PPC staff, speaker or author?
Event Speaker

Manisha Patel

Generic cartoon silhouette
Title & Affiliation
Council on Environmental Quality Executive Office of the President
Bio

Manisha D. Patel serves as the Deputy General Counsel for the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) within the Executive Office of the President. Prior to serving in her current capacity, Ms. Patel served as the Deputy Associate Director for Regulatory Policy at CEQ. At CEQ, Ms. Patel works closely with Federal agencies, state and local governments, stakeholders, and other White House offices to develop policies and initiatives that advance the President’s environmental, natural resources, and energy agenda. She coordinates interagency efforts to modernize the federal infrastructure permitting process. Ms. Patel is part of the team that is implementing the Administration’s commitment to building safe, reliable, and resilient infrastructure in a manner that safeguards our communities and the environment.


Since beginning her career in federal environmental law two decades ago, Ms. Patel has steadfastly and successfully advocated for innovative solutions to intractable problems. Prior to joining CEQ, Ms. Patel served in various capacities at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She had held leadership positions within EPA’s Office of General Counsel and in EPA’s Office of Regional Counsel in Dallas, Texas. Ms. Patel is a recognized expert on Federal regulatory issues. Ms. Patel has been repeatedly recognized for her dedication and leadership in finding comprehensive and sustainable approaches to tackle the environmental issues and challenges we face as a country. Her commendations include agency awards for counseling the development and implementation of proactive voluntary approaches to control air pollution and for the development of novel legal approaches for Clean Water Act permits.

 

Ms. Patel is a graduate of Northwestern University and the Georgetown University Law Center. She is an alumnus of the Executive Energy Leadership Academy at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. She is a member of the Virginia State Bar.