Jennifer Walling

Jen Walling has served as the Executive Director for the Illinois Environmental Council since January 2011, where she oversees the strategic direction and management of the organization and lobbies decision-makers on environmental issues. Jen is dedicated to building the power of Illinois’ environmental community to secure policy outcomes that protect the environment.

Over the last decade, Jen has worked to grow IEC staffing fivefold and increase the budget and number of member affiliates, all with a focus on serving and representing IEC’s affiliated organizations. With the board of directors, Jen worked to secure IEC’s partnership with the League of Conservation Voters in 2018, a national organization that has helped IEC network and build on a national level.

Jen has drafted, negotiated, lobbied, and passed hundreds of bills in Springfield while working to build the power, expertise, and relationships of the entire environmental community.

As a leader in climate policy, Jen has been at the frontline of lobbying and passing bills that will advance renewable energy and carbon emissions reduction, including the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2016, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021, and laws to simplify local siting of utility solar and wind projects in 2023.

Jen holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also received a juris doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law and is an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois.