January 03, 2012

CPR Announces New Executive Director: Jake Caldwell

by Rena Steinzor

It’s my great pleasure to announce that the Board of Directors of CPR has selected Jake Caldwell to serve as our new executive director. He succeeds Shana Jones, who earlier this year announced she would be leaving CPR to teach environmental policy at Old Dominion University. 

Jake comes to CPR after six years at the Center for American Progress, where he was the Director of Policy for Agriculture, Trade and Energy. His research and writing in that capacity frequently focused on environmental issues, including climate change regulation, renewable energy financing, clean energy and conservation, biofuel production and more. From November 2008 to January 2009, Jake served as a member of President Obama’s Transition Team, in the Energy and Natural Resources Section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agency Review. He has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, teaching a course on International Environmental Law and Trade. Jake has also worked with the Clinton Global Initiative’s Global Poverty Working Group and the National Wildlife Federation, among others.

Jake brings a wealth of experience to CPR with the environmental and regulatory issues that are the core of our work, and knows how to make scholarship influential in the political and policymaking process. I know CPR will grow and flourish with his leadership. He will assume his new position next week.

I’ll end with the warmest farewell to Shana Jones. Shana presided over a period of significant growth for the organization, in its resources, its base of Member Scholars, and its staffing. Significantly, that growth came at a time when many nonprofits were forced by the recession to make cutbacks. She’s done wonderful work for the organization, and we’re stronger, smarter and faster for her leadership. We all appreciate her hard work and know she will excel in the work that awaits her.


Rena Steinzor, CPR President; Professor of Law, University of Maryland Carey School of Law. Bio.

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