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Email Bob Durand

BOB DURAND
President / Co-founder

Bob Durand is President of Durand & Anastas Environmental Strategies, Inc., a company he co-founded in 2003.  He specializes in Government Relations, Legislation, and Project Strategy for a diverse range of clients.

Bob has over 25 years of state government experience. He previously served as a state legislator in both the Massachusetts House and Senate.  During his tenure as a state legislator, he chaired both the Environment and Energy Committees before being named Secretary of Environmental Affairs for the Commonwealth.  As Secretary he earned the reputation for recognizing that economic development and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive. Bob is a natural problem solver who brings people together. He has maintained an excellent reputation with regulators, legislators and municipal officials over the years.
Bob provides strategic advice for our clients, including leading New England developers, Fortune 500 companies, municipalities and nonprofits. He negotiated the environmental approvals for Excelerate Energy’s Northeast Gateway LNG Deepwater Port, and represented Anbaric before Environmental Affairs agencies and the D.P.U. He has successfully lobbied on behalf of numerous conservation-related organizations, including the Center for Coastal Studies, the Community Preservation Coalition, and the Great Ponds Coalition on budget and legislative issues.
A passionate conservationist and outdoorsman, Bob currently serves as Vice Chair of MassWildlife’s seven member state regulatory board. He is Past President of both the MA Outdoor Heritage board and the MA Environmental Trust.  He has also served on the boards of The Nature Conservancy and Sterling College.  Bob lives in Marlborough, MA and Hardwick, VT.  Bob and wife Nancy have six children and two grandchildren.
Email Chuck Anastas

CHUCK ANASTAS
Managing Partner / Co-founder

Chuck oversees the company’s permitting and regulatory business, including successful approval strategies under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). He has a broad background in the public and private sectors, having extensive experience with conservation issues in the legislative and executive branches of government. He has held senior policy positions in the Lieutenant Governor’s office and the Environmental Affairs Secretariat, and has successfully worked on numerous housing and historic preservation projects. Chuck is currently Chair of the Massachusetts Conservation Voters (MCV).

Email Susan Whalen

SUSAN WHALEN
Senior Consultant

Susan Whalen recently returned to work at Durand & Anastas Environmental Strategies as a Senior Consultant specializing in project reviews under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA). Susan’s 30-year career in environmental conservation has focused on leading innovative programs to increase public access to open space, improve natural and cultural resource stewardship, and foster innovations in forestry, wildlife, parks, and fisheries management, including planning, permitting, and implementing agency-related projects. She previously served as Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Conservation for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), where she oversaw the planning and operations of more than 350,000 acres of state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas. For over fourteen years prior to that position, she served as Deputy Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management/Department of Conservation and Recreation (DEM/DCR). Susan also has ten years’ experience in the Massachusetts State Senate as chief of staff to a State Senator and currently serves on the Board of Connecticut Audubon and the State Advisory Board for the Friends of Connecticut State Parks.

Email Kimberly Orr

KIMBERLY ORR
Associate

Kimberly Orr is an accomplished environmental professional currently serving as an Associate at Durand & Anastas Environmental Strategies. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from UMass Amherst, and has since dedicated her career to working on projects related to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and composing Environmental Impact Reports and Environmental Notification Forms. Kimberly has extensive experience in environmental justice and working collaboratively with clients to ensure their projects meet the highest environmental standards and regulations. Kimberly’s expertise and dedication to environmental protection make her a valuable asset to any project team.

Email Doug Pizzi

DOUG PIZZI
Media Relations

Doug Pizzi is Principal of Pizzi Communications Company (PCC) and provides media relations to corporate and nonprofit clients of Durand & Anastas Environmental Strategies. Since 2003, Doug has worked with D&A clients, such as Excelerate Energy, the National Wildlife Federation, Water Transportation Alternatives, and the Community Preservation Coalition, to provide long-term media services and strategic advice. Based in Marlborough, MA, Doug represents clients from such diverse fields as rail transportation, business, environmental advocacy, energy, and politics. He has managed successful statewide media campaigns aimed at housing construction policy, small business lending, and mercury reduction. Doug has more than thirty years of communications experience, including over a dozen years as a daily newspaper reporter, and six years in state government managing communications and government relations.