our staff
Jonas Monast
Executive Director
Prior to joining the Center for Applied Environmental Law and Policy, Jonas focused on climate and energy policy as an associate professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law and as director of the Climate and Energy Program at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute. Jonas also worked as an attorney with Foley Hoag, as legislative counsel for the Center for Responsible Lending, and as a congressional fellow for Senator Paul Wellstone.
Kristin Brainerd
Senior Counsel
Kristin previously managed environmental conservation programs for Resources Legacy Fund and the Water Foundation. Prior to that, she handled energy and natural resource matters for a member of Congress and worked with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where she focused on federal environmental litigation and regulatory compliance. Kristin earned a J.D. from Columbia Law School and an M.S. from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley.
Jay Duffy
Senior Attorney
Jay Duffy is an environmental advocate with significant appellate Clean Air Act and administrative law experience, especially with respect to federal regulation of climate pollution. He most recently served as Litigation Director for Clean Air Task Force for 10 years, and previously worked with Clean Air Council. He earned a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and externed and clerked at the Environmental Protection Agency.
Peter Heisler
Senior Attorney
Peter previously worked on conservation and climate issues as an associate attorney with Earthjustice’s Anchorage, Alaska office. Prior to joining that organization, he clerked for the Honorable Monica M. Márquez of the Colorado Supreme Court and served as a legal fellow with Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate & Air Program in Washington, D.C. Peter earned a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Patrick Jacobi
Senior Attorney
Patrick practiced environmental litigation for 17 years, most recently with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Environmental Defense Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division and, prior to that, with Beveridge & Diamond, P.C. He earned a J.D. from Vermont Law School and externed for the Honorable Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He teaches Environmental Law at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
Daniel Alvarez
Attorney
Daniel’s past work has focused on federal environmental policy and regulation in the power sector. He also has extensive experience with state-level air regulation authority and program design across numerous states. He previously worked for O’Melveny & Myers LLP and earned a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Grace Van Horn
Director of Policy Analysis
Grace previously worked as an environmental and energy policy consultant for ERM and M.J. Bradley & Associates. She earned an M.S. in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in Environmental Policy from Pomona College.
Megan Fischer
Director of Operations
Megan has worked with numerous nonprofit organizations, most recently overseeing operations for the Physicians Association for Nutrition USA and directing the Roger Williams Park Conservancy. She earned an M.A. in Public Humanities from Brown University and a B.A. from the University of Georgia.