Jim Dougherty has been an environmental attorney since the 1970s, representing national environmental organizations, citizens groups, and Native Americans for the past 27 years. Previously, he held senior management positions at the Environmental Law Institute, Defenders of Wildlife and U.S. EPA.
A volunteer Sierra Club activist since the 1980s, he has led a number of environmental campaigns in Washington, including those to protect Anacostia Park, Klingle Valley, and Glover-Archbold Park. He authored and campaigned for passage of several pieces of environmental legislation, including the Tree Bill (2005) and the “Toxic Trains” bill (2005). He was a member of the DC Environmental Planning Commission in the 1990s and was an environmental advisor to Mayor Tony Williams.
He has served as a member of the Sierra Club’s national Board of Directors, the Board of the International Dark-Sky Association, the Board of the International League of Conservation Photographers, the Board of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, the Board of the Friends of the National Zoo, and the Board of the Committee of 100 on the Federal City.