Board of Directors
MEA's Board of Directors is responsible for setting the general direction of the organization.

Arlen Christenson, Emeritus Professor of Law and Environmental Studies - University of Wisconsin School of Law, Madison
Mr. Christenson served for almost twenty years as a member and chair of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee to Wisconsin’s Public Intervenor’s Office.

Jim Goodman, Northwood Farm, Wonewoc
Mr. Goodman received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science (Honors) from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and M.S. in Reproductive Physiology from South Dakota State University.  Mr. Goodman, along with his wife and brother, runs a 45-cow organic dairy and direct market beef farm in SW Wisconsin.  He frequently speaks and presents workshops on organic farming, direct marketing, local food, international trade and social justice issues. Mr. Goodman is also a Food and Society Policy Fellow.

Daniel Idzikowski, Treasurer, Assistant Dean for Public Service - Marquette Law School , Milwaukee
Mr. Idzikowski currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Public Service at Marquette Law School , where he coordinates the School’s public service mission, outreach, service and education efforts. Formerly the Executive Director of a Catholic Charities agency in Wisconsin , he also practiced law on behalf of disadvantaged communities with both Legal Services and the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, co-counseling numerous consumer class-actions. As a Jesuit Volunteer in Appalachia , he experienced first hand the effects of environmental degradation on all aspects of a community and looks forward to helping empower local communities to protect and enhance their natural environment.

Tim Jacobson, Executive Director - Mississippi Valley Conservancy, La Crosse
Mr. Jacobson is the Executive Director of Mississippi Valley Conservancy, a land trust headquartered in La Crosse, where he has served for five years.   Also, he is a member of the board of directors of Gathering Waters Conservancy in Madison, as well as serving on the Wisconsin DNR’s Stewardship Advisory Council.   Previously, Mr. Jacobson was president of the law firm O’Flaherty Heim Egan, Ltd. in La Crosse, and he was a co-founder of O'Keefe Jacobson Trial Lawyers and prairielaw.com.   During his legal career, Tim's practice included environmental law and complex farm litigation.   In addition, Mr. Jacobson is a Mission Pilot and Legal Officer and holds the rank of Major in the Civil Air Patrol, the official auxilliary of the U.S. Air Force.

William Lynch, President, Private Practice Attorney, Milwaukee

Kelly Parks Snider, Founder - Project Girl, Madison

Helen Sarakinos, Secretary, River Restoration Program Director, River Alliance of Wisconsin, Madison
Ms. Sarakinos joined the staff of the River Alliance of Wisconsin in July 2001 and directs the organization’s river restoration programs, including the Urban Rivers and Dams campaigns. She has worked on numerous river-related issues including the effects of point-source discharges on river ecosystems, impacts of sediment on spawning habitat of endangered Coho salmon and steelhead trout and she completed a scientific assessment of the state of water quality and aquatic ecosystems in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Ms. Sarakinos's expertise with dams in the state of Wisconsin has taken her around the country and internationally to Canada, Japan and Iceland to share her experience with issues to consider in dam removal. Ms. Sarakinos is also an Environmental Leadership Program National Fellow.

Melissa Scanlan, Lawyer and Environmental Advocate, Milwaukee
Ms. Scanlan served as the Executive Director of Midwest Environmental Advocates from 1999 – 2007, when she moved to Milwaukee to open Midwest Environmental Advocates’ Milwaukee Office and serve as the organization’s Senior Counsel from 2007-2010.  Ms. Scanlan is the author of law review articles ranging from poverty to the public trust, and is often a public speaker and teacher on environmental justice issues, water rights, and more.  She is an environmental consultant in Milwaukee.   

Stephanie Tai, Vice President, Assistant Professor of Law, University of Wisconsin, School of Law, Madison
Ms. Tai has a Bachelor of Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Ph.D. in chemistry from Tufts University, and a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center.  She teaches in the areas of natural resources law and administrative law, and focuses her scholarly research on the interactions between environmental and health sciences and administrative law.  Prof. Tai has written on the consideration of scientific studies and environmental justice concerns by administrative agencies, and is currently studying the role of scientific dialogues before the judicial system.  Prior to entering teaching, Prof. Tai was an appellate attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Larry Wawronowicz, Deputy Administrator of Natural Resources, Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
Mr. Wawronowicz has a Bachelor of Science from Western Illinois University and a Masters in Biological Science from Southern Illinois University. With a background in fisheries and environmental science, Mr. Wawronowicz has been working in the Natural Resource field for over 25 years. He has been employed by the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians since 1984 and is currently the Deputy Administrator of Natural Resources.

Guy Wolf, Native American Advisor - University of Wisconsin Lacrosse, Stoddard

* Organizations listed for identification purposes only.