Associate Professor of Law
Please tell us about a piece of your scholarship or your teaching that you are passionate about and that is related to public service.
Much of my writing on deforestation and climate change is related to my work with the Governors Climate and Forests Task Force (www.gcftaskforce.org). I also include this work in my climate change class. I have hired multiple students to work on the project over the last several years, and I have taken several students to various GCF meetings around the world.
What motivated you to become involved in public service work?
I have been doing public service environmental work since I was in college. I believe that the climate/energy/environment challenge is one of the great challenges of our time. I am thankful to have the opportunity to work on these issues.
Did you have any experiences in law school that influenced your interest in public service?
I worked at the environmental enforcement division at the Justice Department one summer.
What advice do you have for our students who are interested in public service?
Stay the course. Build your skills. Get some seasoning and experience wherever you can. Don’t avoid working at a law firm just because you may not like the matters that you end up working on — think about where you want to be in 10 years and the skill set that you need as a lawyer to get there. Always have an exit strategy for any job you take. Life is short.