ELAW U.S. Staff

Bern Johnson Executive Director
Bern directs the work of ELAW U.S. and develops initiatives to protect the environment through law and science. He was the first Staff Attorney at ELAW U.S. for two years before assuming the position of Executive Director in 1993. His work to protect the environment has taken him to the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the South Pacific, and Central and South America. Prior to joining ELAW U.S., Bern practiced law with the firm of Culp, Guterson and Grader in Seattle. He was President of the Environmental Law Society at Harvard Law School, where he graduated cum laude. He co-authored "Environmental Law Across Borders," Volume 10 (1), Journal of Environmental Law and Litigation, with ELAW U.S. Staff Attorney Jennifer Gleason. Before attending law school, Bern worked on environmental issues in the U.S. Congress as a Legislative Assistant to Representative James Weaver. Bern and his wife Hillary are active in protecting the quality of life in Eugene and the local environment. They are avid river runners, campers, and bicyclists, and proud parents of two daughters, Harper and Tatum.

Lori Maddox Associate Director
Lori directs the ELAW U.S. Latin America Program and manages ELAW U.S. administration and finance. She currently represents the Secretariat in the ELAW Network Group, an international advisory board to the network. Lori helped launch the ELAW network in 1991 and has helped build ELAW U.S. She designed and ran the Working Exchange Fellowship Program for more than 10 years and directed the ELAW U.S. Technology Program until 2000. Lori has traveled to Russia, Mongolia, Asia and the Pacific, the Middle East, and Central and South America on ELAW's behalf to reach out to new advocates and help build their organizations. Prior to joining ELAW U.S. in 1991, Lori worked as a certified legal assistant specializing in environmental law and the organization and management of nonprofit corporations. Lori and her husband David Atkin enjoy whitewater rafting and hiking in the wilderness and are parents to two young sons, Carson and Tyee. They spend as much time as possible at their farm on the Illinois River in Southwest Oregon, which doubles as a retreat center and meeting place for area nonprofit groups.

Mark Chernaik Staff Scientist
Mark provides scientific and technical information to environmental advocates for litigation and law reform, and helps attorneys and citizens make effective use of scientific information to defend the environment. Mark received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Johns Hopkins University. His work has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A, and the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Mark received his law degree from the University of Oregon School of Law in May 1993, and has worked on litigation challenging pollution from pulp mills in the Pacific Northwest. He joined ELAW U.S. in 1992. Mark's work has taken him to Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. Mark enjoys running, and he and his wife Lisa enjoy spending time with their children Olivia and Leo, and dog Simon.

Meche Lu Environmental Research Scientist
Meche provides scientific and technical support to grassroots attorneys working with communities to protect the environment. Before joining ELAW U.S. in 2003, Meche provided scientific support to the ELAW network from her home office in Lima, Peru. She began work with ELAW in 1991. Meche travels throughout Latin America to give on-site scientific support to communities and environmental advocates, including support for environmental monitoring projects. Meche graduated as a Pharmacist and Biochemist from the National University of San Marcos, in Lima, Peru. She also studied ecology and environmental management at Cayetano Heredia University in Lima. She is a founding member of the Peruvian Toxicological Association (APTOX). Meche enjoys music, and plays classical guitar and piano.

Jennifer Gleason Staff Attorney
Jennifer joined ELAW U.S. in 1993. She manages the Legal Assistance Program and responds to requests from public interest environmental attorneys in other countries helping to formulate effective strategies for litigation and legislation. She supervises volunteer lawyers and law student interns who assist with legal research. Jen manages ELAW U.S. joint projects with partners in Africa. Jen's work with ELAW has taken her to many countries in Africa, Central America, the Newly Independent States, and the Middle East. Jen recently helped organize a workshop in Costa Rica bringing together lawyers from 11 Latin American countries to learn and strategize about using the Inter-American Human Rights system to protect environmental rights. She is now working with lawyers to prepare petitions to the Human Rights Commission. Jen is a 1993 graduate of the University of Oregon Law School with a certificate in Natural Resources Law. Outside of ELAW, Jen spends time volunteering to help protect the local environment. She can be found around Eugene on her road bike or exploring Oregon's wild areas.

Liz Mitchell Staff Attorney
Liz Mitchell provides legal assistance to grassroots attorneys outside the U.S. who are working to protect communities and the environment. She holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and was a Thomas J. Watson fellow. After graduating from the University of Oregon School of Law with a certificate in Natural Resources Law in 1994, Liz was a staff attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center. Liz serves on the board of directors for the Wood River Land Trust and the Oregon Clean Water Action Project. Liz and her husband, Mike, live in Hailey, Idaho, where they enjoy trail running and nordic skiing.

Maggie Keenan Communications Director
Maggie joined ELAW U.S. in 1999. Maggie writes grants, produces ELAW publications, works with journalists, and helps ELAW advocates build strong organizations. She holds a Master's in Professional Studies in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University. She served for three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and worked for three years in Uganda as a consultant for the Uganda Wildlife Society, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, and various USAID-funded maternal health projects. Her work at ELAW has taken her to Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ukraine, Bolivia and Chile.

Stephen Barnes Director of Philanthropy
Steve works with people who provide financial support for ELAW's work. Steve graduated from B.Y.U. and earned M.B.A. and J.D. degrees at The George Washington University and the University of Oregon, respectively. He left his law practice in 2004 to join the law faculty at the Harbin Institute of Technology in Harbin, China, where he taught International Law, Contracts, and Legal English. Steve speaks French and Swedish and seeks every opportunity to improve his Chinese. Family, running, backpacking, and skiing fill his time outside of work.

Glenn Gillis Information Technology Manager
Glenn joined ELAW U.S. in 2000 to maintain and improve ELAW's computer network. Glenn works with ELAW's international partners to advance the ELAW network's use of technology to protect the environment. His work has taken him to Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, and Thailand. Glenn is currently the only Thawte Web of Trust notary in Lane County, Oregon. Prior to his work at ELAW, Glenn worked as a User Support Technician and Programmer Analyst at the Lane County Department of Information Services. Glenn's interests include hiking in the Oregon Cascades, protecting Pacific Northwest forests and endangered species, and exploring ways to use Open Source Software in efforts to protect the environment; Glenn lives in Eugene, Oregon, USA with his wife Lisa and son Aidan.

Kalindi Devi-Dasi Office Manager
Kalindi first began working for ELAW as Office Manger in 1996. In 1997, she left to pursue other interests while continuing to work part-time for ELAW as their bookkeeper. She returned in 2003 as full-time Office Manager and Bookkeeper. Kalindi graduated from the University of Oregon in 1995 with a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish, and a minor in Environmental Studies. She has lived in or traveled to Sweden, Japan, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador.