About

Purcie Bennett-Nickerson - Founder and Executive Director

Purcie Bennett-Nickerson is an environmental lawyer with additional expertise in environmental policy and ecology. She has worked in environmental conservation and science for seventeen years and for the past nine years she has focused on sustainable fisheries and protections for oceans ecosystems, marine species, and endangered and threatened ocean species. Prior to establishing Bennett Nickerson Environmental Consulting, she was an environmental policy and science expert working to conserve Atlantic marine life and habitat at The Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, DC. At Pew she focused on ecosystem-based fisheries management, protection of forage species, coastal habitat protection, and limiting bycatch of the endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.  Prior to Pew, Purcie co-founded Cottonwood Environmental Law Center (CELC) in Bozeman, Montana.  At CELC, she was executive director and staff attorney and worked to protect the wildlife and ecosystems of the forests and rivers of Montana, Idaho, and South Dakota.  She holds a bachelor’s degree from Goucher College, a law degree from Washington and Lee University, and a master’s degree in Environmental and Resource Policy from The George Washington University. In her spare time Purcie spends as much time outdoors as possible - she hikes, skis, kayaks, climbs, SUPs, bikes, and surfs. She lives in Glen Echo, Maryland with her husband Patrick, two wild young boys Van (11) and Ben (9), and her dog Timber.