CELP Staff
Center for
Environmental Law & Policy
Suzanne Skinner has been an attorney and environmental activist for over 20 years. Before joining CELP, she served as the Director of the Civil Division of the Seattle City Attorney's Office from 2001 to 2010, and represented in the City and elected officials in a broad spectrum of political and legal issues. From 1999-2001, Suzanne lived in Hong Kong where she was a founder of Civic Exchange, a public policy think tank focused on improving the quality of democratic dialog, and environmental and public policy in Hong Kong.
Suzanne also served as an Administrative Appeals Judge for the Washington State Environmental Hearings Office from 1995-1999, and was involved in major decisions regarding hydraulic continuity and permitting for Atlantic salmon net pens. She also litigated hydro power and salmon issues for American Rivers out of its Seattle office from 1993-1995.
Prior to moving to the Northwest, Suzanne was an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of New York for five years where she specialized in environmental cases, including a major Clean Air Act case for asbestos contamination against Con Edison, and Civil RICO cases against organized crime families. She clerked for the Hon. Malcolm Muir, United States District Judge, Pennsylvania. She has most recently been working as assistant general counsel for Summit Power, an alternative energy developer.
She currently serves on board of the Seattle Shakespeare Company, and has served on the boards of the Trust for Public Lands Open Space Committee, Washington Appleseed, Youth Theater Northwest and the Children's Campaign Fund, in addition to other community service.
Suzanne can be contacted at sskinner@celp.org
Rachael Paschal Osborn is a public interest water lawyer and has provided representation to Indian tribes, environmental organizations, labor unions, and small communities since 1992.
Rachael served as co-founder and executive director of the Center for Environmental Law & Policy (1993-1999), and co-founder and board member of Washington Water Trust (1997-2001), two organizations dedicated to the protection and restoration of free-flowing waters in Washington state.
Rachael is a dedicated educator and has taught scores of water law and policy courses over the years -- in law schools, conferences, seminars, workshops and classrooms -- and has written extensively on water resources and environmental issues. Sheteaches courses in environmental law and water law at Gonzaga Law School in Spokane.
Rachael can be contacted at rosborn@celp.org or 509.209-2899
Bruce Wishart has served as a lobbyist for environmental groups in Olympia for the past 25 years. He currently operates a lobbying firm in Olympia, specializing in natural resource and environmental work. Prior to that he worked as Policy Director for People for Puget Sound. Bruce also served as a Staff Lobbyist for the Sierra Club from 1987 to 1999.
Bruce is a graduate of University of Oregon School of Law (J.D. 1985) Bruce is an avid cyclist, putting thousands of miles on his bike during the dry portions of the year. He enjoys skiing in the winter months and spends time during the summer and fall surfing on the coast, fly fishing, and sea-kayaking in the Salish Sea.
Bruce can be contacted at wishart.bruce@gmail.com
Suzanne Skinner
Executive Director
Rachael Paschal Osborn
Staff Attorney
Bruce Wishart
Legislative Affairs
