FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: ECOS Executive Director Ben Grumbles, (202) 266-4929 or bgrumbles@ecos.org or
Lia Parisien, (202) 266-4931 or lparisien@ecos.org
Environmental Council of the States (ECOS)
ECOS Announces New Officers & President’s Priorities for the Year Ahead
Washington, DC — ECOS Executive Director Ben Grumbles announced last week at the ECOS Fall Meeting in Boulder, Colorado the election of Elizabeth Biser of North Carolina as 2023-24 ECOS President, Jon Niermann of Texas as Vice President, and Jim Kenney of New Mexico as Secretary-Treasurer. Former President Myra Reece of South Carolina rounds out the officer roster as Past President.
Biser, the first woman confirmed as Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, has led that agency since 2021. She previously held the position of Director of Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs when the agency was known as the North Carolina Department of Environment & Natural Resources. Her experience outside of state government includes leadership positions with Recycling Partnership and Government Relations & Policy Advisor of Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey, & Leonard, LLP. She currently also serves as State Co-Chair of the E-Enterprise for the Environment Leadership Council and Vice Chair of the ECOS Land & Materials Committee.
“I am honored to continue working with my state and federal colleagues in this capacity,” Secretary Biser said. “So many of the environmental issues we face today are bigger than one state, territory, or region, and the partnerships fostered through ECOS are key to addressing these challenges to protect communities across the country.”
“ECOS is delighted to welcome Secretary Biser to the helm of the association. She is a true leader in bipartisan collaboration and has the vision and energy, with her excellent team of new officers, to help ECOS achieve of our important priorities in the coming year,” said Executive Director Grumbles.
Biser outlined priorities for her tenure in a September 8 letter to members. These include: building state capacity; funding and managing PFAS responsibilities; accelerating the circular economy; and advancing workforce innovation and productivity.
ECOS is the national nonprofit, nonpartisan association of state environmental agency leaders. For more information, visit www.ecos.org.
