Meet the Environmental Law Society’s Board

Martin Tipton, Co-President

Martin Tipton (he/him) is a 2L JD candidate and a Co-President of the Environmental Law Society. Martin grew up in Rochester, New York, and New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale in 2021 with a degree in mechanical engineering. During undergrad, he was on the varsity sailing team, started a boat-building club, and researched state climate change mitigation polices with public health co-benefits. His senior project was building and optimizing a vertical wind turbine.

After undergrad, Martin worked in Washington, DC, as a contractor for the US Department of Energy. He was a part of a team setting energy efficiency standards for walk-in refrigerators. At Duke Law, Martin is also a member of the Moot Court Board, a staff editor for the Duke Law Journal, and an avid member of the run club. This past summer, Martin worked at the North Carolina Department of Justice in the Environmental Division. In his spare time, Martin loves to bike, run, cook, and play board games.

Annika Larson, Co-President

Natalie Larsen, VP of Pro Bono & Volunteer Services

Chloe Wetzler, VP of External Communications

Ryan Perez, 3L Representative

Ryan Perez (he/him) is a 3L JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law and the 3L Representative of the Environmental Law Society. Ryan grew up in Allen, Texas. He graduated from the University of Arkansas as a Razorback Classic after majoring in both economics and management and minoring in philosophy. Throughout his time at the University of Arkansas, Ryan was extensively involved with the National Model United Nations Program, which confirmed his desire to apply for law school. Before law school, Ryan spent a summer as an au pair in Santander, Spain. 

At Duke Law, Ryan has been involved with the Mock Trial Board, Duke Immigrant and Refugee Pro Bono, the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, the Immigrant Rights Clinic, the Community Enterprise Clinic, the International Law Society, the Duke Labor Law and Workers’ Rights Alliance, LALSA, and 1GP. He served as the former President of Environmental Law Society. During his 1L summer, Ryan worked at Ritch Mueller in Mexico City before completing international coursework at Universiteit Leiden in The Hague. During his 2L year, Ryan attended international climate negotiations at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan as part of the UNFCCC Practicum. He spent his 2L summer at Clifford Chance in New York City, specializing in Renewables work within the Project Finance Group. He currently serves as a teaching assistant for Professor Wiener’s Climate Change Law class. He plans to return to Clifford Chance upon graduation.

Carson Bennik, 1L Representative

Carson Bennik is a 1L JD candidate at Duke Law and a 1L Representative for ELS.  Carson was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Carson graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington and majored in Philosophy. Between high school and undergrad, Carson spent a year in Delhi, India as part of a U.S. Department of State program to learn Hindi.

At Duke Law, Carson is a part of the Government and Public Interest Society and the Lifting Club. Carson is also a pro bono volunteer for the Duke Immigrant and Refugee Project. In Carson’s free time, he enjoys playing basketball, rock climbing, hiking, and playing piano.

Nora Dahl, 1L Representative

Nora Dahl is a 1L JD candidate from Newport Beach, CA. She went to UC Santa Barbara for undergrad, where she studied history and English. While there, she volunteered as a legal aid intern at UCSB’s Student Legal Resource Center.

Before starting law school, she spent a year working at a kindergarten in Norway. In her free time, Nora enjoys hot yoga, hiking, and hanging out with friends.

Rachel Gold, 1L Representative

Rachel Gold is a 1L JD/MEM (Master of Environmental Management) candidate and a 1L representative for ELS. She is from Rockville, MD and graduated from Brown University in 2019, where she majored in History and Geological Sciences (extending history to the deepest timescales!).

Before starting at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment in 2024, Rachel worked in environmental health and environmental education for organizations in Alaska, Montana, and D.C. that are committed to building thriving relationships between communities and our environments. At Duke, she leads the Nicholas School Naturalists and is on the board of the Duke Water Network and Duke Society of American Foresters. She loves exploring Durham and North Carolina!

Amelia Gilchrist, 1L Representative

Amelia Gilchrist (she/her) is a 1L representative for the Environmental Law Society. Amelia is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina. She graduated from Brown in 2020 with a degree in environmental science. During undergrad she was on the varsity swimming and diving team, researched environmental justice issues (especially those in her home state), and interned for the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section. Following undergrad, Amelia stayed at Brown for a 1-year Masters of Public Affairs.

After graduate school, Amelia worked in Washington, DC. First, as a project manager for a boutique consulting firm specializing in accelerating adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure. She then worked for three years as a contractor for the U.S. Department of Transportation. She was a part of a team supporting civil rights at the transit agencies across the country. When not at school, Amelia loves to play tennis, run, lay in the sun, travel, binge reality TV, and try new restaurants with friends.

Michael Grossman, 1L Representative

Michael Grossman is a 1L JD candidate from Wyckoff, NJ. He attended Cornell University, where he graduated with a degree in Urban and Regional Studies. Before attending law school, Michael worked as a civil engineering consultant for three years, during which time he designed transportation infrastructure for various government agencies nationwide.

He also previously interned for Brightline West, the private company currently constructing a high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. In his spare time, he enjoys running, biking, hiking, skiing, and everything else outdoors.

Emily Horgen, 1L Representative

Emily Horgen is a joint 1L JD/Master of Environmental Management student. She grew up in Massachusetts and Florida, where she became passionate about ocean conservation. Emily graduated from Yale University with a double-major in Environmental Studies and East Asian Studies. In college, she worked on environmental policy issues in the U.S. Senate and climate technology investing projects at Blackrock’s Decarbonization Partners.

At Duke Law, Emily is involved in the Environmental Law Society, the Duke Immigrant and Refugee Project (DIRP), and the Women’s Law Students Association (WLSA). She enjoys running, painting, and spending time with her friends and family.

Abey Loving, 1L Representative

Abey Loving grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and graduated from Yale University in 2023. While at Yale, he founded the Student Green Innovation Fund, a $100,000 initiative supporting intersectional sustainability projects led by marginalized communities.

Abey later served as Director of Artificial Intelligence & Environmental Justice at the Yale Center for Environmental Justice, where he led the development of new AI tools to help grassroots organizations fight environmental harm. At Duke, Abey is excited to continue pursuing intersectional environmentalism and to help expand ELS’s focus on environmental justice.

Mark Natanawan, 1L Representative

Mark Natanawan is a 1L JD candidate at Duke Law and a 1L Representative of the Environmental Law Society.