Conservation Trust Project

Drew grew up in Minnesota, where he fell in love with the outdoors in the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes.' Before beginning college, Drew backpacked, climbed, and backcountry skied across Wyoming and Utah for three months at the National Outdoor Leadership School. He later led wilderness canoe trips in the Adirondack Mountains while enrolled at Hamilton College, where he graduated with a B.A. in Government. 

Drew previously worked as a Legal Assistant at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, supporting a team of lawyers using law and science to protect Minnesota's environment. Following his 1L year, Drew clerked with the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, working on federal forest management issues to protect the incredible biodiversity of the Klamath-Siskiyou region. 

Whether on a bike, a hike, or a run, Drew loves being outdoors and is committed to protecting Oregon's over 34 million acres of public lands.

Surya is an attorney, educator, nonprofit leader, and small-business founder whose career has centered on public service and community building. After nearly a decade as a federal trial attorney with the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Surya founded a yoga studio; led a nonprofit serving people living with serious mental illness; and established a solo practice representing children, parents, and other people navigating child welfare and mental-health proceedings. 

Inspired by a lifelong connection to the ocean and time spent along the Oregon coast, Surya plans to develop new tools for environmental advocacy and law practice during her LLM study. 

Gretchen grew up in Michigan along the Great Lakes, where she developed a lasting connection to the outdoors and an interest in protecting the natural resources around her. She earned a B.S. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Michigan State University and interned with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Division—where she worked on conservation orders, land transactions, and conservation easements—before law school. That experience showed her the importance of law and policy as tools for protecting wildlife, habitats, and the communities that depend on them. 

At Oregon Law, Gretchen has continued to explore the intersection of law, land use, and natural resource conservation. She worked as a law clerk at Beery, Elsner & Hammond LLP, where she researched land use and municipal law issues for local governments across Oregon, and externed with Magistrate Judge Russo of the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Gretchen participated in the 2026 Oxford Consortium for Human Rights. She serves as an Articles Editor for the Oregon Law Review. 

Following her 2L year, Gretchen was a summer associate at Cable Huston LLP, where she worked with the firm's Municipal, Energy & Utility, and Environmental & Natural Resources practices. Now a 3L, she is particularly interested in conservation, land use, and water resources, and hopes to use her legal career to help protect the places and natural resources that first inspired her to pursue this work. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, outdoor recreation, and crafting. 

Caitlin is from Portland, Oregon. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest fostered her deep love for the outdoors and appreciation for Oregon's biodiverse ecosystems. She attended the University of Oregon and received a B.A. in environmental studies. During her undergraduate education, Caitlin interned with Altruist Relief Kitchen, a non-profit humanitarian aid organization that provides resources to people in conflict zones through building and using sustainably resourced kitchens. 

Inspired by the strong presence of environmental law in Oregon, Caitlin returned to Oregon Law to pursue an education and future career in environmental law and policy. During her 1L summer, she clerked at Gardner Beckley Meadows. In her free time, Caitlin loves to hike, play volleyball, and spend time outdoors (especially by water). 

Maya is from Madison, Wisconsin, and moved out west to complete her undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Oregon. She earned a bachelor's degree in both environmental studies and political science as part of UO's 3+3 program, which allowed her to accelerate her admission to Oregon Law. Through this path, she aims to quickly pursue a career in environmental law and harness her lifelong passion for protecting the Earth. 

In her first year at Oregon Law, Maya became a 1L representative for Land Air Water. She now serves as Conference Co-Director for the 2027 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC). During her 1L summer, she worked in her home state as a legal intern for the environmental nonprofit Clean Wisconsin. 

As a busy 2L, Maya will extern for U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter at the U.S. District Court of Oregon, plan PIELC, and continue to deepen her connections in Eugene. In her valued free time, she enjoys outdoor recreation of all types, cooking, and reading. 

After a year of living in Eugene and pursuing his JD at Oregon Law, Jordan feels entirely at home in the mossy forests of the Cascadia bioregion. Having studied forest conservation at the University of Florida as an undergraduate, he aims to bring his background in forest management to bear on the Conservation Trust Project's research and outreach efforts. 

Jordan plans to pursue a career in environmental and land use law. In his (very) limited free time, he loves exploring public lands and adventuring with friends. He particularly enjoys watching the Vaux's swifts when they are in town for the season.