Jen Walling has served as the Executive Director for the Illinois Environmental Council since January 2011, where she oversees the strategic direction and management of the organization and lobbies decision-makers on environmental issues. Jen is dedicated to building the power of Illinois’ environmental community to secure policy outcomes that protect the environment.
Over the last decade, Jen has worked to grow IEC staffing fivefold and increase the budget and number of member affiliates, all with a focus on serving and representing IEC’s affiliated organizations. With the board of directors, Jen worked to secure IEC’s partnership with the League of Conservation Voters in 2018, a national organization that has helped IEC network and build on a national level.
Jen has drafted, negotiated, lobbied, and passed hundreds of bills in Springfield while working to build the power, expertise, and relationships of the entire environmental community.
As a leader in climate policy, Jen has been at the frontline of lobbying and passing bills that will advance renewable energy and carbon emissions reduction, including the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2016, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021, and laws to simplify local siting of utility solar and wind projects in 2023.
Jen has been a statewide leader in composting policy since 2009 when she worked to pass the first commercial composting law in Illinois. She has fought to protect state parks and natural areas by increasing funding to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, increasing recreation liability protections, and funding stewardship through the Natural Areas Stewardship Act.
In 2022, Jen was recognized by Crain’s Chicago 40 under 40. She is also a two-time winner of the Capitol Fax Golden Horseshoe, once in 2023 for best in-house lobbyist and again in 2014 for best do-gooder lobbyist. She is also an Edgar Fellow (2018), New Leaders’ Council Fellow (2011), and Truman National Security Project (2012).
Jen holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also received a juris doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law and is an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois.
Jen loves to spend her free time with her rescued standard poodle, Sally. She enjoys baking, and in 2015, she and Rep. Kelly Cassidy baked fifty different blondie recipes during the May legislative session. She is a compost enthusiast and loves running, yoga, photography, and sewing.