New
Mexico Environmental Law Center is a non profit, public interest law firm that provides free and low-cost legal services on environmental matters throughout New Mexico. Founded in 1987, the Law Center works with clients – often individuals, neighborhood associations, environmental organizations, Tribes and Pueblos – seeking to protect the environment.
The Mission of the New Mexico Environmental Law Center is to protect New Mexico’s natural environment and communities through legal and policy advocacy and public education.
The work of the Law Center is made possible by tax-deductible contributions from individuals, business, foundations and limited earned income.
New Mexico Environmental Law Center
Staff
Attorneys
Douglas
Meiklejohn, Executive Director, dmeiklejohn@nmelc.org
Jonathan Block, Staff Attorney, jblock@nmelc.org
Bruce Frederick, Staff Attorney, bfrederick@nmelc.org
Eric Jantz, Staff Attorney, ejantz@nmelc.org
Development
Sebia Hawkins, Director of Development, shawkins@nmelc.org
Shelbie Knox, Development Officer, shelbie@nmelc.org
Administration
Yana
Merrill, Director of Administration & Finance, ymerrill@nmelc.org
Juana Colón, Communications & Public Education,
jcolon@nmelc.org
New
Mexico Environmental Law Center
Board
of Directors
The
Board of Directors governs the Law Center, establishes policy,
hires the Executive Director, and determines which cases the
Law Center will handle. The members of the Board, their date
of association, their occupations, and affiliations are:
Dale Pontius, President, 2004, Santa Fe
Mr. Pontius is a retired attorney with thirty years of experience in natural resources law and policy in the private, public and non-profit sectors. He brings to the board this experience, as well as fundraising experience.
Susanne Hoffman-Dooley, Vice-President, 2004, Santa Fe
Ms. Hoffman-Dooley works for the Office of the State Engineer, and now heads the Active Water Resource Management regulations project for that office. She brings with her expertise in water law and water issues.
Robby Rodriguez, Treasurer, 2004, Albuquerque
Mr. Rodriguez is the co-director of the SouthWest Organizing Project, and brings to the board over a decade of activism for social and environmental justice.
David Henderson, Secretary, 1990, Santa Fe
Mr. Henderson is the former Director of the Randall Davey Audubon Center and served as the National Audubon Society's State Representative for New Mexico. He is an active advocate on public lands issues.
Myron Armijo, 2007, Santa Ana Pueblo
Mr. Amijo is the former Governor of Santa Ana Pueblo. He currently works for the State Engineer's office of New Mexico.
Stuart Bluestone, 2007, Santa Fe
Mr. Bluestone has held senior positions in New Mexico State Government for over 20 years, including being the Chief Deputy Attorney General for over eight years. Mr. Bluestone is currently semi-retired and serves part-time as the Attorney General’s Senior Counsel..
Diana Bustamante, Ph.D., 2005, La Mesa
Ms. Bustamante is Director of the Doña Anna County Colonias Development Council. She brings to the board expertise in Chicano history and culture, race and ethnic relations, community organizing and experience in non-profit management.
Donna House, 2005, Alcalde
Ms. House is a Botanist/Ethnobotanist consultant to Indigenous organizations and communities. She was a key designer of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, has consulted many of the top 10 green NGOs and Native Nations. She is an active advocate on Native American and environmental justice issues.
Renee
Ingold, 2001, Cerrillos
Ms.
Ingold met the Law Center when she became involved in the citizen
movement to demand clean-up of the LAC Gold Mine in the Ortiz
Mountains. She is a charter member of Rachel's Network, a national women's
environmental organization.
Pablo Padilla, Jr., 2004, Zuni Pueblo
Mr. Padilla is an attorney with the Nordhaus Law Firm, and is a former Environmental Protection Program Director at Zuni Pueblo. He brings to the board his experience as a leader of the successful effort to stop the Fence Lake Mine, which would have impacted the Zuni Salt Lake.
Frank Sanchez, 1994, Roswell
Mr. Sanchez is a Program Officer for the Needmor Fund. He is a nationally recognized community organizer on civil rights and environmental issues in New Mexico.
