Environmental Law Forum 2026 – Day One – Harrisburg

The Environmental Collaboratory at Drexel University was established to transform the historic asymmetric power dynamics of environmental justice and climate challenges by facilitating co-designed transdisciplinary solutions within authentic partnerships with community leaders, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and government agencies — locally, nationally, and globally. (see https://drexel.edu/provost/offices/collaboratory/) This model seeks to bring the deep expertise of an R1 designated Doctoral University (the highest level of classification within the Carnegie Classification System – less than five percent of eligible schools qualify for the R1 Doctoral University Classification), experience and commitment to civic engagement and use-based research,  to co-fund, co-design and co-implement replicable on-the-ground solutions.  The Environmental Collaboratory is centrally positioned in the University Provost’s Office to facilitate the transdisciplinary solutions that utilize the expertise of faculty, researchers, and students engineering, data, law, health care, public health, policy, social sciences, and humanities. Mathy Stanislaus brings his passion and experience in authentically facilitating trust building among diverse stakeholders to credibly design and implement pragmatic solutions to implement The Environmental Collaboratory’s vision.  Stanislaus joined Drexel from the World Economic Forum’s Global Battery Alliance. There, he served as its first interim director and policy director with a focus on establishing a global transparent data governance system to scale up electric mobility and clean energy in alignment with circular economy, human rights and community development. He also led the establishment of the Platform for Accelerating Circular Economy at WEF. Mr. Stanislaus was nominated by President Obama and served as the Senate-confirmed Assistant Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Land & Emergency Management for both terms of the Obama Administration.  He was responsible for leading programs to revitalize communities through the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites (Superfund and Brownfields), hazardous and solid waste materials management (RCRA), chemical plant safety (Risk Management Program – Clean Air Act 112-r), and oil spill prevention and emergency response. During this Administration, he led the establishment of the G7 Alliance for Resource Efficiency that focused on the opportunities in the supply chain to drive circularity and de-carbonization. Among his other achievements at the USEPA was advancing President Obama’s Climate Action Plan by leading the U.S. government’s first adaptation plans to protect Superfund sites and hazardous waste facilities from the consequences of more intense, frequent storms and sea-level rise. Stanislaus led his office’s development of the RE-Powering America’s Land initiative to foster renewable energy development on contaminated lands — providing legal clarity for clean energy financing and identifying optimum sites for clean energy in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. During his service at the Obama Administration, he led USEPA engagement with White House National Economic Council, the Department of Commerce and Economic Development Administration, to integrate environmental justice, climate and sustainability opportunities into the Administration’s community development programs. He led the delivery of technical assistance programs to enable disadvantaged communities to secure federal funding. He was recognized by IBM Center for Business in Government for designing and leading President Obama’s Memorandum on Open Government through the community engagement plan as one of leading actions to foster inclusion of “full range of demographic, income, and geographic groups” impacted by EPA programs and policies. Mathy was the founding co-director of the New Partners for Community Revitalization in New York — an organization dedicated to strengthening low-income communities and communities of color by linking technical assistance, land use planning and finance through the redevelopment of brownfield properties. Mathy’s early career including serving as senior environmental associate at a private law firm in NYC, assistant regional counsel at USEPA Region 2 and president of a public sector consulting firm.  He is a former chair long-term member of the Board of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. Mathy is an environmental lawyer and chemical engineer. 

Anna Jewart is an associate in the Public Sector and Energy and Natural Resources groups of Babst Calland. Ms. Jewart’s practice focuses primarily on municipal and land use law with a concentration in general municipal, zoning, subdivision and land development, and code enforcement. Ms. Jewart earned her B.A. in International Relations with a focus on National Security in the Middle East and Northern Africa from Boston University in 2014. She earned her J.D., cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 2019. During law school, Ms. Jewart actively participated in the Environmental Law Society as a member and programs director, and in the Law Student Association as a class representative. Additionally, she served as a Research Assistant for a property and environmental law faculty member and was the recipient of a 2018 Equal Justice America Fellowship. Ms. Jewart is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) and Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) and is the secretary for the ACBA’s School and Municipal Law Section and has served as Secretary of the PBA’s Municipal Law Section. Ms. Jewart serves as a volunteer attorney for the Neighborhood Legal Service’s Protection from Abuse Program. She was selected to the 2024-2025 Pennsylvania Rising Stars lists (Thomson Reuters).

Ms. Gardner is Regional Counsel for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she provides legal counsel to the Regional Administrator and senior leadership team on federal environmental and general law matters. She has been an attorney in the regional office for more than 22 years, where she has held various roles in management and as a staff attorney. Prior to joining EPA, Ms. Gardner was a judicial clerk for the Honorable Frank Maas in the Southern District of New York. She received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the N.Y.U. Environmental Law Journal. Ms. Gardner was also a Fulbright fellow to Canada, where she researched international environmental policy and received an M.A. in Political Science from Carleton University. She received her B.A. in political science and classical studies summa cum laude from Wellesley College. She is a member of the bars of the State of New York, State of New Jersey, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Winnie M. Branton is a consultant, attorney, and author.  She is the President and Founder of Branton Strategies LLC.  Through her firm, Winnie helps communities develop and implement effective and innovative strategies for preventing, remediating, and redeveloping vacant and blighted properties.  Following more than fifteen years of practicing environmental and land use law, Winnie founded the firm to provide consulting services to local governments, non-profit organizations, and stakeholders interested in a strategic approach to addressing blighted properties and returning them to productive use. Winnie wrote The Pennsylvania Land Bank Resource Guide which was published by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania in May 2016.  She also assisted with crafting the 2018 amendment to the Pennsylvania Land Bank Law allowing redevelopment authorities to be designated as land banks. She is an independent consultant to the Housing Alliance where she serves as a Senior Advisor to the PA Land Bank Network, which supports land banks through peer-to-peer learning and networking activities.  Winnie helped to create the PA Land Bank Network and is considered one of the leading experts on Pennsylvania land banks.  In addition, Winnie has provided direct technical assistance in support of evaluating, creating, and operating land banks to communities across Pennsylvania, including Montgomery County, Delaware County, Bucks County, Bradford County, Pottstown, and Altoona. Through Branton Strategies, Winnie provides training and technical assistance on blight-fighting tools such as strategic code enforcement, land banks, conservatorship, and investment incentives to communities. Working with communities and key stakeholders, she develops action plans for preventing and mitigating blighted properties and preparing for reinvestment and reuse of improved and vacant lots.  Winnie has developed blight action plans for communities across Pennsylvania, including Reading, Johnstown, Altoona, and Connellsville. In addition to serving as President of Branton Strategies LLC, Winnie is also a practicing  attorney. In 2017, Winnie re-established her law practice, Law Office of Winifred M. Branton, with a focus on municipal law, brownfields redevelopment, and the acquisition and disposition of vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties.  Winnie serves as the Solicitor to the Delaware County Controller. Winnie holds a B.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, a J.D. from Temple University Law School, and an M.A. in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, Fels Institute of Government.   

Ben Clapp is a shareholder in the Environmental, Corporate and Commercial, and Energy and Natural Resources groups of Babst Calland. He serves as chair of the Firm’s Environmental Group. Mr. Clapp’s transactional work, which straddles the Firm’s Environmental and Corporate practice areas, consists of advising clients on the environmental components of complex deals, including identifying and analyzing significant environmental liability and compliance issues arising in connection with mergers and acquisitions, asset sales, project financings, environmental liability transfers, and corporate restructurings, and working to resolve, manage, allocate or mitigate these environmental risks in the client’s best interest. To that end, Mr. Clapp has extensive experience drafting and negotiating environmental representations and warranties, covenants, indemnities, and other contractual provisions, and counseling clients on pre- and post-closing environmental compliance and permitting matters. Mr. Clapp’s transactional clients have included buyers, sellers, financing sources, and underwriters in transactions taking place across a wide range of industries, including the upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas sectors, renewable energy, brownfields redevelopment, real estate, utilities, chemicals, manufacturing, mining, and pharmaceuticals. In addition, he advises and counsels companies in the development of hyper-scale data center projects, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and environmental regulations. Mr. Clapp is a member of the Firm’s PFAS Working Group, which advises clients across business sectors on the evolving regulatory, legislative, litigation and transactional landscapes related to PFAS, with his practice focused primarily on advising clients on PFAS-related risks associated with mergers and acquisitions, real property purchases, and brownfield redevelopment. Mr. Clapp has substantial experience advising power generators and real estate developers on regulations governing the disposal of coal combustion residuals and provides regulatory guidance and environmental diligence services to developers, investors and lenders involved in the development and operation of renewable energy facilities. He also advises project developers and investors as they encounter state and federal environmental review, facility siting, and permitting requirements, with a particular focus on providing advice on National Environmental Policy Act requirements to clients seeking government agency approvals for large-scale energy and infrastructure projects. In this role, Mr. Clapp works closely with clients, environmental consultants, and government agencies to facilitate timely and accurate satisfaction of environmental regulatory requirements. Mr. Clapp earned is J.D., cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law in 2008 and his B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1996. He served as Senior Staff for the American University Law Review and interned for the Honorable Reggie B. Walton in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Mr. Clapp is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Ray Kuyler is Principal Deputy General Counsel at Westinghouse Electric Company, a leading provider of nuclear power plant products and services around the world. Mr. Kuyler focuses on commercial matters for new nuclear power plants and on global nuclear regulatory issues. Before joining Westinghouse, he practiced law at the firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius in its nuclear energy practice. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Kuyler was a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy, qualifying as a chief engineer and serving as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy. Mr. Kuyler earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. He earned his M.A. in history from the University of Maryland and his B.S. from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Linda Dell, MS, is an epidemiologist with 30 years of experience in applied epidemiological research. She has designed, implemented, and managed occupational and environmental epidemiological studies. Linda is knowledgeable about epidemiological methods, cancer epidemiology, occupational health surveillance, and exposure reconstruction methods. She has conducted systematic reviews and meta-analyses and has integrated human health evidence in relation to occupational and environmental exposures. She has conducted quantitative and qualitative exposure reconstructions and human health risk assessments and has studied exposures to chemicals, metals, minerals, air pollutants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and health risks such as cancers, reproductive effects, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Linda has also served as an expert witness in litigation matters related to the evaluation of disease causation.

Blaine Lucas is a shareholder in the Public Sector Group of Babst Calland. He is also a member of the firm’s Energy and Natural Resources Group, and is responsible for coordination of the firm’s representation of traditional and renewable energy industry clients on land use and other local regulatory matters. He has represented oil and gas operators in obtaining local government approvals for unconventional natural gas wells, compressor stations, meter stations, transmission line interconnects, processing facilities and pipelines. He has assisted both traditional and renewable energy industry clients in analyzing the substantive impact and procedural requirements of land use, noise, road and other local ordinances, and pursued validity challenges where ordinances prohibit or unreasonably restrict industry activities. Conversely, he has successfully represented operators in multiple Pennsylvania appellate cases in which the courts have rejected challenges asserting that zoning ordinances are invalid because they authorize oil and gas development. He also has advised operators on the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code and PennDOT regulations related to the movement of drilling rigs, water trucks and other vehicles on weight restricted roads, negotiated the terms of excess maintenance (heavy hauling) agreements and associated bonding requirements with PennDOT and local municipalities, and assisted clients in resolving disputes regarding responsibility for and repair of road damage. Mr. Lucas has served as solicitor for several boroughs, townships, municipal authorities and zoning hearing boards, and also has represented as special counsel municipalities on zoning, zoning enforcement, transportation, economic development and local taxation issues. Some of his other notable projects have included successfully representing a commercial developer in a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case dealing with the extension of non-conforming structures, obtaining a jury verdict in favor of a property owner in a federal civil rights First Amendment retaliation case, obtaining a favorable decision from the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court permitting the construction of a residential high-rise, litigating light-rail construction claims, developing model procurement documents, drafting solid waste and recycling contracts, litigating rail crossing issues before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and developing bid documents for demolition and environmental remediation of former steel plants.

Michael works in Manko Gold Katcher & Fox LLP’s complex industrial and regulatory practices, with a particular focus in the areas of air, water quality, and endangered species regulation. He has worked with a wide array of clients, including those in the manufacturing, waste, power generation, commercial development, transportation, education, and municipal sectors. Michael counsels clients on environmental matters at both the state and federal level, including permitting, agency enforcement, and regulatory compliance involving air emissions, wastewater, stormwater, impacts to endangered species, and solid and hazardous waste. He has negotiated complex settlement agreements on behalf of clients, including several Consent Decrees with the United States Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency. He also assists clients with the environmental aspects of corporate transactions, in conducting internal investigations and audits, and in the preparation of comments on proposed agency rulemakings. Additionally, Michael has extensive experience in matters involving the Delaware River Basin Commission, including securing required approvals, commenting on Commission rulemakings, negotiating settlement agreements, and participating in administrative hearings. Michael graduated magna cum laude from Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law where he was the Managing Editor of the Temple Law Review and received multiple academic awards, including the Burton Award for Legal Achievement “Distinguished Law School Winner,” a national writing award presented for excellence in legal writing. In law school, Michael served a year-long Federal Judicial Clerkship Clinical with the Honorable Gene E.K. Pratter in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He has been recognized in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star listing for environmental law since 2018 and was included on the initial Best Lawyers “One to Watch List” for environmental law in 2021. Outside of the office, Michael is also an adjunct professor at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law where he teaches environmental law. He served on the Board of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary for five years and recently joined the Board of the Lower Merion Conservancy. He lives in Narberth, where you will often find him cooking with his family.

Scott Burnell is the Public Affairs Officer at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Region I office outside of Philadelphia. Region I is responsible for day-to-day oversight of civilian uses of nuclear materials in New England, New York and the mid-Atlantic. Scott serves as the agency’s spokesperson for all Region I activities, including oversight of operating nuclear reactors and materials licensees. He has also been spokesperson for new reactor licensing activities at the agency’s headquarters in Maryland for the past two decades. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English/Journalism, summa cum laude, from the University of New Hampshire.

Adam leverages his extensive background and experience in environmental law to represent clients in highly complex regulatory and litigation matters, including mass tort defense. He frequently advises clients on environmental compliance and transactional matters and in site remediation, permit appeals, citizen suits, air quality, water quality and solid waste management matters. In addition, he counsels clients on environmental risk communication and environmental justice, as well as environmental, ESG and energy policy issues. Adam is also experienced in the negotiation of community benefit agreements and the environmental terms of commercial and development agreements. He has significant experience in the area of emerging contaminants, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Adam’s in-depth experience in policy work includes evaluation of clean air, water quality and solid waste regulations; environmental justice statutes, regulations and policies; and vapor intrusion guidance. He currently serves on Fox’s Sustainability Committee and is a regular contributor to the firm’s PFAS and Emerging Contaminants blog.

James focuses his practice on environmental and energy law. In addition, James draws on his 11 years of prior government service to advise clients on a variety of general regulatory and strategic matters. Prior to joining the firm, James worked at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a few different capacities. Most recently he acted as senior assistant regional counsel, where he was responsible for environmental counseling and enforcement matters under various statutes, including CERCLA, CWA, RCRA, and CAA in both the federal administrative and judicial contexts. He handled complex judicial enforcement matters in the Marcellus Shale sector, oil spill response, accident prevention, and multimedia context. As the EPA Region 3 lead oil enforcement lawyer, James was responsible for the Federal Response Plan (FRP) and Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) counseling and enforcement, representing the EPA in seeking penalties, ensuring compliance, and advising on questions of federal jurisdiction. James acted as one of the Agency’s national experts on FRP and SPCC legal matters and handled a variety of oil enforcement cases, including the BP Curtis Bay FRP consent decree, which established a national corporate spill prevention compliance program across BP’s inland operations in the aftermath of the offshore Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He also served as special counsel for enforcement and permitting in the Air Protection Division and began his career at the EPA during law school as a paralegal specialist. James earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude and with honors, from Franklin and Marshall College. James earned his Masters of Environmental Management from Duke University and he earned his law degree, with honors, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While attending law school, he was the notes editor for the Journal of Law and Technology, president of the Environmental Law Project, and a member of the Holderness Moot Court, Environmental Appellate Advocacy Team.

Brigitte is a Staff Attorney in PennFuture’s Pocono Office. Brigitte’s work focuses on water quality and watershed protection, special protection waters, and stormwater management. Prior to joining PennFuture, Brigitte was an Associate Attorney at Siana Law in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, where her work focused on municipal and land use law. Brigitte received her Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame and graduated from Northeastern University Law School (NUSL). While completing her law degree, Brigitte served as a judicial intern at the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and participated in the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Clinic. Her article, “Lawyering in the Age of Lynching” is published in the Northeastern University Law Review. Prior to attending law school, Brigitte worked full-time as the director of food service at camps in Virginia, Texas and New York. Originally from the Lehigh Valley and now residing in Monroe County, Brigitte enjoys hiking, camping and exploring local flea markets and garage sales.

Brian Lawrence is Executive Director of The Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority & Land Bank. He has an MS in Geography with a Regional Planning Concentration and a BA in Political Science, both from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

A seasoned environmental attorney, Aaron counsels clients on a broad range of matters involving transactions, litigation and regulatory compliance. Aaron’s practice focuses on providing environmental due diligence for single- and multi-property transactions across the United States. His clients include real estate private equity funds, energy and commercial-industrial businesses, civic institutions and municipalities. He has experience managing and advising clients on the environmental aspects of acquiring, financing, leasing and selling real estate, including: retaining technical consultants under preferred terms and conditions, reviewing and commenting on environmental reports, analyzing and assessing environmental risk and available risk mitigation options, drafting environmental indemnity, remediation and access agreements, negotiating environmental provisions in purchase and sale agreements, loan documents and leases, procuring and negotiating environmental insurance policies, complying with the environmental protocols of lenders and other financial institutions, and advising on remediation scopes and strategies. Aaron regularly assists clients with issues that arise during brownfields redevelopment and building renovations. He helps businesses navigate complex regulatory schemes and develop cost-effective remediation, abatement and waste management strategies. He also negotiates administrative penalties, facilitates the procurement of environmental permits and pursues cost recovery and environmental insurance claims. Finally, when environmental litigation arises, Aaron is a forceful advocate who pursues and defends lawsuits on behalf of clients. He guides businesses through all stages of complex environmental litigation filed in state and federal courts and in appeals before administrative agencies. Prior to joining Fox Rothschild, Aaron practiced environmental law at a regional law firm. He previously served as a law clerk within the Environmental Protection Agency.

Professor Lara Fowler is an attorney, mediator and facilitator who works at the intersection of law, science, and working with communities. She focuses on challenging questions related to energy, food and agriculture, water, climate, community resilience, and sustainability. In addition to teaching and research, she is the faculty advisor for Dickinson Law’s Alternative Dispute Resolution student group; a nominator for The EarthShot Prize; the jury chair for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize; the vice president of the Chesapeake Bay Journal board of directors; and a board member for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Science and Technology Policy Program (COPA STEP). Prof. Fowler has been at Penn State since 2012, serving in several roles along with teaching including as Penn State’s Chief Sustainability Officer (2022-2025) and the Institute of Energy and Environment’s Assistant Director for Outreach and Engagement (2013-2022). In her role with Penn State Sustainability, she focused on amplifying sustainability-related action across Penn State and beyond, including with education, operations, and Penn State’s Land Grant mission. During this time, Penn State Sustainability continued to grow student participation with sustainability, applied for and received more than $8 million in funding for Penn State education and operations; on-boarded Penn State Fuller’s Overlook; and engaged with partners both within and external to Penn State. In her work with the Institute of Energy and Environment, Prof. Fowler helped foster interdisciplinary research, led an annual seed grant program, developed numerous workshops, events, and training sessions, and helped link together potential research teams. Fowler served on the Chesapeake Bay Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee from 2014-2022 and was a Fulbright Scholar to Sweden from 2019-2020. Her own interdisciplinary research centers around water, agriculture, energy, climate, law, and stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining Penn State, Fowler was an attorney at Gordon Thomas Honeywell LLP in Seattle, Washington, where she focused on mediation and dispute resolution of complex natural resource issues, as well as representing clients facing regulatory hurdles in the environmental and energy fields. She has worked on issues such as who is entitled to store groundwater in the greater Los Angeles area, flooding issues in the Chehalis Basin, Washington State’s second largest river basin, and energy issues in the Pacific Northwest. Before pursuing a legal career, she was a senior water resources coordinator with the Oregon Water Resources Department and a policy analyst for the Oregon Water Resources Congress.

Mr. Meloy is a Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.He recently retired as a senior partner at Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP, a law firm he helped to found in 1989 that concentrates its practice in environmental and land use law. Since retiring from Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP, Mr. Meloy has continued to represent clients on a pro bono basis in connection with a variety of issues including solar energy development projects.He has served as an environmental lawyer for more than 40 years, bringing both a legal and engineering background to bear in representing a wide array of clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to closely held corporations, partnerships, municipalities, and citizens groups in environmental litigation, regulatory compliance, and transactional matters.Over the course of his career, Mr. Meloy has provided regulatory assistance and advice to clients in connection with all of the major environmental regulatory programs, handled the environmental aspects of complex real estate and corporate transactions, been actively involved in numerous redevelopment and remediation projects around the world, handled environmental litigation in both federal and state courts and before administrative tribunals, helped to design and implement environmental auditing and compliance management programs, and worked on a wide array of energy-related projects including the production and transportation of natural gas.Mr. Meloy earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Delaware in 1980. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1983 after graduating cum laude from Harvard Law School. During 1984 and 1985, he clerked for the Honorable Walter K. Stapleton of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Meloy is admitted to practice before the United States Courts of Appeals for the District of Columbia and Third Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania.Before retiring from Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP, Mr. Meloy served as the vice-chair of the Pennsylvania Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board and chaired the Solid Waste Advisory Committee for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry for many years.He served on the Advisory Council for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware from 2006 to 2017, and he previously chaired the Agricultural Law Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.Mr. Meloy was listed in Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and in Best Lawyers® in America for almost two decades.Mr. Meloy was selected in 2013 by Best Lawyers® in America as the Philadelphia Environmental Law Lawyer of the Year.

Adam Walters is Senior Energy Advisor for the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Office of Energy. He works across public, private, and non-profit sectors to bring energy-related economic development opportunities to the commonwealth. Previously, he was a William Penn Fellow with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development where he supported the agency’s goals of developing business investment and recruitment strategies for the commonwealth in the energy sector. Adam earned his Master of Public Administration from Penn State University and holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations.

Robert J. Bereschak is an Account Executive at LexisNexis, contributing expertise in sales and account management within the software sector. Previously, Robert served as a Government Senior Account Executive at Thomson Reuters, focusing on legal and business information solutions. During his tenure at Thomson Reuters, he also held the role of Enterprise Law Firm Consultant. Robert’s background includes serving as a Sales Executive at KirkPatrickPrice, where he focused on business development and strengthening organizations’ security posture. In this role, hecontributed to new business initiatives and helped organizations improve their information security through audits related to SOC 1, SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI, NIST, FISMA, HIPAA, and HITRUST. His work also encompassed penetration testing, vulnerability scans, and risk assessments, alongside retaining and growing existing client relationships. Earlier in his career, Robert was a Senior Major Account Manager at Stratix Systems, a business technology and managed services provider. His work history includes a focus on computing, networking, document management, and printing solutions for businesses.

Don Bluedorn’s practice focuses primarily on water and wastewater management, site remediation/brownfields, and hazardous and non-hazardous waste issues. Because of the technical nature of both the subject matter and his education, Mr. Bluedorn typically works closely with the client, technical consultants, and engineers during all phases of a project’s development. This team approach has been very successful with state and federal regulatory agencies in a number of different states throughout the country. Mr. Bluedorn has extensive experience with industrial operations throughout the country, particularly in the areas of electric power generation, transmission and distribution, natural gas, coal, primary and secondary metals, chemicals, and heavy manufacturing. He also has extensive experience with brownfields development and environmental liability transfers, representing owners, developers, buyers and sellers. In addition, he advises and counsels companies in the development of hyper-scale data center projects, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and environmental regulations. Mr. Bluedorn is Managing Shareholder of the firm and serves on the Management Committee and as a member of the Board of Directors. He has been with Babst Calland since late 1987 and has been active in firm management for much of that time. Mr. Bluedorn received his B.S. from Grove City College in 1983, where he graduated with high honors in Electrical Engineering, and a J.D. in 1986 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he graduated Order of the Coif and was a member of the Editorial Board of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review. Mr. Bluedorn’s undergraduate education focused heavily on the power aspects of electrical engineering and, while in college and law school, he gained valuable practical experience with regard to the basic issues of electric transmission and distribution. Mr. Bluedorn is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and the West Virginia Bar. He is the former chair of the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Managing Partners Committee, an American Bar Foundation Fellow, and an American College of Environmental Law Fellow. Mr. Bluedorn is a former adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and is a frequent speaker on environmental law topics. He is a former member of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Water Resources Advisory Committee. In the past, Mr. Bluedorn also served as a member of the Ohio River Basin Water Resources Planning Committee, chairman of the Statewide Water Resources Planning Committee, member of the Governor’s Sustainable Infrastructure Task Force, and board member of one of Pennsylvania’s largest public drinking water suppliers. Mr. Bluedorn was recognized as the Best Lawyers® 2016 and 2020 Environmental Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Pittsburgh, Pa. and has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law since 2005; Water Law since 2007; and Litigation – Environmental since 2011. Since 2004, he has been ranked among Pennsylvania’s top environmental lawyers in Chambers and Partners’ Chambers USA Guide. Mr. Bluedorn was selected to the 2004-2016 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers lists (Thomson Reuters). In 2019, he was named to Pennsylvania Business Central’s Top 100 People list, which celebrates the top 100 people in business and economic development who have learned how to develop their organizations and communities. Mr. Bluedorn is a board member and former chair of Communities in Schools of Pittsburgh, a nonprofit that works with underprivileged children in public schools to build one-on-one relationships that empower students to remain in school and succeed in life. He is also a board member and former chair of the Pittsburgh Legal Diversity and Inclusion Coalition, which works to promote regional economic growth by supporting employers in the Greater Pittsburgh area to increase the living retention and inclusion of legal professionals from a variety of diverse backgrounds. Mr. Bluedorn is a member of the Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association’s Board of Governors. In 2023, he was the recipient of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police’s “Recognition of Excellence” Award for his work in volunteering to teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to active duty City police officers.

Devin McDougall is a Supervising Senior Attorney with the Clean Energy Program at Earthjustice. . He is based in Philadelphia.

Jessica Shirley serves as the Secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), playing a pivotal role in the guidance of the department in its mission to protect and preserve Pennsylvania’s environment while fostering sustainable and equitable practices. Jessica arrived to the role of Secretary with extensive experience within the agency. Prior to her role as Secretary, Jessica served as the Executive Deputy Secretary overseeing all programs. As the first appointed Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator at the PA DEP, Jessica oversaw the influx of federal funding supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). She ensured that the Department used all available funds for the betterment of Pennsylvania’s environment, economy, residents, and communities. In this role, she also placed strong emphasis on consideration of the impact of programs in historically underinvested communities. Jessica’s previous role as Policy Director from May 2016 to April 2022 was marked by her dedication to shaping the environmental and energy policy agenda. In this position, Jessica helped to develop groundbreaking executive orders related to PFAS, climate change, energy conservation and sustainability in Commonwealth operations, and environmental justice. These executive orders established the first greenhouse gas reduction goal for the Commonwealth, set performance goals for state agencies, established the PFAS Action Team to remove silos and address emerging contaminants, and memorialized various processes and opportunities to meaningfully engage and address underserved communities in Pennsylvania. She coordinated the DEP Policy Office’s efforts, while overseeing the finalization of numerous rulemakings and promoting meaningful dialogue with stakeholders. Jessica and her counterpart at PennDOT lead the effort to develop Pennsylvania’s first ever Litter Action Plan which received several awards and national recognition. Jessica also served on the agency steering committee of DiversEP, the agency’s DEI committee with a mission of actively cultivating a culture of equity and inclusion and establishing a more diverse workforce representative of the population we serve. In her earlier role as Executive Policy Specialist, Jessica was a trusted advisor in various policy areas, including oil and gas development, air quality, climate change, energy, waste, clean water, and environmental cleanup. She also demonstrated leadership in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and her representation of the Administration in discussions with key organizations showcased her influence and expertise. She built extensive relationships by serving as the Policy Office liaison to the Oil and Gas Technical Advisory Board, Air Quality Technical Advisory Board, Climate Change Advisory Committee, Small Business Compliance Advisory Committee, Cleanup Standards Scientific Advisory Board, Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority, Recycling Fund Advisory Committee, Radiation Protection Advisory Committee, Solid Waste Advisory Committee, Sewage Advisory Committee and Storage Tank Advisory Committee. Jessica’s educational background includes a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Tyler Alexander is Director of AI Reliability for Thomson Reuters. Prior to this position, he was a Manager of Reference Attorney & Information Services for Casetext. He is a graduate of Lewis & Clark Law School and MIT Sloan School of Management. He is licensed to practice law in CA. He studied environmental law in law school and worked as an Associate in Government Affairs for hte Agricultural Trade Association in Salem, Oregon.

Ms. Tricia Moore is a senior environmental restoration leader with more than 25 years of experience managing complex investigation, remediation, and construction programs for federal, state, municipal, and major petroleum clients. Her portfolio includes the U.S. Navy through NAVFAC, the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. EPA-regulated sites, state agencies including the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, transportation authorities, and Fortune 500 petroleum companies such as ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, Getty, and Atlantic Richfield. She holds an MBA from West Chester University and a BS in Geology from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and is a certified Project Management Professional and Certified Professional Geologist with USACE and NAVFAC Construction Quality Management training. This combination of business leadership and technical depth allows her to align regulatory strategy, financial stewardship, and disciplined execution across high-visibility programs. As Deputy Program Manager for the Navy’s $398 million capacity environmental restoration contract, Ms. Moore provides executive oversight of more than 200 active Contract Task Orders supporting CERCLA, RCRA, UST, BRAC, and NEPA requirements nationwide. She leads large multidisciplinary teams and maintains accountability for quality, cost, and schedule performance, contributing to Excellent CPARS ratings through structured financial monitoring and program-wide performance improvement. She has directed remedial investigations, feasibility studies, proposed plans, records of decision, five-year reviews, and site closure documentation under CERCLA and related frameworks. Her Pennsylvania experience includes projects performed under Act 2, the Pennsylvania Storage Tank Act, and CERCLA sites where PADEP served as the primary stakeholder, including implementation of risk-based closure strategies and site-specific standards. Technically, Ms. Moore has led site characterization in fractured bedrock and unconsolidated aquifers and overseen the design and optimization of groundwater extraction and treatment systems, soil vapor extraction, in-situ thermal remediation, chemical oxidation and reduction, enhanced bioremediation, landfill caps, UST removals, and advanced PFAS treatment systems, including regenerable ion exchange technologies. She has managed remedies addressing CVOCs, SVOCs, metals, pesticides, PCBs, LNAPL, DNAPL, creosote, coal tar, and emerging contaminants such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane. With a background in human health risk assessment, she integrates vapor intrusion evaluation, fate-and-transport analysis, and risk modeling into remedial decision-making to prioritize liabilities and accelerate defensible closure. She also leads innovation in program delivery by structuring the integration of artificial intelligence, developing AI-enabled workflows that strengthen technical document preparation, regulatory review, financial tracking, proposal strategy, and institutional knowledge transfer. By integrating management, investigation, remediation, construction oversight, risk assessment, and AI-driven performance improvement, Ms. Moore delivers technically sound and strategically managed environmental restoration solutions for complex programs nationwide.

Ms. Chiaruttini is Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for York Water Company. The York Water Company is the oldest investor-owned utility in the country, providing drinking water and wastewater treatment services to portions of Pennsylvania since 1816. Prior to joining The York Water Company Alex served under Governor Wolf as Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. As Chief Counsel, she oversaw a legal staff of over 70 attorneys across seven offices statewide who support and provide legal counsel and litigation representation to the Department’s investigation, field, compliance and enforcement, policy, and executive staff across all program areas. Prior to public service, Ms. Chiaruttini was a partner with Stock and Leader in York, where she was the environmental practice chairperson. Ms. Chiaruttini represented clients including private industrial and commercial entities, developers, local and county governments, authorities, school districts, and private landowners in environmental matters and environmental litigation. 

Ms. Murphy is a senior attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania PA DEP (PADEP). She is the agency’s lead on issues related to Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution – the “Environmental Rights Amendment” – working with the PADEP Central Office Programs, Regional Litigation Offices and Bureau of Regulatory Counsel on the agency’s implementation of its trustee obligations under the amendment. She is the author of the revised and updated Article I, Section 27 Chapter of the Pennsylvania Environmental Law and Practice, 10th Edition, published in February 2021. Ms. Murphy also helps to coordinate DEP’s appellate litigation practice, counsels the Regional Permit Coordination Office and Submerged Lands program, provides support on pipeline litigation matters, periodically represents PADEP in litigation matters at both the trial and appellate levels, and works with counsel and staff from other state and federal agencies. Prior to her current assignment, Ms. Murphy was a supervising attorney with PADEP’s Bureau of Regulatory Counsel where, in addition to her supervisory responsibilities, she primarily counseled the Stormwater, Erosion Control, and Submerged Lands programs. She worked closely with PADEP staff from 2002 through 2019 on the development and implementation of the Commonwealth’s current stormwater regulatory programs, including the 2010 “Chapter 102” regulatory revisions. Ms. Murphy has been a regular speaker on a variety of environmental law subjects since 1994. Ms. Murphy started her career in PADEP’s Northeast Region litigation office concentrating on the waste and remediation programs, and then worked for six years with PADEP’s Southeast Region litigation office, also focusing on the waste and remediation programs, before moving to Harrisburg. She received her B.A. with honors from Boston College in history and her J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.

Lindsay Williamson is an Assistant Counsel with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Regulatory Counsel. She counsels the Bureau of Environmental Cleanup and Brownfields and the Bureau of Radiation Protection. Ms. Williamson graduated from Widener Commonwealth Law School and received her B.S. in political science from the University of Connecticut.

Mr. Walker currently serves as a supervisory counsel in the DEP’s Office of Chief Counsel, Bureau of Regulatory Counsel in Harrisburg where he counsels the Bureau of Air Quality on permitting and compliance & enforcement matters. He previously served as an assistant counsel for the Bureau’s air quality planning and mobile sources divisions. Since 2015, his practice area has primarily involved state implementation plan and regulatory development and representing DEP in state and federal appellate litigation matters. Mr. Walker also previously served as the program counsel for DEP’s Bureau of Waterways, Engineering and Wetlands and Coastal Zone Management programs where he counseled clients on permitting matters involving the Dam Safety and Encroachments Act, federal Clean Water Act and Coastal Zone Management Act. Mr. Walker received his J.D. from the University of Massachusetts School of Law in 2013 and an Environmental Policy Certificate from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth in 2012. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Duquesne University in 2002 and 2004, respectively.

Michael Braymer was appointed Chief Counsel to the Department of Environmental Protection effective December 2023. Prior to that appointment, Mr. Braymer was the Regional Counsel with the Department of Environmental Protection’s Northwest Regional Office. Mr. Braymer started his Commonwealth Career as a summer law school intern with the Department of Environmental Protection in the summers of 2000 and 2001. After graduating law school, Mr. Braymer was also an associate for the Quinn Law Firm, in Erie, PA, where he represented individuals and companies in a wide range of environmental and oil and gas matters. He returned to the Commonwealth as an Assistant Counsel with the Department of Environmental Protection in February 2004. He was promoted to Supervisory Counsel in 2016, and then to Regional Counsel of the Northwest Regional office in January, 2023. In these roles, Mr. Braymer has counseled and represented the Department of Environmental Protection on complex cases of regional and statewide significance. Mr. Braymer served as lead counsel for the Department of Environmental Protection in several cases before the Environmental Hearing Board, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Commonwealth Court, various Courts of Common Pleas, and United States District Court and Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Braymer received his undergraduate degree in History from the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 1999 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2002.

Mr. Duh is an Assistant Counsel with the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office of General Counsel, where he serves as Counsel to the Department of Environmental Protection, primarily in the area of water. Mr. Duh is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He earned his B.A. from Juniata College and his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law.

Mr. Manko is a founding partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP with more than 50 years of experience advising clients on environmental matters involving real estate transactions and development, regulatory permitting and compliance, environmental reporting and alternative dispute resolution. His experience as the EPA Region III’s general counsel, after almost 10 years as a corporate practitioner, gave him the ability to see and therefore provide counsel on environmental issues in real life situations. He spent 18 years teaching environmental law courses at the University of Pennsylvania and Vermont Law Schools. Prior to founding the firm in 1989, Mr. Manko founded and chaired the Environmental Department at Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen. He served for 27 years as an elected commissioner and officer on the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners, giving him insight into municipal issues. He is the past chair of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, former vice chair of the State Water Law Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and past chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Mr. Manko formerly served on the Fairmount Park Commission board. He currently serves on the boards of the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Orchestra.

Emma is a Senior Attorney in PennFuture’s Philadelphia office. Her work includes litigation and policy advocacy focusing on advancing clean water protection and water quality issues, restoring and protecting natural resources, moving Pennsylvania toward a clean energy future, and ensuring the rights of Pennsylvanians under the Article I, Section 27 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. As part of PennFuture’s legal team, she has worked on cases protecting Pennsylvanians’ environmental rights, advancing grid-scale clean energy, fighting fossil fuel expansion, and enforcing environmental laws across the Commonwealth. Prior to joining PennFuture, she practiced at Spiegel & McDiarmid, LLP in Washington, D.C., where she worked on a wide range of energy issues in the public interest, including clean energy policy research and ensuring fairness to ratepayers. Emma graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, and received her B.A. in Geology from Mount Holyoke College. Originally from northern Vermont, Emma grew up visiting family in the Philadelphia region, and enjoys exploring Pennsylvania by cycling, hiking, and kayaking.

Ms. Hunt is an attorney with Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP. She concentrates her practice in environmental regulatory compliance and permitting matters, with a particular focus in the areas of air and solid waste. She was previously an assistant counsel for PADEP where she counseled the Department’s Air Quality and Solid Waste programs.

Mr. Miano is a Shareholder in and Chairs the Environmental Practice Group of Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller in Philadelphia. He has been practicing environmental law for over thirty years. His practice includes all facets of environmental law and litigation, including federal and state cases involving the Clean Water Act, Hazardous Waste laws, Superfund, Brownfields redevelopment, mining and transactions. His clients include industrial corporations, commercial entities, educational organizations and municipalities. Before entering private practice, Mr. Miano was an Assistant Regional Counsel for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III, Hazardous Waste Branch. He was an adjunct professor at Rutgers University Law School, where he taught courses on environmental law. He is a frequent lecturer and has written on various environmental legal issues for a variety of publications. He has also served as a course planner for several national environmental law programs. Mr. Miano received his B.S. in Environmental Studies from George Washington University in 1982 and his J.D. from The University of New Hampshire School of Law in 1985. He was a judicial intern to the Honorable Martin Loughlin, U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire. Mr. Miano is listed in Chambers USA America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Who’s Who of Business Lawyers for Environmental Law, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America (Philadelphia Lawyer of the Year in 2016 and 2019). Mr. Miano a Past Chair of the ABA’s Section of Environment, Energy and Resources. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers. From 1998-2005, Mr. Miano served as a member and Vice President of the Board of Trustees for the Support Center for Child Advocates and was named Distinguished Child Advocate in 1997. He is a graduate of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Arts & Business Council —Business on Board Program.

Mrs. DeHarde is Senior Legal Counsel at Repsol Services Company, a natural gas drilling company located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before joining Repsol’s in-house team, Mrs. DeHarde was a commercial litigator at a regional law firm in Pittsburgh, with a primary focus on oil and gas related matters. She earned her B.A. from Lafayette College and her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Justin C. Danilewitz is the Chair of the national White Collar and Government Enforcement Practice at Saul Ewing LLP.A first-chair litigator in civil and criminal matters, Justin draws upon his trial and investigative experience as a former federal prosecutor to zealously defend entities and individuals, including those facing criminal and civil enforcement actions, false claims (qui tam) suits, and other claims. Justin is ranked in Chambers USA (2021 through 2024), in the category of “America’s Leading Lawyers in Litigation:White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations.” He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2024-2025), and was named a “Litigation Star” in Pennsylvania by Benchmark Litigation (2025), a “Future Star” in Pennsylvania by Benchmark Litigation (2022-2024), and to The Legal Intelligencer‘s Power Players list (2019). Justin is the co-host of the American Bar Association’s Criminal Justice Section Podcast, the JustPod, where he interviews leading figures in the criminal law community. He is a past Chair of the Federal Criminal Law Committee in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and serves as a Hearing Committee member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Boomhower is a principal scientist at Gradient with specialties in metals toxicology, neurotoxicology, and human health risk assessment. He uses his multidisciplinary expertise to evaluate potential chemical exposures and health risks in many contexts, including hazard and risk assessment, food safety, consumer product safety, and regulatory comment. Before joining Gradient, Dr. Boomhower was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Environmental Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he conducted in vitro and in vivo studies of metals exposure. His work in toxicology has received multiple funding awards, including from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. Dr. Boomhower has authored several book chapters and peer-reviewed scientific articles in toxicology and epidemiology. He also teaches courses in toxicology and pharmacology as an instructor at Harvard University and has served as an invited adjunct lecturer at Georgetown University.

David Raphael is a partner in the environmental, land and natural resources practice of the firm’s Harrisburg office. Prior to joining K&L Gates, David served as Chief Counsel of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) where he provided legal counsel to the Secretary and executive staff of the DEP. In this role, he oversaw a statewide team who represented the department on a variety of environmental compliance, litigation and transactional matters. His experience as an environmental practitioner – both in the public and private sectors – spans more than 25 years. David represents clients in environmental litigation matters before the Environmental Hearing Board, various state and federal courts, and administrative boards. He also provides environmental counsel on complex transactions and a wide range of environmental compliance issues, including the implementation of environmental compliance and audit policies. David was selected by Chambers USA (2017-2023) as one of Pennsylvania’s leading environmental lawyers. He was also recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law and Litigation-Environmental (2019- 2023). Prior to entering private practice, David served as Deputy Attorney General with the Environmental Crimes Section of the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. As a Deputy Attorney General, David served as the lead trial attorney for complex environmental cases in state trial courts around the Commonwealth, and represented the OAG in appellate matters before state appellate courts. His duties also included review and approval of charging documents, search warrants, and investigative plans. David also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where he was involved in the prosecution of a significant laboratory fraud matter. His career began with the Office of Chief Counsel in the Department of Environmental Protection, serving as Assistant Counsel and Special Assistant Counsel, and representing the Commonwealth in environmental matters before the Environmental Hearing Board, Commonwealth Court, and Superior Court, and negotiating a number of the first redevelopment agreements under Act 2. David served on the Environmental Hearing Board Rules Committee during his tenure as Chief Counsel of DEP. David received his undergraduate degree in English, with honors, from Lynchburg College, and received his law degree from the Dickinson School of Law, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Dickinson Journal of Environmental Law & Policy. He also served as member of the Dickinson’s mock trial team, which won a regional championship in New York City and competed in the national finals. David has served as a visiting judge to Dickinson’s Trial Advocacy and Appellate Advocacy programs and is currently serving as a litigation skills instructor at the law school.

Michael became the Executive Director and Managing Attorney at Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services in April 2022. Michael was born and raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a small city nestled in the Laurel Highlands. He received his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and then moved to Pittsburgh in 2000 to attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Michael graduated from Pitt Law in 2003 with a Juris Doctor with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Environmental Law, Science, and Policy. Putting his law practice on hold, Michael spent the next year in Baghdad, Iraq serving with his U.S. Army Reserve Combat Engineer Battalion as the Intelligence Sergeant. After returning from deployment in 2005, Michael began his law practice as a Staff Attorney at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law’s Environmental Law Clinic where he spent much of his time working on air quality permit appeals before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board. After his time at the clinic, Michael then worked for the Group Against Smog and Pollution (GASP) from 2006 to 2008 as the Outreach Coordinator and then as the Legal Director. While at GASP, Michael continued to work on air quality appeals, conducted community outreach and education, and advised their board of directors on all legal matters. In 2008, Michael joined the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) Legal Section as the Assistant Solicitor for the ACHD’s Air Quality Program. While with the air program, his practice included prosecuting air quality enforcement actions, defending air quality permit appeals, and counseling the air program on regulatory and policy development. In 2012, he was awarded a Certificate of Commendation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, for his work on a joint county-federal air quality enforcement case. After rising to ACHD Solicitor in 2016, Michael’s practice shifted to public health law, environmental health law, Right to Know Law compliance, Sunshine Act compliance, and regulatory development. During his time as the ACHD Solicitor, Michael also more than doubled the ACHD’s legal capacity, managed prosecution of environmental health violations, helped to develop new enforcement policies, drafted regulations for universal blood lead level testing, helped to revise several environmental health regulations, and managed the ACHD’s legal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chris Abel serves as Director of Expert Witness and Principal Scientist for August Mack Environmental, Inc. He has over 30 years of experience in environmental engineering, chemistry, and project management. He is familiar with a wide range of environmental regulations including the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST), and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Contract Laboratory Protocol. He has extensive experience with a variety of state led risk-based closure programs. He has also performed and managed hundreds of residential, commercial, and industrial site assessments, site investigations, and remediation projects involving heavy metals, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), petroleum, and chlorinated solvents.

Brian Regli serves as Executive Director, Critical Investments for the Governor, overseeing more than $19 billion of federal appropriations allocated to Pennsylvania through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022. He has been appointed by the Governor as Chair for Pennvest, and also as Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Budget. Previously, he served as Director of Commerce in Montgomery County (PA) and as a policy advisor in the Attorney General’s office. He has more than 25 years of entrepreneurial experience in the software, energy, utility and telecommunications sectors and has been directly responsible for more than $300 million of construction, debt financing, equity funding, and asset sales in his commercial real estate career. Dr. Regli holds a Doctorate in Developmental Economics from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and undergraduate degrees from Georgetown University in Government and Philosophy.

Andrew Bockis helps clients obtain and defend environmental permits for their projects. Industrial projects are subject to ever-changing rules and increased agency review time. Whether related to industrial warehouses or oil and gas facilities or renewable energy projects, many business leaders are frustrated with the uncertainty created by complex environmental regulation. The situation is magnified when there is public opposition to a project. Based on his prior experience as counsel to the Pennsylvania DEP and Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, Mr. Bockis helps clients in a variety of industries minimize project delays and secure the permits they need. When projects are challenged, he helps companies defend their interests in court. He has litigated and defended environmental permitting decisions before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Third Circuit, D.C. Circuit, and in response to petitions for certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Bockis helps clients navigate their interactions with regulatory agencies in order to avoid extra costs and lost time so that they can commence construction and operate with confidence. He is the immediate past Chair of PBA’s Environmental and Energy Law Section, and co-editor of Pennsylvania Environmental Law and Practice, published by PBI Press. Mr. Bockis is a partner in the Harrisburg office of Saul Ewing LLP and is Co-Chair of the Firm’s Environmental Practice. 

Mr. Klapkowski serves as the Deputy Secretary for the Office of Oil and Gas Management with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. As the Deputy Secretary, he leads an organization responsible for the oversight of the oil and gas exploration and production industry in the Commonwealth. The Office of Oil and Gas Management is comprised of two Bureaus – the Bureau of District Oil and Gas Operations, which is responsible for permitting, inspection, compliance and oversight of the conventional oil and gas and unconventional gas industries, and the Bureau of Oil and Gas Planning and Program Management, which is responsible for the Department’s development of policy, regulatory, technical guidance and legislative documents, and data management systems, as well as providing on-going education and outreach to the public and regulated communities. Prior to becoming the Deputy Secretary, Mr. Klapkowski served as the Director of the Bureau of Oil and Gas Planning and Program Management for ten years. Before joining the Office of Oil and Gas Management in 2012, Mr. Klapkowski worked with the Department’s Bureau of Regulatory Counsel for more than 18 years, including service as the counsel to the Oil and Gas Program for four years. Other program clients included Pennsylvania’s Storage Tank program, the Land Recycling Program, the Office of Energy and Technology Deployment, the Division of Hazardous Waste Management, the Division of Nuclear Safety and the Office of Pollution Prevention and Compliance Assistance. He received his J.D. in 1993 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and graduated Magna Cum Laude from Washington and Jefferson College in 1990.

Brigid Landy Khuri is a member of the Energy and Environmental Law Group at McNees Wallace & Nurick in Harrisburg. Brigid focuses her practice in the area of environmental regulation. She advises clients from a variety of industries regarding air, water, waste, land use, and remediation issues, as well as in related litigation and administrative proceedings. Brigid guides clients seeking environmental permits and those responding to enforcement actions brought by state and federal agencies. She has also conducted comprehensive internal investigations stemming from alleged criminal environmental compliance issues. Brigid has significant experience litigating in Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court and has argued before Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court. Brigid has been a regular speaker at Pennsylvania’s Environmental Law Forum and contributed to several environmental law treatises, including Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Practice. Brigid been named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists for Energy Law and for Natural Resources Law each year since 2021. Prior to joining McNees, Brigid was an associate at a global Am Law 100 firm where she primarily advised large energy clients. She also served as a law clerk for the Honorable J. Michael Eakin of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and in the chambers of U.S. Federal Magistrate Judge Timothy R. Rice. While in law school, Brigid interned at the Pennsylvania PA DEP. Prior to that, she spent time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Philadelphia Defenders Association. Brigid was born and raised in Bradford County, Pa. She now lives in Camp Hill with her husband, two sons, and rescue dog.

Jessica O’Neill is a Senior Attorney at PennFuture. She is based out of Philadelphia, and her work focuses on water quality and watershed protection as well as the creation and protection of green space for all. She also works on issues related to the petrochemical and fracking industries that threaten our health and environment across Pennsylvania. Prior to joining PennFuture, she was an Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. She also worked as an environmental lawyer in private practice, where she primarily focused on clean water issues, and as an Assistant Regional Counsel for the Environmental Protection Agency in its Mid-Atlantic office, bringing administrative enforcement actions under federal hazardous waste and toxic chemical regulations. In 2010, she served as an assistant counsel to the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. Ms. O’Neill clerked for the Honorable Louis H. Pollak on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Honorable Robert B. Kugler on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. She has an undergraduate degree in environmental studies from Brown University and graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center. 

Mr. Sullivan was appointed Chief Counsel to PA DCNR in April 2024. He previously served as a Supervisory Counsel in PA DEP’s Southcentral Regional Office where he counseled the Waterways and Wetlands program, the Chesapeake Bay program, and the State Conservation Commission. His PA DEP practice focused on enforcement, litigation, and permitting matters related to pipelines, agriculture, and other water-related environmental issues. He also previously served PA DEP as Acting Deputy Chief Counsel and in the Bureau of Regulatory Counsel. Mr. Sullivan received B.S. degrees in Biology and Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University at University Park as well as a J.D. and a Certificate in Environmental Law, Science & Policy from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Ms. McCabe is the managing partner of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox LLP, working in the firm’s complex industrial and regulatory practices.  She counsels clients on a wide variety of environmental issues, including permitting, compliance and enforcement matters related to air emissions, hazardous waste, storage tanks, stormwater and wastewater pretreatment.  Ms. McCabe concentrates her practice in air matters for a wide range of industrial clients at both the state and national level. She has assisted clients with environmental due diligence, auditing, permit appeals, emergency planning, and defense of agency enforcement actions. Ms. McCabe has represented clients before the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board, the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Environmental Appeals Board, and the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers® in America, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, New Jersey Super Lawyers and Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Outside of the office, Ms. McCabe serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, among other volunteer roles in the community.  

John Herman is the Regional Chief Counsel for the Department of Environmental Protection’s Southwest Office of Chief Counsel in Pittsburgh.  The office includes a staff of 15 attorneys, and represents all of DEP’s environmental programs, including Air, Water, Waste, Drinking Water, Wetlands & Waterways, Mining, Radiation and Oil & Gas.  Mr. Herman is a 1982 graduate of the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, and worked in private practice for ten years prior to joining the Commonwealth’s Office of General Counsel and DEP.

Mr. Garber is a shareholder in the Environmental, Energy and Natural Resources Group of Babst Calland Clements & Zomnir, P.C. in Pittsburgh. He concentrates much of his practice on environmental, water, and land use issues facing the oil and gas, mining, and manufacturing industries, and on infrastructure development issues facing municipalities, municipal authorities, and developers. He represents exploration, development, and pipeline companies working in the Pennsylvania conventional and unconventional oil and gas industries, and represents companies and trade associations in other extractive industries in Pennsylvania, including coal and noncoal mining. Mr. Garber has written and lectured extensively on oil and gas, water, and development issues. He is ranked among Pennsylvania’s top environmental lawyers in Chambers USA: Americas Leading Lawyers for Business. He is listed in the environmental section, the water section, the natural resources section, the environmental litigation section, and the energy section of the Best Lawyers in America, and was selected as its Lawyer of the Year for Pittsburgh each year between 2014 to 2021 and again in 2024 for energy, environmental, or natural resources law, and was named to the 2023 Energy & Environment Power 100 by City & State Pennsylvania. He is recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers, according to an annual survey published in Philadelphia Magazine. He has served on the council of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Environmental, Mineral and Natural Resources Law Section. Mr. Garber is a member and past chair of the Allegheny County Bar Association Environmental Law Section and is a member of the Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations. He is a member of the board of directors of the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce and the 3 Rivers Wet Weather Program, and is a former member and past chair of the board of the Allegheny Land Trust in Pittsburgh. Mr. Garber received his B.S. in biology from Pennsylvania State University, his M.S. in oceanography and limnology from the University of Wisconsin, his Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Pittsburgh, and his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law. He is an adjunct professor at Duquesne University School of Law, where he teaches courses in environmental law and litigation.

Mr. Mandelbaum is a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s Environmental Practice. His principal offices are in Philadelphia and Boston. His practice tends toward environmental litigation of various sorts, including some Superfund matters that the government characterizes as among its most significant. He also advises on compliance, regulatory and transactional issues. He served as Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Statewide Water Resources Committee and as a member of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Mr. Mandelbaum teaches “Superfund Litigation” and “Oil and Gas Law” in rotation at Temple Law School and the Superfund course at Suffolk (Boston) Law School. He was educated at Harvard University (A.B. 1980; J.D. 1983) and served as law clerk to Hon. Louis H. Pollak, then-United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He is a Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.