook published by Government Institutes. Additionally, he has been a state-appointed member of the Maine Indian Tribal State Commission since 2004.

    Cunningham received his J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center, a Masters in Studies of Environmental Law from Vermont Law School and his undergraduate degree from Colby College.

  • Jane West is a Staff Attorney.  Prior to joining CLF, she was a founding partner of the Florida-based public interest environmental law firm of Collins & West, P.A. where she represented not-for-profit environmental organizations in land use and environmental disputes.

    Jane has served as a Magistrate of Palm Beach County’s Environmental Control Hearing Board and has served on the Environmental and Land Use Law Section of the Florida Bar, chairing the Public Interest Committee.  Jane is the recipient of the Judy Florence Memorial Award for Outstanding Service to the Environmental and Land Use Law Section of the Florida Bar and the Krupnick & Campbell Award for exceptional trial advocacy. She has served as the co-chair of the Environmental Law and Eminent Domain Law CLE Section of the Palm Beach County Bar.

    Jane holds a J.D. from Nova Southeastern University and two B.A.s from the University of South Florida.  She is a member of the Florida Bar, the United States Court of Appeals, 11th District and the United Sates District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

  • Diana Upson is Office Manager for CLF’s Maine Advocacy Center.  Diana joined CLF in July 2008.  She is a recent transplant from Colorado, and recently moved to Maine to make family a larger part of her life.  The move brought her closer to the water and encouraged the natural progression toward an organization that places importance on protecting the environment.

Massachusetts Advocacy Center

  • Peter Shelley is Vice President and Director of CLF's Massachusetts Advocacy Center. He was awarded a Pew Fellowship in Conservation and the Environment in 1996 and the David B Stone Medal by the New England Aquarium in 2003. Before CLF, Peter served for five years as an Assistant Attorney General for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. Peter has a BA from Hobart College and received his JD with honors from Suffolk University Law School. He is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State of Maine, State of Pennsylvania and U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
  • Priscilla Brooks is Senior Economist and Director of CLF’s Marine Conservation Program, focusing on protecting marine habitat and wildlife and building healthy fishing communities. Before joining CLF in 1994, she performed extensive research on seafood marketing and trade, as well as aquaculture economics. In addition, she has worked on recreational fishing boats and research vessels in waters from Labrador to the Caribbean . Priscilla holds a BS from Cornell University as well as an MS and PhD in environmental and resource economics from the University of Rhode Island.
  • Seth Kaplan is a Vice President for Policy and Climate Advocacy, focusing on fostering renewable energy, working for climate protection, and reducing the environmental impact of fossil fuel power plants. A native of Rhode Island, Seth worked as a real estate and environmental attorney in New York City before his return to CLF, where he had previously worked as a law student. Seth is a graduate of Wesleyan University and Northeastern University School of Law.
  • Susan Reid is a Senior Attorney and the Director of CLF’s Massachusetts Clean Energy & Climate Change Initiative. Sue’s work at CLF is focused on addressing the threat of global warming by promoting responsible new renewable energy development and energy efficiency and by pursuing initiatives to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Prior to joining CLF, Sue was the Advocacy Director for a local environmental organization in southeastern Massachusetts. Sue also previously worked as a litigation attorney for several years at law firms including Goodwin Procter and Fenwick & West. Sue holds a JD from Boston University and BA from the University of New Hampshire, both cum laude. She is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State of California, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
  • Sean Cosgrove is Director of CLF's Gulf of Maine Campaign. Sean has eighteen years experience as a conservation advocate and came to CLF from the Sierra Club where he directed its National Forest Protection and Restoration Campaign in Washington, D.C.  He has extensive experience in designing and directing grassroots conservation campaigns, working legislation and appropriations issues on Capitol Hill and in the media. Sean earned a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Environmental Science from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.
  • Cynthia Liebman is a Staff Attorney working on clean water issues. Before joining CLF in 2007, Cynthia was an Honors Fellow and an enforcement attorney at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 office in Boston. She holds a J.D. from NYU School of Law and a B.A. with honors from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to attending law school, Cynthia worked as a staff member for U.S. Senator Russ Feingold in Washington, D.C. Cynthia was a co-founder and former executive officer of SustainUS, a national organization of young people advancing sustainable development in the United States. She is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of New York and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
  • Shanna Cleveland is a Staff Attorney working to advance climate protection through promoting effective legislation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Shanna earned her B.A. from Harvard University with honors and her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served as an Executive Editor for the Virginia Law Review. She worked as a litigation attorney before receiving her LL.M. in Environmental Law from the Vermont Law School with honors. She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealthof Massachusetts, the State of Hawaii, and the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii.
  • Rafael Mares is a Staff Attorney working on transportation and environmental justice issues. He joined CLF in 2009. For ten years, prior to joining CLF, Rafael served as a clinical instructor and lecturer on law at the WilmerHale Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School, where he founded the Healthy Homes and Environmental Justice Project. Before and during law school, Rafael worked on environmental justice issues in Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and Boston. Rafael holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a B.S. in Integrated Natural Resources from the University of Vermont. He is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
  • Michael Baram is a Volunteer Attorney. He joined CLF in early 2002. Michael co-founded Boston's first environmental law firm, Bracken & Baram. He is currently an environmental law professor at Boston University law school and teaches in conjunction with the BU school of public health. Michael is also a consultant to the Environmental Protection Agency. Michael is a retired member of the Massachusetts Bar Association.
  • John Davenport is a Volunteer Attorney working for both CLF and CLF Ventures. From 1984 until his arrival at CLF in 1999, John was Vice President and Associate General Counsel at Liberty Financial Companies, Inc., where he was primarily responsible for legal oversight of its acquisitions and investment companies. John began his career as an associate in the Wall Street law firm of Chadbourne & Parke, moving to Boston in 1972 to join Nutter, McClennen & Fish, where he was a junior partner. John graduated from Amherst College in 1958 and from Columbia Law School in 1961. He is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  • John Pike is a Volunteer Attorney. Since 1997, he has been assisting on projects in both CLF and CLF Ventures. John received his B.A. from Williams College and LLB from Harvard Law School. He served as Law Clerk for Justice R. Ammi Cutter of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and was an attorney at the law firm of Ropes & Gray, where he was a partner practicing Corporate and Real Estate Law and Chairman of the Real Estate Department. He is admitted to the bar in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
  • Wendy Miller is a Volunteer Attorney. An environmental attorney with over 20 years’ experience spanning government service and private practice, she has volunteered her time to advise and represent CLF on Clean Water Act enforcement matters since 2008.  Wendy served as a Senior Assistant Regional Counsel and Assistant Regional Counsel at the U.S. EPA Region III office in Philadelphia for over ten years, during which time she served as lead counsel in numerous administrative enforcement cases under the Clean Air Act, CERCLA, and other regulatory programs.  Wendy has also represented clients on environmental matters at private firms in Philadelphia and Uniondale, New York. She is currently admitted to practice in Massachusetts.
  • June Crolius is a CLF Volunteer.

New Hampshire Advocacy Center

  • Tom Irwin is Vice President and Director of CLF's New Hampshire Advocacy Center. A member of the CLF staff since 1998, Tom has led CLF's ongoing initiative to protect the Great Bay Estuary, as well as a number of smart growth, transportation, water quality and land use initiatives. In 2009, he led the creation of the New England Rail Coalition (NERC) to promote improved planning and greater investment in regional rail, and now serves as the organization's steering committee chair. Tom serves on the Board of Trustees of the Five Rivers Conservation Trust as well as the City of Concord's Transportation Advisory Committee.

    Before joining CLF, Tom practiced civil litigation in the Manchester, NH law firm of Devine, Millimet & Branch. Prior to his work in the private sector, Tom worked as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Justice Caroline D. Glassman of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in Portland. He earned his J.D. and an M.S. in Environmental Law and Policy, both magnum cum laude, from Vermont Law School, and his B.A. from Wesleyan University.
  • Melissa Hoffer is Vice President and Director of CLF's Healthy Communities and Environmental Justice Program. Prior to joining CLF in February 2007, Melissa practiced at WilmerHale in Boston, Massachusetts, where she was named a junior partner in 2003. Her experience includes a wide variety of environmental matters, particularly state and federal hazardous waste cleanup, liability, and management, the Clean Water Act, zoning, wetlands and carbon sequestration. Melissa was named a “Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star” by Boston Magazine in 2006. Melissa received her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, Certificate in Environmental Management from Tufts University Graduate School, M.Ed. from the University of Massachusetts, and B.A. from Hampshire College.
  • N. Jonathan Peress recently joined CLF as Vice President and Director of its Clean Energy and Climate Program. He previously was a partner at Downs Rachlin Martin’s Environmental Practice Group in New Hampshire. He practices environmental and regulatory law and has worked extensively on matters involving electric generation and utility regulation throughout the Northeast.  He began his career at the State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources where he authored the state regulations implementing the Clean Air Act.     

    Jonathan has frequently written about climate change and greenhouse gas regulatory matters and was recently appointed Chair of the American Bar Association Air Quality Committee for 2010/11.  He earned his law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1993 and is admitted to practice in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

  • Dorene Hartford is the Office Manager for CLF’s New Hampshire Advocacy Center. Prior to coming to CLF, Dorene worked for the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department as Legal Assistant to the counsel, and has held several other positions in an administrative capacity. Dorene holds a B.S. in Business Administration, as well as a MBA and M.S. in Marketing from Southern New Hampshire University.

Rhode Island Advocacy Center

  • Tricia K. Jedele is Vice President and Director of CLF's Rhode Island Advocacy Center. Tricia is a graduate of Providence College. She received her J.D. from Creighton University. She joins CLF after serving 10 years as a Special Assistant Attorney General and the State’s Environmental Advocate with the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General. During her tenure at the Attorney General’s office, Tricia brought the first of its kind lawsuit against the United States Navy, recovering 1.4 million dollars in natural resource damages that resulted from Navy operations at Quonset Point. She was the State’s lead attorney in the Brayton Point Station litigation which led to the settlement and closed-cycle cooling at the power plant. Among other cases, she represented RI in the Clean Air Act case filed against American Electric Power Company, which resulted in the single largest environmental settlement in U.S. history and the installation of 4 billion dollars worth of pollution controls at midwestern power plants. She was the lead author of the briefs filed by RI and five other states before the United States Supreme Court in the Clean Water Act case, Riverkeeper v. EPA. Most recently, she represented Rhode Island’s environmental agency, working closely with CLF on defending the state’s adoption of California clean car standards.
  • Jerry Elmer is a Staff Attorney. Jerry is a graduate of Rhode Island College (summa cum laude) and Harvard Law School (cum laude). Before joining CLF, Jerry was a partner in the Providence law firm Goldenberg & Muri, LLP, where he specialized in commercial litigation and banking law. Prior to attending law school, Jerry served for over 15 years as the co-director of the Rhode Island office of the American Friends Service Committee, the Quaker service and educational organization which was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947. There his worked focused on east-west relations, nuclear disarmament, and human rights. During his tenure at AFSC, he traveled extensively in South and Southeast Asia investigating the status of human rights and the impact of Western aid programs. His articles from India, Burma , Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia were widely published in the United States, including in the Providence Journal-Bulletin, and by Pacific News Service. Jerry is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York , as well as in the Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.
  • Kim Twist is Office Manager for CLF’s Rhode Island’s Advocacy Center.

Vermont Advocacy Center

  • Christopher Kilian is Vice President and Director of CLF’s Vermont Advocacy Center and its Clean Water & Healthy Forests Program. Prior to his work at CLF, Chris spent eight years with the Vermont Natural Resources Council. In 1998, Chris received the Charlie Shaw Conservation Partnership Award from the National Wildlife Federation. He received his BA in Political Science from the University of Rochester and his law degree and Masters in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School, cum laude. Chris' adminssions include: State of Vermont, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Federal District Court for the District of Vermont.
  • Anthony Iarrapino is a Staff Attorney who resides in Montpelier, Vermont. He works in CLF's Clean Water and Healthy Forest Program, focusing on the protection of Lake Champlain, the Green Mountain National Forest, and Vermont's other natural treasures. Prior to joining CLF in 2005, Anthony spent two years as the law clerk for Hon. Denise R. Johnson, Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. During law school, Anthony worked at the Vermont Public Interest Group in Montpelier, The South Royalton Legal Services Clinic, and at the Denver, CO office of Earthjustice, where he focused on public land, endangered species, and environmental justice issues. Before entering the legal field, Anthony worked as an aide to U.S. Congressman Martin T. Meehan. Anthony received his B.A. magna cum laude from Boston College in 1998 and his J.D. summa cum laude from Vermont Law School in 2003. Anthony is admitted to practice law in Vermont and Massachusetts.
  • Sandy Levine is a Senior Attorney. Prior to joining CLF, Sandy practiced privately, taught at Vermont Law School, worked for the Vermont Prisoner's Rights Office, and worked for the Vermont Department of Public Service. She earned her BA at the University of Vermont and JD at Suffolk University Law School. Sandy works on smart growth, anti-sprawl initiatives, clean energy, and agriculture. Sandy's admissions include: State of Vermont and Federal District Court for the District of Vermont.
  • Joyce Cusimano is the Office Manager for CLF's Vermont Advocacy Center. She joined CLF in February of 2000. In addition to maintaining and controlling the needs of the Center, Joyce administers support to the Center's counsel.Prior to joining CLF, Joyce worked for the Vermont Natural Resources Council, a grassroots nonprofit environmental organization, where she managed the office, provided administrative support for all staff, counsel, and the Executive Director. Joyce was also responsible for assisting with grant proposals and grant tracking. Prior to moving to Vermont in 1999, Joyce worked as an Office Manager and Legal Assistant to various law firms in the metropolitan area of New York City.

CLF Ventures, Inc.

  • William C. Coleman is CEO of CLF Ventures. He has recently worked as an independent consultant on a range of environmental initiatives, including an affiliation with Blue Wave Strategies. From 1998-2002, Bill served as President and CEO of Hancock Natural Resources Group, Inc., a global timberland and farmland investment management subsidiary of John Hancock Financial Services.

    Before Hancock, Bill was co-founder and President of Marketplace Development, Inc., President of Leggat McCall Properties Management, Managing Director in the public finance office of Smith, Barney, Harris, Upham & Co., which financed infrastructure projects, and, from 1979-1987, Director of Aviation for Logan Airport and Hanscom Field.

    Bill has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Harvard University. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Student Conservation Association.
  • Jo Anne Shatkin, Ph.D., is Managing Director of CLF Ventures. She leads and provides expertise on projects and manages the day to day operations of CLF Ventures. Dr. Shatkin has 19 years of experience in research and application of quantitative human health risk assessment for site redevelopment and remediation; drinking water and air quality, and environmental evaluations of emerging contaminants. Her specialty is the application and communication of innovative science-informed analysis to address complex emerging issues affecting businesses and communities.Jo Anne comes to Ventures from The Cadmus Group, Inc., where she served as Principle. A native New Englander, Jo Anne is an avid bicyclist, photographer and music enthusiast.
  • Jasmine Tanguay is a Project Manager and Community Involvement Specialist with CLF Ventures. Prior to coming to CLF, Jasmine was a Research Assistant at the George Perkins Marsh Institute (Worcester, MA) and the Social and Environmental Research Institute (Greenfield, MA). Jasmine received her BA from College of the Atlantic where she majored in Human Ecology. She received a Masters Degree from the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University, where she studied resource geography, risk analysis, and environmental management. At CLFV she focuses on stakeholder outreach, project development and implementation, and strategic planning.
  • David Thayer is CLF Venture's Project Specialist and Director of the Environmental Insurance Agency, providing policy analysis, strategic development, and implementation support for the environmental strategy consulting practice. Prior to joining CLF Ventures, David was an analyst at the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City in Boston, where he executed market research and economic analysis to support inner-city policymaking and a strategic consulting practice. David previously served as a consultant to American Farmland Trust and was an intern at the International Institute for Sustainable Development in Geneva, Switzerland. David graduated summa cum laude from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY.
  • Paul Calzada is a Staff Assistant and Ventures Business Manager. As Staff Assistant, Paul is responsible for suppoting the Ventures group by doing research, scheduling events and appointments, and organizing project time and expenses. Paul has worked for the Environmental Careers Organization and for an environmental consulting company. His other work experiences include teaching English in Ghana as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and being on the English faculty of a Japanese university. Paul has a Bachelor's degree in Literature from the California Institute of Technology and a Master's degree in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
  • Walker Larsen is a Ventures Project Specialist with CLF Ventures, providing project guidance and support through policy research, strategy development, and technical analysis. Walker previously worked for an environmental/energy consulting firm outside Washington, D.C., assisting with the development and management of technology-based applications/systems for clients that included the US EPA, US Department of Energy, and US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH). Walker holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Political Science from Bates College and a Master of City Planning degree within the Environmental Policy and Planning Concentration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His Master’s research aimed at designing incentives to co-optimize waste management and energy development in New England.
  • Aviva Rothman-Shore is a Community Involvement Specialist for CLF and CLF Ventures. Prior to joining CLF, Aviva worked as the Outreach and Policy Director at the Fair Housing Center of Greater Boston, where she focused on issues such as smart growth, land use, and equal access for everyone to all communities. She is an experienced outreach coordinator specializing in project implementation and relationship building. She provides leadership in building collaborative programs and has extensive consulting experience including, fundraising, designing and implementing outreach programs, trainings and organizing community partnerships. She holds an MBA from the Heller School at Brandeis, and a Bachelor’s in Urban Studies from Brown University.
  • Eric Halter is a project manager for CLF Ventures based in CLF's New Hampshire Advocacy Center. Eric has 20+ years of experience in project management.  Before joining CLF Ventures, Eric worked as a consultant in New Hampshire to non-profits and small businesses in strategic planning, technology planning, facilitation, organizational development and training. Before striking out as an independent consultant in 2008, Eric worked for 8 years in technology project management at Fidelity Investments in Merrimack, NH and Boston, MA. Eric's work experience includes 6 years as an environmental scientist and he recently became certified as Building Analyst Professional by the Building Performance Institute. He is a member of New Hampshire Residential Energy Performance Association (REPA).

    Originally from New York State, Eric spent 8 years living and working in Hawaii and has been a resident of the New Hampshire for the last 11 years.  He has a Masters in Geology from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  He currently lives in Concord, NH.

Development

  • Timothy Harwood is Vice President for Development. Timothy joined CLF in May 2006 having most recently served as Director of Development of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the earth and environmental science campus of Columbia University. Before that, he served as VP for Institutional Development at Hunter College (CUNY) and Deputy Director of Development for what was then called The New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center. A native New Englander, Tim enjoys both the slopes of northern New England and the waters of the coast. He received his BA from Yale University.
  • Katie White is Manager of Foundation Relations. Prior to joining CLF in 2010, Katie most recently served as the Foundation Relations Manager for Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C. Before that, she gained a great deal of relevant experience through her work in the scientific publishing field for companies such as Wiley-Blackwell and UpToDate, Inc. A native New Englander, Katie earned a B.A. in Biology and Environmental Science from Colby College and also holds an M.P.A. in Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management from Indiana University.
  • Elizabeth Scott is Individual Giving Manager. With a 12-year career in fund development, Liz has extensive experience in fundraising, building relationships with donors and long-term development planning. Liz joins CLF from The Nature Conservancy, where she served as Associate Director of Philanthropy. Prior to working at the Conservancy, Liz also held development positions at The National Judicial College and Nevada Microenterprise Development Corporation. Liz holds a B.A. in Policy Management Studies from Dickinson College.

Communications

  • Karen Wood is CLF’s Director of Communications. In her role, she is responsible for strategic marketing and communications that help advance the mission of the organization through increased awareness and stakeholder engagement. Karen’s career spans the communications spectrum from business-to-business and consumer public relations to marketing communications and special events. Before joining CLF, Karen was vice president, corporate relations for CNET Networks, a leading internet media company now owned by CBS. Karen began her career at the March of Dimes in New York and has continued her non-profit work as a volunteer for such organizations as Groundwork Lawrence, an environmental concern where she is a member of the Board. Karen is a graduate of Vassar College.
  • Claire Morgenstern is CLF’s content and communications manager. In her role, Claire is responsible for developing and distributing content that enhances awareness of CLF and advances understanding of the organization. She oversees CLF’s e-news, blog, website and print publications. Claire is a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University. She was news editor and a member of the editorial board at the Carnegie Mellon Tartan, the university’s student newspaper, and an active volunteer in Pittsburgh’s Hispanic community. Claire has written for such online publications as Causecast.org and ScoopDaily on political and environmental issues.

Finance and Operations

  • Jessica Zander is Vice President of Finance and Administration. She oversees all finance, human resources, information systems, facilities, and administrative activities for CLF and its two subsidiaries. Prior to CLF, Jessica worked at a number of nonprofit organizations, including The Steppingstone Foundation, WGBH, World Music, The American Red Cross, and Youth Emergency Services, in St. Louis. Jessica received her B.A. in Anthropology from Washington University, in St. Louis, and her MBA from the Heller School at Brandeis.
  • Michelle LaChance is CLF’s Human Resources Manager.  Michelle brings over 13 years of experience in human resources to CLF and manages all of the needs for our five office locations.  Michelle received her B.S. in Business from UMass Boston and her M.S. in Advancing Studies from Boston College.
  • Roberta Gilbert is a Senior Staff Accountant.
  • Mehdi Afkari is a Staff Accountant. In addition to staff accounting and special financial project tasks, Mehdi maintains the Payroll and Benefit system for CLF offices. Mehdi was born in Iran, where he lived until 1990 when he immigrated to Sweden. He graduated from Tehran University, where he studied Cost Accounting, earned a degree in Economic Management from Stockholm University, and moved to the US in 1996. Mehdi came to CLF in August 2007.
  • Marisa Carter is an Administrative Coordinator.
  • Elaine McGrath is an Executive Assistant.
  • Hilda Rios is Information Systems Manager for CLF. Hilda maintains and supports the entire information systems infrastructure for the Boston, Portland, Concord, Montpelier, and Providence offices. In addition, she performs the research, planning and implementation of all the new network technical upgrades for the organization.
  • Jocelyn Leveille is the Massacusetts Advocacy Center's Facilities Manager. Jocelyn joined CLF in 1995. Prior to arriving at CLF, Jocelyn was owner and manager of Vision Books & Vegetarian Products in Mattapan, Mass. Jocelyn studied Mechanical Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology.
  • Samantha Caravello is the Program Assistant for CLF’s Ocean Conservation program. Samantha recently graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Economics. While in New York, she worked as a program assistant at the Mertz Gilmore Foundation. She was also an active member of the environmental community at NYU, serving as a student representative to the NYU Sustainability Task Force and holding leadership positions in student environmental organizations.
  • Yan Au is the Office Manager for CLF's Massachusetts Advocacy Center. Yan received his B.S. in Economics and Environmental Science from Tulane University.