Alexandra Dapolito Dunn

Phone: 202-266-4929 | Email: adunn@ecos.org

Alexandra Dapolito Dunn is the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS), the national non-profit, non-partisan association of U.S. state and territorial environmental commissioners. Dunn has two decades of experience in environmental law and policy, and presently works on legislation, policy, and regulatory matters affecting all media – including air, waste, water, and toxics. She has particularly rich expertise in water quality, environmental justice and urban sustainability, and implementation of the Clean Water Act. She is a published author, and speaks regularly, on diverse environmental topics, from cooperative federalism to green cities. Dunn is a member of the bar in DC, MD, and NY, the U.S. Supreme Court, and federal courts. She has represented parties, intervenors, or amicus curiae in over 25 environmental cases. She is a Lecturer in Law at the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America (CUA) (DC) (Advanced Topics in Environmental Law), an Adjunct Associate Professor of Law at the American University’s Washington College of Law (Environmental Justice), and faculty advisor to CUA’s Environmental Law Society.

In 2015, she was made a Fellow of the American College of Environmental Lawyers.  Dunn serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Environmental Law Institute, is a member of the Circle of Champions of the non-profit U.S. Water Alliance, and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. A past Chair of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, she currently chairs its World Justice Task Force. Dunn served on the ABA Presidential Force on Sustainable Development during its 2011-2014 chartered duration.  She is active in Girl Scouts USA and with the non-profit Ashburn Xtreme Ice Hockey Club.

In prior positions, Dunn served as Executive Director and General Counsel of the Association of Clean Water Administrators; Dean of Environmental Law Programs and Adjunct Professor of Law (Environmental Justice, Human Rights and the Environment) at Pace Law School; as General Counsel of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies; as counsel to the American Chemistry Council; and in private law practice.

She earned her J.D., magna cum laude, at the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America (DC), where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review. She earned her B.A., cum laude, in Political Science and French, James Madison University, VA.

Carolyn Hanson

Phone: 202-266-4924 | Email: chanson@ecos.org

Carolyn Hanson is the Deputy Director at ECOS. She also supports the Cross Media Committee, Federal Facilities Forum, and ERIS. Before holding this position, she was a Senior Project Manager at ECOS working with the Waste Committee, the ECOS-DOD Sustainability Work Group, the Federal Facilities Forum, the Quicksilver Caucus, and the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC). She joined ECOS in September 2002 after working with the National Science Resources Center at the Smithsonian Institution to help develop an inquiry-based science curriculum. Prior to that she was a high school chemistry teacher in Asheville, North Carolina and Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Carolyn holds a B.S. in chemistry from Davidson College and a M.P.A. with a concentration in nonprofit management from George Mason University. She is originally from Florida.

Sonia Altieri

Phone: 202-266-4921 | Email: saltieri@ecos.org

Sonia Altieri joins the ECOS staff for a year-long detail under the federal Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) program. Sonia has spent the last 18 years at U.S. EPA, where she has worked in a variety of programs and positions. Sonia currently works in the Office of Water, where she manages stakeholder relations for the Immediate Office. Prior to this role, Sonia managed the National Advisory Council for Environmental Policy and Technology (NACEPT), a federal advisory committee that advises the EPA Administrator on a range of environmental policy and technology issues.  She also participated in developmental assignments in the Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds, EPA Regions 3, 5, 9, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.  She holds a M.P.A. from the Monterey Institute of International Studies with emphasis in International Environmental Policy and a B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State University. While at ECOS, Sonia will be focusing on infrastructure, compliance, and measures, among other issues.

Hibist Assegu

Phone: 202-266-4927 | Email: hassegu@ecos.org

Hibist Assegu is the Accounting Assistant at ECOS. She has a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and worked for Goodwill of Greater Washington (GGW) as a staff accountant before coming to ECOS. Hibist is a native Ethiopian who went to college and began her professional career in the United Kingdom.

Aiyana Bodi

Phone: 202-849-4980 | Email: abodi@ecos.org

Aiyana Bodi is the ITRC Project Associate. Originally from Reston, Virginia, Aiyana graduated from the College of William & Mary with a degree in Ecology and Geology, after which she interned for Alaska Wilderness League, and then U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly of Virginia.

Judith Cummins

Phone: 202-266-4927 | Email: jcummins@ecos.org

Judith Cummins is the Manager of Finance at ECOS. Judy, a CPA, has 5 years of state environmental agency financial experience. Most recently, she served as Senior Financial Advisor to the State of Washington Department of Ecology with the fiscal group, where her duties included providing financial data to all environmental programs and overseeing all audits. She previously worked for The State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation handling the loan portfolio for the State Revolving Loan Funds and project audits. Judy has also served as the Co-Chair at the SRF EPA/State Work Group semi annual meetings and has represented both states there for the past 5 years.

Beth Graves

6Phone: 202-266-4923 | Email: bgraves@ecos.org

Beth Graves is a Senior Project Manager at ECOS, supporting the Planning Committee, E-Enterprise effort, and Partnership and Performance Workgroup (P&P). Beth joined ECOS after having worked with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources for 14 years. While at NC DENR, Beth was engaged with the Department’s performance-based leadership program – the Environmental Stewardship Initiative – and leading work with industry, local governments, and hog producers on environmental management systems (EMS) related projects. Beth also worked with local governments on organics diversion, source reduction, and recycling initiatives and policy as well as grant and reporting efforts with local governments. Before beginning work in state government, Beth worked for a non-profit on a mixed paper/biosolids composting project with the City of Durham, NC. Beth graduated from Duke University with a BA in Economics.

Sarah Grace Longsworth

Phone: 202-266-4926 | Email: slongsworth@ecos.org

Sarah Grace Longsworth is a Project Associate at ECOS. She previously interned at ECOS and joined the staff in May 2016 as the Administrative Assistant. Sarah Grace supports committees related to environmental science policy, chemicals management, sustainable materials management, and E-Enterprise. She also manages the website, newsletter, and registration for ECOS meetings. A native of Bethesda, Maryland, Sarah Grace graduated from Wake Forest University in 2016 with a B.S. in Biology and a minor in Environmental Science.

Connor MacCartney

Phone: 202-849-4981 | Email: cmaccartney@ecos.org

Connor MacCartney is a Project Associate at ECOS. He supports the Shale Gas Caucus, Compliance Committee, E-Enterprise, sustainable materials management, and ECOS’ Measures and Metrics project. Connor previously served as Special Assistant to the White House Liaison at U.S. EPA and as an intern at the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Center for Faith Based and Community Initiatives. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Connor earned his B.S. in International relations and Diplomacy from Seton Hall University.

Owen McAleer

Phone: 202-266-4922 | Email: omcaleer@ecos.org

Owen McAleer is a Project Associate at ECOS. He supports the Planning Committee as well as the Innovation & Productivity Committee’s E-Enterprise work. Owen is a native of Alexandria, Virginia, where he previously worked in project management for a small technology company. He received his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he pursued an environmental concentration.

Eddie Ortiz

Phone: 202-266-4935 | Email: eortiz@ecos.org

Eddie Ortiz is a Project Manager focusing on the Exchange Network and E-Enterprise for the Environment. Most recently, he served as Manager of State Regulatory Affairs at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), performing outreach to state and federal regulators and a variety of stakeholders on issues related to the electric utility industry. Prior to his regulatory role, Eddie served as EEI’s Manager of Member Relations, managing and supporting committees, awards programs, member services, database and reporting technologies, communications, events, and the association’s Board of Directors. Prior to entering the energy and environment arena, he gained corporate experience in the financial services, insurance and technical fields.

Lia Parisien

Phone: 202-266-4931 | Email: lparisien@ecos.org

Lia Parisien is Executive Project Manager for ECOS, overseeing policy matters, strategic communications, and conference planning. Lia staffs the ECOS Waste Committee and manages its projects, including the Shale Gas Caucus that she helped spearhead and past grants on land revitalization and the Toxics Release Inventory. In her communications role, she acts as ECOS’ media liaison, handles communications for the joint ECOS-U.S. EPA E-Enterprise initiative, and is Chief Editor of weekly newsletter ECOSWIRE and periodic online publication ECOS Green Report. In the area of conferences, she plans ECOS Spring and Fall Meetings around the country and has organized several special conferences and cooperative meetings with U.S. EPA in Washington, DC. She developed ECOS’ annual State Environmental Protection (STEP) series to spotlight key issues and partnerships. Prior to her current position, Lia served as Senior Project Manager and Project Manager. Before joining ECOS, Lia was Group Manager and Chief Editor of five environmental newsletters and newsmagazines within the Inside EPA group of publishers. She also worked as a Production Assistant at CBS News 60 Minutes.

Layne Piper

Phone: 202-266-4928 | Email: lpiper@ecos.org

Layne Piper is a Project Associate at ECOS. She previously interned at ECOS and joined the staff in 2013. Layne supports the Water Committee, Data Management Workgroup, and Federal Facilities Forum. She also oversees the registration process for all ECOS meetings. A native Houstonian, Layne graduated from Davidson College in 2012 with a BA in History and a Concentration in Environmental Studies.

Kelly Poole

Phone: 202-266-4939 | Email: kpoole@ecos.org

Kelly Poole is a Project Manager at ECOS. She supports the Air Committee, assists with the Compliance Committee, and works on E-Enterprise work related to air issues.  Poole previously worked as the Policy and Legislative Affairs Coordinator for the Tennessee Environmental Council, where, in addition to her regular duties, she helped plant more than 47,000 native trees throughout Tennessee. She earned her Juris Doctor with a Certificate of Concentration in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Tennessee. She is admitted to practice in the state of Tennessee.

Patty Reyes

Phone: 202-266-4933 | Email: preyes@ecos.org

Patty Reyes is the Director of the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council. A recognized leader in healthcare, environment, and energy with experience at the federal, state, and congressional levels, Reyes most recently provided oversight and management advice on critical healthcare initiatives for a federal client. She has a long relationship with the ITRC dating back to its inception. Previously, Reyes served as Presidential appointee and senior advisor to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environmental Security, providing policy recommendations and strategic advice on Department of Defense (DOD) environment, safety, and occupational health communications with Congress, states, federal agencies, industry, nongovernmental organizations, and the public. In that role, she also oversaw DOD management of a cooperative agreement with the ITRC. Reyes’ robust federal experience is bolstered by her past work as an environmental analyst at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment and at the National Governors’ Association, during which she served a detail to U.S. EPA.

Carolyn Sistare

Phone: 202-266-4932 | Email: csistare@ecos.org

Carolyn Sistare is the ITRC Project Manager at ECOS, which she joined in March 1999. Carolyn is a native of Trinidad and Tobago and holds a Diploma in Spanish, English Literature and Economics from St. George’s College. She is responsible for administrative and logistics support for various ECOS projects, including ITRC. Some of the things Carolyn does for ECOS includes:

• Provides travel support and assists with meeting planning;
• Maintains and updates membership and contact databases for ITRC;
• Arrange and coordinates travel logistics for ITRC and other projects; and
• Works with ITRC on processing travel vouchers.

Megan Swanson

Phone: 202-266-4920 | Email: mswanson@ecos.org

Megan Swanson is the Administrative Assistant at ECOS. She assists with general office administration tasks as well as supports senior staff on projects.  After graduating from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Environmental Studies, she moved to Washington, DC for an internship at Ocean Conservancy.