Meet the Team

Prior to joining CLA and his tenure with the Environmental Action Center, Dave worked in private practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including environmental consulting within the Bay region. His environmental science research spanned freshwater wetlands, and coastal wetland and estuarine environments. He also brings experience with a variety of environmental law matters, including state and federal water and air pollution control laws. Dave’s experience informs our CWA permitting and industrial agriculture enforcement work, as well as our energy and gas work.

Dave holds a J.D. from Rutgers School of Law, an M.S. from Florida International University, and a B.A. in Environmental Science from Gettysburg College. He is currently a member of the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia Bars.

Dave lives in Olney, Maryland with his two boys, exploring local hiking and climbing areas in and around Maryland.

Prior to her position at CLA, she served as the Director of Campaigns & Communications at the John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute, where she was a direct liaison to Congressional offices and nonprofit networks, while creating and lobbying for direct policy action.

Her educational background is in both Communications & Marketing, and Ocean Sciences & Coastal Studies, earning two Bachelor’s of Science from Millersville University. She completed her undergraduate research projects while studying the effects of pollution on the Chesapeake and Chincoteague Bays and has a scientific awareness of freshwater & coastal wetlands, and estuarine environments. She also brings an understanding of the practical implications of federal and state environmental laws.

MarieClaire currently lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with her husband, and enjoys hiking, kayaking, and enjoying nature.

Before joining CLA, Haley was a Marine Habitat Resource Specialist and Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) with NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation. There, she provided technical and policy expertise to support large-scale, community-based restoration programs in the Gulf, advancing sustainable marine resource
management.

Haley earned her B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and an M.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where her research examined climate change impacts on marine habitats in the Galápagos Islands.

Driven by a passion for science- and community-centered work, Haley is dedicated to advancing ecological resilience, fostering knowledge-sharing and capacity building, and helping CLA achieve its mission to protect the Chesapeake Bay and promote environmental justice across the region.

When she’s not exploring her local D.C. neighborhood, Haley enjoys hiking, trivia nights, and nature photography.

Prior to joining CLA, Evan was the Chesapeake Bay Policy Analyst at the Center for Progressive Reform where he advocated for rigorous implementation of the Chesapeake Bay cleanup plans and effective enforcement of the Clean Water Act. Before that Evan served as a senior analyst for the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, where he provided nonpartisan advice and support on environmental law and policy issues, including bill drafting, fiscal analysis, and regulatory oversight. He brings a dozen years of Chesapeake Bay law and policy experience to CLA.

Evan holds a J.D. from the University of Maryland, with a specialization in Environmental Law, and a B.A. from Syracuse University. He is currently a member of the Maryland Bar.

Prior to joining CLA, Patrick served for three years as an attorney with the Environmental Action Center, a nonprofit organization that merged with CLA in 2020. In law school, Patrick interned at the EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics and was a student attorney in the Delaware Law School’s Environmental Law Clinic.

Patrick holds a LL.M in Environmental Law from Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, a J.D. from Widener University Delaware Law School, and a B.A. from Towson University. He is admitted to practice law in Maryland.

Patrick is a member of the Delaware Valley Environmental Inn of Court.

Prior to joining CLA, he litigated complex appellate and trial court matters for 16 years as a Senior Trial Attorney and Trial Attorney at the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, was an Attorney-Advisor in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of General Counsel, and practiced at a private firm. Brett has also had the opportunity to serve as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law and George Washington University Law School. He graduated from Georgetown University, the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and the George Washington University Law School, clerked at the U.S. Court of International Trade, and is a member of the Maryland bar.

A Maryland resident for over 20 years, Brett enjoys spending time outdoors with his family hiking, biking, kayaking, and exploring the natural beauty of the region.

Prior to joining CLA, Morgana was a law clerk at Smouse & Mason, LLC, in Annapolis. As a law clerk, she worked extensively in plaintiff-side environmental civil litigation. She has also interned at the Niskanen Center and EarthRights International, both in Washington, D.C. In each of these roles, she worked on a variety of environmental issues, including climate change, corporate accountability, pollution, environmental justice, and more. Lastly, Morgana worked as a Student Attorney in the University of Maryland’s Mediation Clinic, mediating real legal disputes in the Baltimore City community and court system.

In her spare time, Morgana enjoys playing team sports, hiking, playing video games, and cooking.

Cameron has gained public service experience through internships with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, NASA Office of the Inspector General, and, during law school, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He is also an Associate Editor for the University of Baltimore Law Forum, a journal focused on Maryland law, and plans to pursue a career in environmental law after graduation.

She is currently a 2L at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. At CUA Law, Maya is involved with the Journal of Law and Technology as an Associate Editor to, she is the Treasurer for the Environmental Law Society, and a Negotiator for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team. She also is a Teaching Assistant for the 1L Legal Writing course.

Maya was born and raised in Maryland, close to the Chesapeake Bay area. Maya is excited to use her passion for environmental advocacy and further develop her legal skills by working to solve issues affecting an area that is so meaningful to her with the Chesapeake Legal Alliance.

In her free time, Maya enjoys playing board games, baking, and spending time with her friends, family, and dog, Ziggy.

Charlie is a 6-year-old tabby cat who lives in Lancaster, PA with CLA’s Executive Assistant & Operations Manager, MarieClaire Egbert, and works as MC’s Compliance Specialist.

As the Compliance Specialist, his daily schedule is jam-packed. Throughout the day, he’s on high alert, making sure everything is in its proper place. He’s mastered the art of “Quality Control Napping,” where he sleeps in various spots to ensure they are up to par. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.

In his free time, Charlie enjoys playing fetch, bug hunting, annoying his older brother Melvin, and engaging in philosophical discussions about the existence of the elusive red dot.

Melvin is a 7-year-old Mainecoon cat who lives in Lancaster, PA with CLA’s Executive Assistant & Operations Manager, MarieClaire Egbert, and works as MC’s  Human Relations Expert.

As the Human Relations Expert, he patrols the halls ensuring that everyone is starting their day with a smile. He’s known for his loud purr to ease tense situations – it’s the ultimate secret weapon! He ensures that Zoom calls run smoothly, which often means making surprise appearances on screen.

In his downtime, he enjoys practicing his operatic meows and wails, watching the birds, sunbathing by the window, cuddling with his younger brother Charlie, and daydreaming about world domination (kidding!). He’s also a connoisseur of fine dining – tuna and chicken are his favorite dishes, and he’s always willing to share a nibble or two with his human colleagues.

Merle and Indy are best friends and do everything together, so accordingly, they insisted on sharing a Staff Pet profile. These pups share a love of all things fetching-related and stay active herding humans around Staff Attorney, Patrick DeArmey‘s house.

As a professional environmental journalist tag team, they are also quick to sniff out and chase down the next great story in order to keep the public in the know and hold polluters accountable. These two are adept at swimming and diving for sticks, so don’t go thinking you can hide anything from them.

While small in stature, Wren struck fear in the hearts of attorneys who appeared before her in court with her no-nonsense attitude, and the confidence of a 100-pound Rottweiler. Although retired, Wren still enjoys barking orders at Staff Attorney Patrick DeArmey, but there are rumors that you can get a more favorable decision by giving her some cheese and a nice headrub.