Leadership and Staff

Dr. Ethan Orr, Interim Director, is the Associate Director for Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Economic Development for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. He is also a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Education, Technology & Innovation and for the School of Government and Public Policy. He currently oversees the $62 million Water Irrigation Efficiency Program. He is also active in programing which addresses forest health, watershed management, soil health, irrigated systems, business development for farms, and crop production

John Lacy, Esq., Co-Director, is the director of the Global Mining Law Center and longtime professor of practice at the University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law where he teaches a number of courses related to the international mining industry. Professor Lacy is shareholder in the firm of DeConcini, McDonald, Yetwin, & Lacy P.C., where his practice has focused on mining and natural resource law.

Anne Gondor, Research Specialist, supports the undergraduate course ACBS/LAW 411 with logistics, curriculum design and aids students with online course delivery of materials in D2L. Anne’s master’s degree in Natural Resources is from Oregon State University with an emphasis in Water Conflict Management and Transformation. Previously, Anne worked 18 years with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) as a Conservation Planner.

Sheila Merrigan, Communications Associate, assists with publishing the quarterly newsletter, maintaining the Center’s website, managing listservs and social media. Also, preparing progress reports, organizing Advisory Board activities, developing marketing materials and providing meeting reports.

Priya Sundareshan is the Director of the Natural Resource Use and Management Clinic. She is an alum of the James E. Rogers College of Law and the Massachusetts Institute for Technology. In addition to her law degree, Priya has a Masters in Agricultural & Resource Economics from the University of Arizona.  She worked in Washington, D.C. for private, non-profit, and governmental organizations on environmental, energy, and administrative law issues. Priya is a native Tucsonan.

Dr. Johnson is a member of the Hopi Tribe in northern Arizona whose research focuses on Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) and Land Use Management schemes related to food, energy, conservation, and water. Michael is also a traditional Hopi dryland farmer and has given extensive talks on the subject. His scholarly works are published in academic peer reviewed journals as well as featured articles. He currently is an Assistant Specialist of Indigenous Resiliency with the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cooperative Extension, and the Indigenous Resilience Center.

George Ruyle, Professor Emeritus worked as an Extension Specialist in the CALS School of Natural Resources and the Environment, served as co-director for NRULPC and continues to hold the Marley Endowed Chair for Sustainable Rangeland Stewardship. Professor Ruyle is an internationally renowned expert on appropriate and rational long-term natural resource use specializing in collaborative and adaptive rangeland livestock management. Stewardship of Public Lands Video: https://youtu.be/rJufvPRpduY