Inside E-LAW: New Faces, Fulbright Fellow, $50,000 Corporate Challenge Grant, E-LAW Tech Team

New Faces

E-LAW U.S. welcomes a new Development Director, Shauna Whidden. Shauna brings tremendous energy to protecting the environment through law. Shauna is a natural resource attorney and has worked in environmental protection for years. Prior to joining E-LAW U.S., Shauna was the Public Lands Policy Director for the Pacific Rivers Council. She received her law degree from the Northwestern School of Law in Portland, with a certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law.

Micah (right) gives Mutuso Dhliwayo of Zimbabwe his first cross-country ski lesson, in the Oregon Cascades. Mutuso spent two months at E-LAW U.S. this winter on a Working Exchange Fellowship. (Photo: Kim Miller)

Micah LeBank is serving as Program Assistant this summer. Micah has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon and plans to attend law school this fall. He began as a volunteer in January and helps with fund- raising, corporate research, the Working Exchange Fellowship program, and more.

Also working at E-LAW U.S. this summer is Legal Intern Shelly Stokes. Shelly is pursuing concurrent JD and Masters degrees in environmental law at Vermont Law School. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya and traveled extensively in Africa. She recently completed an internship with the non-profit law firm Trustees for Alaska.

$50,000 Corporate Challenge Grant

A $50,000 corporate challenge grant from the AVINA Foundation is helping E-LAW U.S. expand its revenue base and build stronger relationships with business community leaders. AVINA has supported E-LAW`s work in Latin America since 1999. To meet the challenge, E-LAW U.S. must raise $50,000 by December 2003. AVINA will match these funds, dollar for dollar. E-LAW U.S. will launch the Corporate Challenge this summer.

Many thanks to Howard L. Ingber Construction in Eugene for making the first donation to the Corporate Challenge. Howard has been a tremendous supporter of E-LAW U.S. He has hosted visiting attorneys, built our office addition, and improved desk and storage areas. Howard is a good friend and we appreciate his support.

Look for news about the Corporate Challenge in the E-LAW Advocate and here on our web site. For more information, contact: Shauna Whidden, shauna@elaw.org, tel. (541) 687-8454.

Congratulations

Staff Attorney Jennifer Gleason was awarded the Kerry Rydberg Award for Achievement in Public Interest Environmental Law. The award was announced in March at the 2002 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference at the University of Oregon.

"The award is richly deserved," says E-LAW co-founder John Bonine. "Jen is truly one of the bulwarks of the world`s grassroots environmental law movement."

Jennifer has worked at E-LAW U.S. since 1993 and developed extensive knowledge of public participation laws around the world. She has traveled to work with partners in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Cameroon, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Israel, Palestine, Russia, and Ukraine.

Fulbright Fellow

Staff Attorney Alex Hanafi at E-LAW`s Earth Day booth in downtown Eugene is interviewed by Eugene`s ABC affiliate, KEZI-TV. (Photo: Maggie Keenan)

Former intern (1998-1999) Aaron Grieser will spend next year in Berlin, Germany, on a Fulbright Fellowship to research environmental policy in East Germany. Aaron`s internship at E-LAW earned him college credit towards a political science degree and helped him make the connections that led to the Fulbright. Aaron used his German-language skills to help E-LAW U.S. strengthen its contacts in Germany, and assisted staff with program and administrative tasks.

Stepping Out

E-LAW U.S. is educating the local community about efforts around the world to protect the environment through law. In February, Staff Scientist Mark Chernaik and Executive Director Bern Johnson spoke about global climate change at a meeting of the Community Action Forum at the Downtown Athletic Club. In March, Bern led a discussion on global climate change at the City Club of Eugene following a presentation by Dr. Kent Bransford from Physicians for Social Responsibility. Also in March, Bern spoke about E-LAW at a meeting of the Lane County Medical Society and Mark spoke about global warming to members of the United Methodist Church. We thank Gayle Landt, Martin Jones and John Allcott for their help introducing E-LAW to local community groups.

E-LAW Tech Team

Left to right: Miguel Peirano, Lottie Cunningham Wren, Meche Lu (E-LAW U.S. Science Circuit Rider), Steve Huter, Marcela Flores (Argentina)

Miguel Peirano, E-LAW U.S. Latin America Technology Circuit Rider, and Steve Huter, E-LAW U.S. Technical Advisory Board member, are helping to bring Internet access to environmental advocates such as Lottie Cunningham Wren on Nicaragua`s Atlantic coast. This work is supported by the New England Biolabs Foundation, with generous donations of equipment and expertise from the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) and the University of Oregon. The E-LAW U.S. Technical Advisory Board is comprised of computer and networking experts from the nonprofit, educational and private sectors. The Board is an invaluable source of support and advice for E-LAW U.S. as it advances the network`s use of technology to link advocates around the world.