Before joining the faculty at Vermont Law School, Ms. Sheldon was President of the Wilderness Society in Washington, D.C., a staff attorney with EarthJustice in Colorado, a partner in a public interest law firm in Washington, D.C., and one of Ralph Nader’s original “raiders.” Her work included efforts on behalf of environmental organizations and Native American tribes on issues of mining and oil and gas development, endangered species protection, and federal reserved water rights.
Ms. Sheldon serves on the Board of Directors of Defenders of Wildlife, EarthWorks, and the Natural Resources Law Center of the University of Colorado School of Law. She has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the Environmental Law Institute, and the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation.
Ms. Sheldon received her AB in Political Science from Vassar College and her J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law.
Penny Anderson: Energy Program Administrative Assistant/Computer Operations Manager
Ms. Anderson is the Energy Project’s Research and Administrative Assistant, and is also Computer Operations Manager for WRA and has been with the organization since 1998. Ms. Anderson was a volunteer with The Nature Conservancy and Thorne Ecological Institute, and for ten years was at the Texas State Historical Association as an editor and network administrator. She has a B.A. in humanities and music from Augustana College.
Drew Beckwith: Water Policy Analyst
As WRA’s water policy analyst, Mr. Beckwith works closely with water utilities, state officials, and partner organizations around the region to find sustainable ways to meet human water needs. He is responsible for the water program’s research and legislative efforts that aim to improve water conservation programs across the Interior West. Prior to WRA, Mr. Beckwith worked in the private sector, providing water supply reliability planning services to utilities in Southern California, and for the University of California Cooperative Extension, helping agricultural growers reduce nutrient and pesticide loading into local waterways. Mr. Beckwith holds a Master of Environmental Science and Management degree from the Bren School at the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology from Colorado College.
Charles Benjamin: Director, Nevada Office
Mr. Benjamin joined WRA’s Nevada office in 2007 to represent WRA and others in proceedings before the Nevada Public Utilities Commission concerning renewable energy, efficiency, and related matters. Prior to moving to Nevada, Mr. Benjamin was the lobbyist and attorney for the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club from 1997. He also had a law practice representing over 25 neighborhood associations across Kansas on a variety of land use and zoning issues. Mr. Benjamin was a political science professor at Bethel College in Kansas where he taught courses in environmental studies, American government, and international relations, and served 16 years as a county commissioner in Harvey County, Kansas. Mr. Benjamin holds B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California, and a J.D. degree from the School of Law at the University of Kansas.
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David Berry: Energy Program Chief of Policy Analysis
Mr. Berry is an economist and planner specializing in natural resources, including land use, energy, outdoor recreation, and water policy. He joined WRA in 2001. Mr. Berry served as Chief of Economics and Research at the Arizona Corporation Commission for eleven years. In addition, he taught urban and regional planning at the University of Illinois and Boston University, and was an adjunct professor of geography at Arizona State University. Mr. Berry has a B.A. in geography from Syracuse University and a Ph.D. in regional science from the University of Pennsylvania.
Andria Bronsten: Office and Human Resource Manager
Prior to coming to WRA in 2000, Ms. Bronsten worked for a mediation firm in Boulder, and brings with her a foundation in the fine art of conflict resolution. A dual Canadian-American citizen, she has extensive non-profit experience in health care and food banking, as well as a background in the arts, food, newspaper journalism, market research consulting, and bookkeeping. Ms. Bronsten attended Goddard College and the Rhode Island School of Design.
Lowrey Brown: Senior Policy Analyst
Ms. Brown started at WRA in 2009. Most recently, she was an independent consultant and a utility analyst for the Citizens’ Utility Board of Oregon, a consumer advocacy organization in Portland, where she collaborated with and negotiated settlements with utilities and other stakeholders on issues ranging from regulatory policy to rate structures to the inclusion, in utility resource planning, of renewables, carbon, and regional energy efficiency. Ms. Brown has also been a writer and educational consultant. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Environmental Studies, and a Master of Science in Engineering from Stanford University.
Michael Chiropolos: Lands Program Director
Mr. Chiropolos joined WRA in 2001. His work focuses on challenging environmentally unsound oil and gas development on public lands and helping promote solutions grounded in conservation, efficiency, and renewables. Mr. Chiropolos earned his J.D. from the University of Colorado and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Northwestern University. Before joining WRA, Mr. Chiropolos practiced federal Indian law, which included advising Wyoming's Wind River tribes on oil and gas issues. He also worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the African Sahel (Chad and Mali), as a wilderness ranger in the Arapaho National Forest, and as an organizer for the Western Colorado Congress.
Jennifer Coken: Director, Western Clean Energy Campaign
Ms. Coken is a 20-year veteran of developing and managing political and issue campaigns. Prior to coming to WRA in 2007, Ms. Coken worked for Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Congressman Tony P. Hall, the National Parks Conservation Association, Main Street Colorado, the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. She founded Coken Consulting Company, a Washington, DC firm that provided campaign management services and strategic guidance for national and community-based organizations. In addition to her responsibilities at WRA, Ms. Coken is a trainer for Democracy for America, teaching activists to run for office and manage successful campaigns nationwide. She grew up in Cleveland and received her M.A. in Political Campaign Management from Kent State University.
John Curl: Energy Program Senior Policy Analyst
Mr. Curl joined WRA’s New Mexico office of WRA in 2009. For over 26 years, he worked with the New Mexico Public Utility Commission and the Public Regulation Commission as an economist and served as the utility division director. He has a Master of Business Administration with a finance concentration from the Robert O. Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of New Mexico, and a Bachelor of Arts with a sociology major and biology minor from the University of California, San Diego.
Rob Dubuc: Staff Attorney, Utah Office
Mr. Dubuc joined WRA’s Salt Lake City office in August, 2009. Most recently, he was President/CEO of Aspen Homes Development, and a partner in Aspen Homes Real Estate. Mr. Dubuc had a distinguished career in the military, including several years as a Minuteman Missile combat crew commander and a Russian cryptologic linguist. He was also responsible for monitoring nuclear weapons production in the former Soviet Union to ensure compliance with arms reductions treaties. He completed his military service at the rank of major. Mr. Dubuc has a B.A. in Business Management from the University of Maryland, a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Montana, and his Juris Doctorate, Certificate in Environmental & Natural Resource Law, from the University of Utah, College of Law, in Salt Lake City, Utah
Gary Graham: Transmission Project Director
Mr. Graham joined WRA in November 2009. He has been the Executive Director of Audubon Colorado, Director as well as Chief of the Endangered Resources Branch of the Wildlife Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Mr. Graham was a project manager of the Texas Watchable Wildlife Project for Defenders of Wildlife and an associate science director at Bat Conservation International. He is the author of Golden Guide to Bats of the World. Mr. Graham has a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico, an M.S. and B.S. from Louisiana State University, and has taken Executive leadership training at the Center for Creative Leadership.
Robert Harris: Staff Attorney
Mr. Harris joined WRA in 2008. He started as a legal intern at WRA, at the Environmental Litigation Clinic of the Pace University School of Law, at the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, and at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC. He has a B.A. from Valparaiso University in Indiana, and his JD from Pace University School of Law. Mr. Harris is a member of the Colorado Bar, and is working on oil and gas law and policy, and the connection to water issues.
Dan Heilig: Staff Attorney
Mr. Heilig joined WRA in March 2008. His work focuses on advocating for environmentally responsible oil and gas development on public lands. Mr. Heilig earned his J.D. from the University Wyoming and a B.A. in geography from the University of Delaware. Before joining WRA, Mr. Heilig was the Executive Director at and a staff attorney for the Wyoming Outdoor Council in Lander. Since then, he has been an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School, and has also worked for the State of Wyoming Department of Transportation as a motorcycle safety instructor.
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Kathryn Holm: Vice President of Finance and Administration
Ms. Holm joined WRA in 2008. Most recently, she was chief operating officer for a group of foundations in Denver with under one billion in assets. Previously, Ms. Holm was the Chief of Operations for a healthcare foundation and COO of a non-profit social service agency, both in Columbus, Ohio. She has an MBA in finance from Franklin University, and BS in Business from Regis University. Ms. Holm has participated in the Shambhala Authentic Leadership Program in Nova Scotia, the Commonfund Endowment Institute at the Yale School of Management, and Portfolio Management at the University of Chicago Graduate Business School. Her professional development includes membership in the Foundation Financial Officers’ Group and the Council on Foundations.
Nancy Kelly: Senior Policy Advisor
Ms. Kelly joined WRA in 2008, bringing with her significant advocacy and policy experience in energy-related matters. As a consultant, technical consultant, and utility economist with the Committee of Consumer Services (the group representing Utah small customer interests in energy and utility matters), Ms. Kelly focused primarily on regional electricity issues. In that capacity she was elected to the Western Electricity Coordinating Council Board of Directors in 2002 and continues to serve in that role. Prior to working on energy-related issues, Ms. Kelly was the staff economist for the Center for Business Research and Services at Idaho State University (ISU) and taught a number of courses at ISU, Westminster College, and the University of Utah. Ms. Kelly has a B.S. in economics from Idaho State University and an ABD from the University of Utah Department of Economics.
Victoria Mandell: Senior Staff Attorney
Ms. Mandell joined WRA in 2008 to focus on energy law, practicing before state public utility commissions. Prior to this, she was in-house regulatory counsel for Level 3 Communications for four years, and was a consultant in the energy industry with Platts Research and Consulting. Ms. Mandell served in the Regulatory Department of the Colorado Attorney General’s office for ten years, representing a variety of boards and commissions, including the trial staff of the Colorado Public Utility Commission on energy and telecommunications matters. She has a B.S. in international political science from Georgetown University, and an MBA, with an emphasis in finance, and JD from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
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Ashley McPhee: Water, Finance, and Administration Assistant
Ashley McPhee joined WRA in August 2005 as the Communications and Development Assistant editing grant proposals and reports, tracking press, and maintaining the constituent database. Currently, she assists the Water and Finance Programs. Ashley is a student at CU Boulder working on a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and Spanish literature. She is also the managing editor of an activist journal called BASE.
Steven Michel: Chief Counsel, Energy Program
Mr. Michel joined WRA in 2007, bringing with him 25 years of experience in the energy industry. For 17 years, he served as general counsel for the New Mexico Industrial Energy Consumers, and before that, worked five years as Assistant Attorney General in the New Mexico Attorney General’s Consumer Division Energy Unit. Mr. Michel has donated countless hours of pro bono work and, as counsel for a coalition of Indian tribes and environmental groups in the 1990s, was instrumental in stopping the construction of a major utility transmission line through New Mexico’s Jemez Mountains. In 1995, Mr. Michel was awarded the New Mexico State Bar’s Robert H. LaFollette Pro Bono Award. He has served on many governmental task forces dealing with energy issues, and has helped develop and draft energy-related legislation in New Mexico. Mr. Michel received a B.A. degree in History and Economics from Northwestern University and received M.B.A. and J.D. degrees from Vanderbilt University.
Bart Miller: Water Program Director
Mr. Miller is Water Program Director at Western Resource Advocates. He manages a team of staff and contractors who protect river flows, recover endangered species, improve the efficient use of water, and make the connection beteween water use, energy production, and climate change. In a multi-year effort, Bart crafted litigation and settlement negotiations that resulted in a new water right for Black Canyon National Park on the Gunnison River. Prior to joining WRA in 2000, Bart spent 4 years in the Solicitor’s Office in Washington, DC, on the legal staff that advises the many agencies within the U. S. Department of the Interior; there he focused on natural resource issues in the Division of Indian Affairs. Mr. Miller is a graduate of the University of Colorado Law School and Dartmouth College.
Regina M. Nichols: Office Administrator/Legal Assistant - Nevada Office
Ms. Nichols joined WRA in 2006, to assist on electrical energy issues in Nevada. She worked as a Legal Research Assistant for the Public Utility Commission of Nevada and a paralegal/legal assistant with two private law firms in the areas of corporate law, probate, and estate planning. Ms. Nichols has an AA in Business and is a Certified Legal Assistant and certified Professional Legal Secretary.
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John Nielsen: Energy Program Director
Mr. Nielsen has worked at WRA as an economist and policy advisor since 1995, and has been the Energy Program Director since 2000. He is a leader in the western environmental community on the relationship between energy policy and air quality, and has served as an expert witness in regulatory proceedings around the region involving utility resource planning, electric industry restructuring, renewable energy, energy conservation, and green marketing. Mr. Nielsen holds a B.A in mathematics and economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder and M.A. and M. Philosophy degrees in economics from Yale University.
Christine Quenroe: Bookkeeper, Accounting Assistant
Prior to joining the WRA staff in 2002, Ms. Quenroe served for 12 years as the office manager and bookkeeper for a design and architecture company. She also has worked in secondary education and academic librarianship. Ms. Quenroe received her undergraduate degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls and her Masters from the University of Maryland.
Peter Roessmann: Communications Coordinator
Mr. Roessmann joined Western Resource Advocates in 2008. His multi-disciplinary career includes script writing and editing work for Pollak Productions in Boulder, Colorado, where his work garnered six Emmy Awards. Mr. Roessmann was introduced to public policy and natural resource issues during his tenure as an Education Specialist focusing on public outreach and communications for the Colorado River Water Conservation District in Glenwood Springs. He also worked as a Communications Specialist for Vail Valley Medical Center, and has been a writer for Headwaters Magazine. Mr. Roessmann received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.
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Anita Schwartz: Vice President of Development, Communications, and Program Administration
Ms. Schwartz joined WRA in 2004. She manages the organization’s fundraising and communications activities. Before joining WRA, Ms. Schwartz worked at Environmental Defense Fund where she managed fundraising efforts in a seven-state region. She previously worked at The Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder to transform an abandoned 40,000 square-foot dairy building into a multi-disciplinary community arts center. In that capacity, she led a capital campaign, hosted a live television program, and conducted marketing and community outreach. Ms. Schwartz started her non-profit career at Conservation International in Washington, D.C. in 1990. She has served on the board of directors of Open Studios, First Congregational Church of Boulder, and the Boulder Institute for Psychotherapy and Research. Recent professional development has included participating in the Communications Leadership Institute and the Nonprofit Management Institute. In addition to her work at WRA, Ms. Schwartz is the co-owner of a small business that has been ranked as one of the top 25 woman-owned businesses in Boulder County. Ms. Schwartz has a B.A. from American University in Washington, D.C., with a double major in literature and American studies.
Stacy Tellinghuisen: Energy/Water Analyst
Ms. Tellinghuisen joined WRA in 2008 to focus on the energy/water nexus. Before coming to Colorado, she was an energy/water analyst for the California Sustainability Alliance, where she researched the energy intensity of Southern California's water supplies. Ms. Tellinghuisen has also researched the energy, water, and greenhouse gas emissions of different landscapes, and worked on various water resources projects for the City of Moab, Utah. She has taught natural history to school groups in parks throughout California and Utah. Ms. Tellinghuisen has a Bachelor of Arts in Geology from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Madeleine Tengler : Development and Communications Assistant
Ms. Tengler joined WRA in February 2010. Before this, she was the assistant membership coordinator at the YMCA of Boulder Valley, and a special events, fundraising, and development intern at the Denver Center for International Studies Foundation. Ms. Tengler was also a volunteer coordinator at the Conference on World Affairs. She has a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs from the University of Colorado at Boulder, with a strong Spanish language component and a focus on community-based solutions to social and economic challenges.
Nicole Theerasatiankul: Development and Communications Coordinator
Ms. Theerasatiankul started with WRA in 2007 to assist the Development and Communications Director. She has been a graduate teaching assistant and instructor at the University of Colorado, and taught English as a second language in Korea. Ms. Theerasatiankul has a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Business Administration from Colorado State University, and a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Joro Walker: Senior Attorney and Utah Office Director
Before joining WRA’s Salt Lake City office in 1999, Ms. Walker worked at a private civil rights law firm specializing in inmate and First Amendment rights litigation in federal court, and Utah constitutional and civil rights law before the state courts. She was associate director of the Wallace Stegner Center at the University of Utah College of Law. Ms. Walker was the 2005 U.S. winner of the Yves Rocher Foundation’s “Women of the Earth” award. She attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and graduated from the University of Utah with Bachelor of Science and Masters of Arts degrees in philosophy, and received her law degree from the University of Utah.
Phil Williamson: Senior Policy Advisor
Mr. Williamson joined the Nevada office of WRA in January, 2010. He has 30 years of experience in public utility regulation in Nevada, and worked for the Nevada Public Utility Commission for 21 years as a senior auditor, manager of rates and tariff, and audit division manager. Phil also worked for 9 years at the Nevada Bureau of Consumer Protection as a senior analyst and manager of technical staff. He has an accounting degree from the University of Nevada in Reno.
Justin Wilson: Organizing Director, Western Clean Energy Campaign
Mr. Wilson joined WRA in 2007 as the Organizing Director for the Western Clean Energy Campaign. He has worked for Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. organizing volunteers across the country to take part in “get out the vote” operations and grassroots political advocacy. Mr. Wilson has also worked on energy campaigns with Environmental Action, Florida PIRG, and Environment Colorado. He has a B.S. in Public Administration from the University of Arkansas.
Ms. Sheldon became Executive Director of WRA in 2007. For fourteen years prior, she was Professor of Law, Associate Dean for the Environmental Law Program, and Director of the Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School. Her areas of specialty are natural resources and environmental law, in particular federal land management, wildlife conservation, water resources allocation, and watershed management and protection.