Ann Pesiri Swanson

“Over the past several years, the Chesapeake Bay Commission has worked closely with CLA on several projects. Each project’s success is directly attributable to [its Community Legal Education] Center’s work. As an example, in 2019 the Community Legal Education Center analyzed the structures of government decision-making among our three member states. The hypothesis was that understanding the unique governmental structure and processes in each state would translate into compassion and improved collaborative problem-solving. The result exceeded our expectations. Presented by Molly Brown, the analysis clearly illustrated that the path to successful policymaking must be different in each state, allowing the issues to emerge at different paces, scales, and levels of political structure and complexity. The influence of the CLA’s work was so strong that the CBC asked the Education Center to provide the same presentation again in 2021 to its new members. CBC also worked with the Center to offer the presentation to the public. Three of the Commission’s legislative leaders joined the CLA to co-host a virtual panel discussion entitled ‘Embracing our Differences: How the Structures of our State Governments Influence Policy Making…’ This presentation is now recommended viewing for all new CBC members and is posted on the Commission’s website. This was the presentation that members shared with the new Bay Program Director and Region III Administrator, proclaiming it “necessary viewing.” In forty years, it was among the most impactful presentations ever presented. Our work with CLA has ranged from public meeting protocols to climate resiliency, from strategic procurement and extended producer responsibility, and more. CLA’s information is reliable, timely, accurate, and objective. We continue to explore work together as it makes both of our organizations stronger and the Chesapeake Bay and its communities better.”