Ariel (ah·ree·ELLE) is the Illinois Environmental Council’s State Government Affairs Director. She previously served as the Legal and Governmental Affairs Manager and the Legal and Policy Researcher. In this position, she oversees policy development and IEC’s lobbying efforts on the state level. She believes in bridging the gaps between the science community and policymakers and offering practical solutions that protect the public.
Before joining IEC, Ariel worked as Assistant Legal Counsel for the Illinois State Senate in the Office of the Senate President.
Ariel holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Maine School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geology from Colgate University, as well as being a licensed attorney in Illinois. Outside of policy and research, you can find Ariel reading paranormal novels in between mugs of tea and cooking southern-style dishes.