Environmental Law Institute Welcomes Five New Board Members

July 2017

(Washington, DC): The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) is delighted to announce the appointment of   five new members to its Board of Directors:  Renee Cipriano; E. Lynn Grayson; Michael G. Mahoney; Kevin Poloncarz; and Chris P. Reynolds. ELI’s Board of 35 includes environmental leaders from all sectors, including private law practice, corporate management, state government, non-governmental organizations, and academia.

“Consensus-building is an important part of ELI’s mission, and these distinguished individuals will bring a wealth of experience, energy, and new perspectives to the ELI Board of Directors,” said ELI President Scott Fulton. “I look forward to working with our new members, as we continue ELI’s long-standing tradition of not only enhancing the environmental bar but also our environment and the role of law in managing it,” added ELI Board Chair Benjamin F. Wilson.

  • Renee Cipriano is a Partner at Schiff Hardin in Chicago. Her past experience as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and as the Governor of Illinois’ Senior Advisor on Environment and Natural Resources provide her with a valuable perspective into the complexity of government policy.
  • E. Lynn Grayson is a Partner and Chair of the Environmental and Workplace Health & Safety Law Practice at Jenner & Block, also in Chicago. She serves as lead environmental counsel in US and international transactions and counsels corporate leadership on the management of material environmental risks and liabilities. 
  • Michael G. Mahoney is Chief Environmental Compliance Counsel for Pfizer, based in New York. Michael is a member of Pfizer’s Environmental Sustainability Steering Council and, in that role, provides strategic advice on the program’s direction and objectives. He was responsible for launching Pfizer’s Energy and Climate Change Program in 2000 and has continued to be involved in its development.
  • Kevin Poloncarz is a Partner at Paul Hastings in San Francisco. Kevin has been deeply involved in the development of regulations to control greenhouse gas emissions, including the California Air Resources Board’s Cap-and-Trade Program and U.S EPA's Clean Power Plan. 
  • Christopher P. Reynolds is Executive Vice President, Corporate Resources for Toyota Motor North America, headquartered in Plano, Texas. Among his various duties, Mr. Reynolds is responsible for Toyota’s legal, social innovation, environmental sustainability and compliance functions.

For more information about these and other members of ELI’s Board of Directors, visit https://www.eli.org/board-of-directors.