Our Staff
Dedicated people are one of our best resources. In addition to our central Institute staff, we have a network of consultants who bring their own unique backgrounds and experiences to assist us in the completion of our shared mission.
 

Dianne Russell, President

Margaret Bond, Director of Finance and Operations

Peter Lane, Director of Program Services

Nancy Oswald, Program Manager

Melly Ntalu, Program Coordinator

Pooja Bakshi, Administrative Coordinator

Caitlyn Hunter, Database Coordinator

 
Our Consultant Network
 
The Institute works with a small network of consultants based around the U.S. and Canada. They offer ICL trainings, facilitate meetings, and provide consultation services requested by organizations and leaders. The consultants are uniquely qualified to work with the Institute because they bring years of hands-on experience in leading environmental and conservation efforts and a diversity of expertise in the topics needed by organizations and leaders. We are delighted to have such a talented and dedicated group of consultants working with us to serve the needs of the environmental conservation community. 
 

Our Board Members
 

Kevin Brubaker, Environmental Law and Policy Center
Board Treasurer
 
        Kevin Brubaker is the Deputy Director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Midwest’s leading public interest environmental advocacy organization. He had served as the organization’s Project Manager for the Midwest High-Speed Rail Network Project since 1996. His past employment history includes serving as the Principal Policy Associate and Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Sundlun of Rhode Island, Associate Director of Save the Bay, an environmental advocacy group, and the Outreach Director for the Committee for the National Institute for the Environment. Kevin earned his B.A. from Brown University, 1985.
 
 
Vivian Buckingham
 
 
Dan Chu, National Wildlife Federation
           
        Dan Chu is the National Wildlife Federation’s Vice President for Affiliate and Regional Strategies. His past employment history includes serving as the Executive Director of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In addition, Dan also spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama, as an agro-forestry extension agent, working with local farmers on sustainable agricultural practices. Dan earned his Masters of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry from Michigan State University.
 
 
Naomi Cobb
 
        Naomi Cobb is a self-employed consultant and program designer, bringing integrated ecology and art education programs to low income schools in the Milwaukee area. In addition, she has committed her working career to advocating for the emotional and physical wellbeing of children. Her past employment history includes maintaining a private practice as a Child, Adolescent and Family, providing psychotherapy treatment and consultations to schools and community organizations, and working as an environmental educator. Her board experience includes The Institute for Conservation Leadership, Congregation Sinai, and she served as the Board President for The Counseling Center of Milwaukee.
 
 
Mary Driver
           
        Mary Driver has served on the Board of ICL since 2002, primarily as the Institute’s Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair. She holds a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School, 1985. Her past employment history includes having a professional career in legal research, grant writing, and nonprofit communications. Other current nonprofit involvements include the Climate Change Fund Advisory Committee of the Laird Norton Family Foundation and the Steering and Program Committees for the Oregon Nonprofit Leaders Conference. Her board experience includes the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Oregon Environmental Council.
 

 
Reginald “Fip” Hagood, Student Conservation Association
Vice President
 
         Flip serves as the Student Conservation Association’s (SCA) Vice President for the Mid-Atlantic Southeast Region and Senior Diversity Relations Officer. Prior to joining SCA, he worked for the Department of Interior National Park Service in numerous jobs closing out his career as its Director of Training, Education, and Employee Development for the organization’s 20,000 employees. He is a former member of the SCA Board of Directors and its Advisory Council on Diversity. He is a current member of the Governing Council of The Wilderness Society, Board of Directors for the Institute of Conservation Leadership, and the Board of Directors for the Rocky Mountain Science & Sustainability Network. He has also served as a Trustee for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Director for the National Association for Interpretation. He received his M.S. Degree from Nova University and B.S. Degree from American University. He is a certified Career Counselor and Trainer and serves on numerous Advisory Committees in the areas of Diversity & Inclusion, Career Development, and Environmental/Conservation Education; along with serving as a guest lecturer at Colleges and Universities throughout the country.
 
 
Suellen Keiner
Board Secretary
 
        Suellen Keiner is an environmental and civil rights attorney. Her career has been devoted to working on environmental law, policy, and management issues for a number of non-profit organizations, including the National Academy of Public Administration and the Environmental Law Institute. Most recently, she was Chief Operating Officer for the State of the USA, Inc., a new non-profit that is establishing a system of economic, environmental and social indicators for the United States. She is a graduate of Georgetown Law Center and Bryn Mawr College.
 
 
Julian Keniry, National Wildlife Federation
 
 
Jim Petterson, The Nature Conservancy, USA
 
        James R. Petterson is the Senior Advisor, Communications and Outreach in the Office of the President at The Nature Conservancy.  Jim serves as a strategic and crisis communications advisor to the organization’s CEO, Executive Team and other senior leaders. Jim has expertise in the areas of strategic outreach, messaging, reputation management, executive positioning, brand stewardship and media relations.  Prior to joining the Conservancy, Jim spent 10 years working as a communications director and press secretary for a senior member of Congress and as deputy press secretary for the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture during the Clinton Administration.
 
 
Scott Schang, Environmental Law Institute
Board Chair
 
Scott Schang is Executive Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of the Environmental Law Reporter at the Environmental Law Institute. Scott is an expert in climate and sustainability policy, and oversees both the Institute’s professional education function and its publications, which include three periodicals and ELI Press. Prior to joining ELI in 2003, Scott practiced environmental law for ten years with Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and with Latham & Watkins. His private practice encompassed most areas of environmental law and policy, with an emphasis on chemical and pesticide regulation, federal rulemaking, and environmental due diligence.
 
 
 
 Jack Vanderryn
 
        Jack Vanderryn was the program officer for the environment and senior fellow for environment and development at the Moriah Fund in Washington, DC for fourteen years until his retirement in 2006. Prior to joining Moriah, Jack spent ten years at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) where he was the Agency Director for Energy Natural Resources, assisting developing countries to build their capacity for energy development, natural resource management, and environmental protection. Jack holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Lehigh University.
 
 
Mauricio Velasquez, The Diversity Training Group