Stefanie Stockwell

Staff Attorney at Communities for a Healthy Bay

North Bend, Washington, United States

About

I’m an environmental attorney working at the intersection of law, science, and on-the-water advocacy to protect the South Puget Sound. Before law school, I spent time as a teacher in elementary and middle school classrooms; including two years in the Teach for America program. That experience shaped my commitment to serving underserved communities and ultimately led me to pursue environmental law with a focus on environmental justice. Today, I serve as a Staff Attorney and Clean Water Advocate at Communities for a Healthy Bay, where I focus on Clean Water Act enforcement, industrial stormwater compliance, and policy advocacy. My work also includes operating a Bay Patrol vessel, monitoring waterways firsthand to identify pollution and support legal strategies. I’m driven by a simple goal: protecting waterways and holding industrial polluters accountable for the communities and ecosystems that depend on them.

Experience

  • Staff Attorney at Communities for a Healthy Bay
    Aug 2024 - Present · 2 yrs

    Lead litigation efforts leveraging the Clean Water Act citizen suit provision to address and mitigate sources of pollution, with a focus on safeguarding Tacoma's waterways and Commencement Bay. Serve as in-house counsel, advising on legal strategies to advance local environmental initiatives. Conduct Bay Patrol operations to identify and document ongoing and emerging threats to water quality, fostering accountability and supporting the long-term health of our marine ecosystems.

  • Stetson University College of Law (Gulfport, Florida, United States)
    • Law Student
      Jul 2021 - May 2024 · 2 yrs 11 mos

    • Law Clerk: Jacobs Clinic for Democracy and the Environment
      May 2023 - Aug 2023 · 4 mos

      Non-profit work focusing around a blend of environmental issues and social justice advocacy. Researched and advocated for a neighborhood with objectionable odor coming from an industrial park. Worked on a citizen suit to federally list an endangered/threatened species. Completed standing declarations, a complaint order, and collaborated with non-profit organizations acting as plaintiffs in the suit.

    • Veterans Advocacy Clinic
      May 2022 - Aug 2022 · 4 mos

      Worked through collaboration and pro bono advocacy by being a voice for veterans with disabilities and seeking compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Wrote memorandums and briefs describing service-connection injuries and receiving benefits for certain veterans.

  • Teacher at WINDHAM PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
    Jul 2017 - Jul 2021 · 4 yrs 1 mo

    6th Grade Math/Science Teacher. High school and Middle school softball coach.

  • Teacher at Harlem Children's Zone
    Jul 2016 - Jul 2017 · 1 yr 1 mo

    5th Grade Math Teacher

  • Teacher at Sunflower County Consolidated School District
    Aug 2014 - Aug 2016 · 2 yrs 1 mo

    Third-grade teacher and ballet instructor. High school softball coach.