Erik Schlenker-Goodrich
Executive Director
Erik joined WELC as a staff attorney in 2003 and became executive director in 2012. He has fought in court to safeguard our climate from dirty fossil fuels, promote our transition to a clean energy future, and protect the American West’s rivers and wildlands. An expert in issues related to oil and gas development, Erik leads WELC’s campaigns to phase out fossil fuels and build climate resilience. Prior to joining WELC, he worked as a public lands attorney for The Wilderness Society. Erik is a graduate of Cornell University with a B.S. in natural resources, and earned his law degree and a certificate in environmental & natural resources law from the University of Oregon School of Law. Erik works from our Southwest Office, 575-751-0351 x 137 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207gskir1600951207e1600951207. Erik’s docket.
Ally Beasley
Legal Fellow
Ally joined WELC as a legal fellow in 2019 after earning a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. During law school, Ally was a notes editor for the Michigan Journal of Environmental and Administrative Law, worked for the Michigan Environmental Law and Sustainability Clinic, interned at the Earthjustice Mid-Pacific Office, and was a Dean’s Public Service Fellow. She then spent her final semester of law school as a full-time extern at WELC in Taos. Ally holds a B.S. in Biology, with minors in Latin American Studies and Spanish, from the University of Oklahoma, and an MPH from the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, Health and Social Behavior concentration, with a specialty area in Public Health Nutrition. Between the MPH program and law school, Ally worked in Bolivia on sustainable housing, environmental/occupational health, and water rights issues, and was an ASPPH Environmental Health Fellow at the U.S. EPA Office of Children’s Health Protection in Washington, D.C., where she focused on the intersection of social determinants of health and environmental justice, and the effects of early-life experiences and environmental exposures on health inequities. Ally works from our Southwest office, and can be reached at 575-751-0351 x133 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207yelsa1600951207eb1600951207
Matthew Bishop
Attorney, Rocky Mountains Office Director
Matt joined WELC as a staff attorney in 1998 and spent his first decade working from our Southwest office in Taos, New Mexico. He returned to his hometown of Helena, Montana in 2008 and established WELC’s Rocky Mountains office. Matt works on public lands issues throughout the West and leads our efforts to protect iconic Western predators including wolverines, Canada lynx, grizzly bears, and Mexican wolves. Matt is a graduate of Whitman College and earned his law degree from Vermont Law School. He is the director of our Rocky Mountains office, 406-324-8011 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207pohsi1600951207b1600951207. Matt’s docket. Read a profile of Matt here.
Susan Jane Brown
Attorney, Public Lands and Wildlife Director
Susan Jane joined WELC as a staff attorney in 2009 and is our Public Lands and Wildlife Director. She joined WELC after serving as Natural Resources Counsel for Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) in Washington, D.C. She also worked as a staff attorney with the Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center, Lewis and Clark Law School’s environmental law clinic. A nationally recognized expert on forest law, she has been appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to co-chair the Federal Advisory Committee on the National Forest Management Act. Susan Jane is a recipient of the Wilburforce Foundation’s Conservation Leadership Award, honoring her years of hard work protecting wildlife and wildlands in the western United States and recognizing her outstanding leadership in the conservation movement. She also served as executive director of the Gifford Pinchot Task Force from 2000-2003. Susan Jane graduated from Vanderbilt University and earned her law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School. Susan Jane works from our Northwest office, 503-914-1323 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207nworb1600951207. Susan Jane’s docket.
Pete Frost
Attorney
Pete joined WELC as a staff attorney in 1999. He was previously a staff attorney for the National Wildlife Federation. For more than two decades he has litigated in federal and state courts to preserve the West’s forests, rivers, wildlife, and wilderness. Pete graduated from Stanford University and earned his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law. He is a recipient of the David Brower Lifetime Achievement Award for environmental litigation. Pete works from our Northwest office, 541-485-2471 x109 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207tsorf1600951207. Pete’s docket.
Dina Gonzales
Administrative Coordinator
Dina joined WELC as our administrative coordinator in 1999. She received her B.S. with honors in environmental biology from Northern Arizona University. During her undergraduate studies, Dina was chosen as the recipient of several academic scholarships, notably, as the first recipient of the Environmental Fund for a Sustainable Future Scholarship. Dina works from our Southwest office, 575-751-0351 x136 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207selaz1600951207nog1600951207.
Pam Hardy
Attorney, Kirkwood Advocate
Pam joined WELC in 2017 and is our Kirkwood Advocate. Pam works to shift local paradigms of public lands management away from resource extraction and toward a broader, more durable suite of ecosystem and community services. She joined WELC with more than a decade of experience in collaborative negotiation on behalf of environmental interests as well as several years of litigation experience. Prior to WELC she worked for Oregon Wild and 1000 Friends of Oregon. Pam graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1991, spent a decade as a backcountry guide in the American West, and earned her law degree at the University of Oregon in 2006. Pam works from our Northwest office, 541-914-9698 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207ydrah1600951207.
Andrew Hawley
Attorney
Andrew joined WELC in 2017 as a staff attorney. Originally from Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Andrew earned B.S. in biology from the Pennsylvania State University and his law degree from Lewis and Clark Law School. From 2004 to 2008, Andrew was the Walter Kulman Legal Fellow and then Staff Attorney at Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, DC, working to protect North Atlantic right whales, Florida panthers, bald eagles, wolverine, and lynx among other wildlife. In 2008, Andrew returned to Oregon to join the Northwest Environmental Defense Center as the organization’s first staff attorney, where he focused on Clean Water Act enforcement and protecting the wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. Andrew works from our Seattle office, 206-487-7207 x142 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207yelwa1600951207h1600951207. Andrew’s docket.
Shiloh Hernandez
Attorney
Shiloh joined WELC as a staff attorney in 2011. Previously he clerked for the 18th Judicial District Court of Montana and the Montana Supreme Court, after which he represented criminal defendants at the Montana Appellate Defender’s Office. His docket focuses on moving the West away from polluting fossil fuels, specifically coal, and toward clean energy sources. Shiloh graduated with a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Montana and received his J.D. from Vermont Law School. Shiloh works from our Northern Rockies office, 406-443-3501 x127 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207zedna1600951207nreh1600951207. Shiloh’s docket.
Melissa Hornbein
Attorney
Melissa joined WELC in January 2020 after working in state and federal government. She holds a B.S. in botany and a B.A. in anthropology from the University of Washington, and obtained her J.D. in 2008 from Hastings College of the Law. The next year, she earned a M.S. in environmental studies from the University of Montana. Before practicing as an attorney, Melissa worked in the field as a botanist/biological technician for various academic and governmental entities, including the National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey. She worked as an attorney with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation on tribal and federal water rights issues, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Montana with the Department of Justice. Melissa works from our Rocky Mountains office, 406-708-3058 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207niebn1600951207roh1600951207.
Sangye Ince-Johannsen
Judd Agerter Legal Fellow
Sangye joined WELC as a Legal Fellow in 2019, after earning his law degree cum laude at Lewis & Clark Law School with certificates in Environmental and International Law. Upon graduating, Sangye received the Williamson Public Interest Environmental Law Award, was selected as a recipient of the Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law Leadership Award, and was selected as a member of the Cornelius Honor Society. While a law student, he worked for Center for Biological Diversity, Earthrise Law Center, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, and World Animal Protection. Sangye earned his B.A. in Anthropology summa cum laude from Southern Oregon University in 2012, and spent four years producing documentary films and videos for nonprofit groups in southern Oregon before enrolling in law school. Sangye works from our Northwest office, 541-778-6626 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207jieyg1600951207nas1600951207
Matt Kenna
Of Counsel
Matt represents citizen groups across the country in lawsuits seeking to implement environmental laws, with a special emphasis on protecting species and their habitats from extinction through enforcement of the Endangered Species Act. Matt is a graduate of the University of Vermont and earned his J.D. from the University of Oregon. Along with Geoff Hickcox, Matt received the 2003 Kerry L. Rydberg Award for excellence in public interest environmental litigation. Matt can be reached at 970-385-6941 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207annek1600951207.
David Lawlor
Development Director
David joined WELC as our development director in 2013. He works to strengthen relationships with WELC’s supporters and to secure funding for the organization. Previously, David worked in a development and communications capacity for Earthjustice, the Environmental Protection Information Center, and Humboldt State University. David received his B.A. in journalism from San Francisco State University and earned his M.A. in social science, with a specialization in environmental policy and law, from Humboldt State University. His work exploring deep ecology philosophy and other environmental issues has been published in academic journals including the European Journal of Ecopsychology. David works from our Northwest office, 541-485-2471 x117 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207rolwa1600951207l1600951207.
Michelle Loth
Individual Gifts Coordinator
Michelle joined WELC in 2016 as an administrative assistant and became the individual gifts coordinator in 2017. She received her B.A. in environmental policy with a cognate in sociology and specialization in environmental studies from Michigan State University. Prior to joining WELC, Michelle worked for the Kane-DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District and interned for The Nature Conservancy and Midwest Pesticide Action Center. She enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and is an advocate for the zero waste lifestyle. Michelle works from our Northwest Office, 206-487-7207 x118 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207htol1600951207.
Jackie Marlette
Design and Communications Manager
Jackie joined WELC in 2008 and focuses on design, communications, and fundraising. She updates supporters with our victories and their impact by doing graphic design, writing, and editing for our newsletters, reports, mailings, emails, and other materials. She has received several awards for her graphic design work. Prior to WELC, she did membership, fundraising, and outreach for Pacific Rivers Council and Greater Flagstaff Forests Partnership, was an outdoor educator and wilderness guide for City of Eugene and Appalachian Mountain Club, and did GIS for Grand Canyon Trust. She graduated summa cum laude from Northern Arizona University with a B.S. in environmental science and emphasis in ecosystem management. She won the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science Hydrology Presentation Award, Lowell Observatory Achievement Award, and was the University’s Standard Bearer. Jackie works from our Northwest office, 541-485-2471 x111 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207ettel1600951207ram1600951207.
John Mellgren
Attorney, General Counsel
John joined WELC as a staff attorney in 2011 and is our General Counsel. Prior to WELC, John worked for Earthjustice, Fiscalía del Medio Ambiente, Our Children’s Trust, and as a legislative aide for a Michigan state senator. His docket includes legal advocacy to protect Western predators including wolves, wolverines, and lynx, and litigation aimed at preserving Western forests. John holds a B.A. in economics and political science from the University of Michigan and a J.D. with a certificate in environmental & natural resources law from the University of Oregon, where he served as co-director of the 2010 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference. John works from our Northwest office, 541-485-2471 x116 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207nergl1600951207lem1600951207. John’s docket.
Kelly Nokes
Shared Earth Wildlife Attorney
Kelly Nokes joined WELC as a staff attorney in 2018. Before that, Kelly worked to protect the American West’s wildlife and wild places with WildEarth Guardians. She formerly served as a legal intern at Trustees for Alaska and the Environmental and Natural Resources Law Clinic at Vermont Law School, and was a program administrator for Columbia Riverkeeper. She holds a J.D. and Masters of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School and a B.S. in Environmental Conservation and Outdoor Recreation, Leadership & Management from Northern Michigan University. Kelly works from our Southwest office, 575-613-8051 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207sekon1600951207.
Lyndee Prill
Finance Officer
Lyndee joined WELC as our finance officer in 2014. She has more than 16 years of diverse accounting and business experience. Lyndee graduated from the School of Business at the University of Montana. Her desire to work for WELC is fueled by a love of the outdoors, which began in her youth as a native of Montana. Lyndee works from our Northwest office, 541-485-2471 x113 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207llirp1600951207.
Andrea Rodgers
Of Counsel
Andrea has worked as a WELC staff attorney on and off from 2003-2017. She is now of counsel. She clerked for the Hon. John C. Gemmill on the Arizona Court of Appeals and worked as an honors attorney for the U.S. Department of Transportation. Andrea served as legal counsel for the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and in 2010 opened her own law firm practicing in the fields of environmental and Indian law. Andrea received her J.D. from Arizona State University where she was co-executive editor of Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science and Technology. Andrea’s docket.
Kelly Scoble
Administrative and Technology Coordinator
Kelly Scoble joined WELC as an administrative and technology coordinator in 2019. She has 12 years of experience working in technology and business. Prior to WELC, she provided administrative support for the nonprofit academic retailer, The Duck Store, in Oregon. Kelly holds B.A. degrees in economics and Japanese from the University of Oregon. She enjoys hiking and admiring the majesty of the Pacific Northwest. Kelly works from our Northwest office, 541-485-2471 x114 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207elboc1600951207s1600951207.
Thomas Singer, Ph.D.
Senior Policy Advisor
Tom joined WELC as a senior policy advisor in 2013. He previously served as senior advocate for the Natural Resources Defense Council and as the director of research for the Western Governors’ Association. Tom works on policy development, advocacy, and litigation support to address the environmental impacts of oil and natural gas development with an emphasis on reducing methane pollution. Tom holds a B.A. from Harvard University, an M.B.A. from Stanford University’s School of Business, and a Ph.D. in international business from George Washington University. Tom works from our Southwest office, 505-231-1070 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207regni1600951207s1600951207. Tom’s docket.
Brian Sweeney
Communications Director
Brian joined WELC in 2015 as our communications director. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a B.S. in agricultural journalism and an environmental studies certificate. Before joining WELC, he worked on environmental issues with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C. Brian works from our Southwest office, 262-914-1113 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207yenee1600951207ws1600951207.
Kyle Tisdel
Attorney, Climate and Energy Director
Kyle joined WELC as a staff attorney in 2011 and is our Climate and Energy Director. Kyle frequently engages the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service, and other federal agencies in administrative decisionmaking as well as federal court regarding the management, leasing, and permitting of fossil fuel resources on our public lands. Kyle received a B.A. in international relations from Michigan State University and earned his law degree from Vermont Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law. Kyle works from our Southwest office, 575-751-0351 x134 and gro.w1600951207alnre1600951207tsew@1600951207ledsi1600951207t1600951207. Kyle’s docket.