Marc Ross Email & Phone Number

• Manage regulatory compliance for environmental, health, safety (EHS), social, and governance (ESG) matters at a leading manufacturer of trucks and busses.• Develop and implement strategies to ensure company adherence to industry regulations and standards.• Lead cross-functional teams to drive sustainability initiatives and improve overall corporate responsibility efforts.

New York, Ny, Us

Fractional Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) and Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) counsel to a multinational manufacturer in the automotive industry

Independent Corporate Social Responsibility/ESG consultant assisting businesses develop purpose-driven companies through strategic, integrated, authentic, and measurable community engagement, employee engagement, corporate philanthropy, and sustainability programs. • Created and conducted employee engagement and employee satisfaction surveys for publicly-traded and privately-held businesses, as well as for an entire industry, in collaboration with the National Cannabis Industry Association, resulting in the industry’s first white paper on employee engagement.• Consulted vertically-integrated, multi-state cannabis operators on national CSR strategy and guided development of ESG strategy, conducted internal/external materiality assessment to assist in preparation for company’s first ESG report and reporting against third party frameworks.• Worked with executive leadership teams developing core company pillars, community and employee engagement strategies, and corporate philanthropy programs, utilizing emotional intelligence, stakeholder development, and employee engagement exercises. • Senior CSR Strategist and General Counsel to kindColorado, a Cannabis Social Responsibility firm (2017-2018).• Mentored companies incubated by Canopy Boulder, a venture fund and business accelerator, focused on ancillary businesses in the cannabis sector.• Part-time embedded consultant in a fully vertically-integrated cannabis company, gaining direct experience in all facets of the operation (cultivation, manufacturing, and retail) (2018).

Denver, Colorado, Us

Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) and Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) practice lead for the leading cannabis, hemp, and psychedelics law firm in the world. Counseled and consulted numerous for-profit and non-profit clients on all matters related to ESG, EHS, community engagement, employee engagement, corporate philanthropy, DEI, and sustainability programs. • Represented, counseled, and consulted cannabis operators and ancillary businesses on a wide variety of corporate social responsibility strategies, conducted materiality assessments and measurement of ESG metrics for internal and external reporting, screened and facilitated community and nonprofit partnerships, advised and assisted on license applications and community impact plans.• Counseled nonprofit organizations with incorporations, bylaws, and IRS tax-exempt applications.• Created and oversaw new Community Engagement and Green Teams for firm, leading employee and community engagement activities and events, strategic philanthropy, sustainability efforts, and participated in DEI and pro-bono committee leadership. • Drafted new governance policies for firm regarding Volunteer Time Off, Human Rights, DEI policy, Vendor Code of Conduct; shepherded firm’s BCorp application through verification process.• Organized multiple employee engagement volunteer events, nonprofit trainings, and published inaugural Vicente Sederberg Impact Report.• Served as an internal, external, and industry thought leader on ESG, EHS, CSR, sustainability, and social equity through webinars, high-profile speaking engagements, trade association participation and leadership, podcast interviews, and articles published in national publications.

Tempe, Az, Us

Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. is one of the largest vertically-integrated cannabis companies and multi-state operators (MSO) in the United States. Managing a team of four, I worked cross-functionally with Human Resources, Learning & Development, Government Affairs, Licensing, Marketing, Retail, Cultivation, and Manufacturing in which I:• Created first company-wide employee engagement and satisfaction survey and analysis for Harvest, resulting in defined pillars for corporate giving and employee volunteerism, creating a baseline for employee satisfaction, and scoping foundational outreach programs moving forward (participation rate over 50%).• Participated and contributed to cannabis medical and recreational dispensary license applications and state interview process, resulting in successful license awards in Utah, California (Pasadena, CA, Chula Vista, CA, Hanford, CA), and Missouri.• Directly engaged in community outreach efforts in multiple states, resulting in dozens of prospective partnerships with civic, political, community, and nonprofit leaders. • Envisioned and oversaw development of Harvest’s Prisons to Prosperity societal re-entry and training program for formerly incarcerated individuals due to cannabis convictions; built partnership with national NGO The Last Prisoner Project to lead the organization’s re-entry and reeducation program. • Created a formal Employee Volunteer Program, while overseeing the creation of partnerships and volunteer opportunities for employees with local civic and nonprofit organizations.• Oversaw partnerships with breast cancer organizations and local food banks in conjunction with company-wide campaigns, resulting in over $11,000 going to breast cancer nonprofit organizations, multiple mammography units on-site at Harvest stores, and over 7,000 items collected for food banks in AZ, CO, PA, ND, CA, and MD.

Denver, Colorado, Us

Independent philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility consultant to nonprofit and private sector clients. Projects have included creation of giving guidelines for a community bank, sponsor research for a large nonprofit association gala event, donor and sponsorship prospecting & research for local nonprofit organizations, grant research and grant writing for regional and statewide NGOs, and editing governance documents for a charter school.

Washington, Dc, Us

Executive Director, General Counsel and Founder of Rock the Earth, an environmental advocacy organization that works to protect America's natural resources through partnerships with the music industry and the world-wide environmental community.Directed the operations of a national, environmental advocacy organization, including creation and management of budgets and recruitment of employees, volunteers, contractors and activists to comprise the organization’s Volunteer Staff. Oversaw and directed all operational aspects of organization including program, fundraising & development, public relations, board development and strategic partnerships. General Counsel. Drafted various legal documents & contracts. Hired and oversaw outside counsel on environmental litigation, intellectual property, labor, tax and tax exempt law issues. Fundraising Success. Contributed, reviewed, and edited all letters of interest and grant applications, as well as corporate partnerships resulting in successfully securing grants, donations, and in-kind donations in excess of $1.2 MM. Directed the organization in successful fundraising activities -over 10,000 paid members; mailing list of over 50,000. Created several successful benefit events for the organization. Mission Success. Submitted over 30 sophisticated legal and technical comment letters to federal agencies on a variety of environmental issues; played roles in the establishment of two National Monuments and the protection of over 250,000 acres of Wilderness, oversaw all environmental litigation. Successfully secured an organizational presence at over 2,000 concert dates throughout North America, partnering with some of the biggest names in music. Public Relations. Represented the organization in interviews with print, television, motion picture and Internet outlets. Oversaw the design and procurement of various promotional and public relations materials, including overhaul and re-branding of organization in 2008.

Washington, Dc, Us

President and Founder of Rock the Earth, an environmental advocacy organization that works to protect America's natural resources through partnerships with the music industry and the world-wide environmental community.

Washington, Dc, Us

Executive Director, General Counsel and Founder of Rock the Earth, an environmental advocacy organization that works to protect America's natural resources through partnerships with the music industry and the world-wide environmental community.

Designed and executed a variety of sustainability measures for a small festival on public land in Moab, UT. Measures included wastewater/graywater recovery, reusable serviceware in catering, compostable serviceware for vendors, on-site renewable power, comprehensive on-site recycling, "green" excursions, and vendor contracting.

Pittsburgh, Pa, Us

World wide water and remediation environmental counsel to the largest manufacturer of aluminum and aluminum products in the world. • Counsel to a Fortune 100 company on a wide variety of national and international environmental compliance, permitting and remediation issues.• Reviewed and negotiated environmental segments of acquisition and divestiture agreements.• Represented company in state and federal Superfund PRP groups.• Oversaw and directed outside counsel on environmental litigation matters.• Oversaw and directed technical consultants on environmental compliance, permitting and remediation issues.• Successfully represented facilities in administrative appeals and negotiated permits and Compliance Orders addressing air emissions from a facility in Indiana and water discharges from facilities in New York, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana.• Negotiated settlements with state and federal agencies and other responsible parties to address remediation issues in California, Wisconsin, Washington, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Illinois, resulting in reduced environmental liability exposure and substantial cost savings to Alcoa.

Worldwide, Oo

Litigation Associate in one of the largest law firms in Pennsylvania. Specialized in environmental litigation, in particular, mining, oil and gas, and land use law.• Counseled clients on a variety of environmental compliance and permitting issues in the areas of mining, air quality, wetlands, and natural gas.• Drafted a variety of litigation and non-litigation documents including pleadings, discovery, motions, briefs, memoranda of law, and settlement documents; took and defended depositions.• Successfully negotiated a settlement of a Compliance Order with the state environmental agency to allow an operator of natural gas wells an appropriate period of time to come into compliance.• Argued motions in the Pennsylvania Courts of Common Pleas.• Drafted litigation documents in non-environmental matters.• Drafted research memoranda on a variety of environmental and non-environmental matters.

Environmental litigation counsel with state agency. Specialized primarily in mining, water quality and waste law.• Represented the Department in both litigation and non-litigation matters related to mining, water quality and hazardous waste.• Participated in all phases of discovery and litigation process, including: o Litigation of cases before the Environmental Hearing Board, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, the Courts of Common Pleas, the Pennsylvania Board of Claims and the U. S. District Bankruptcy Court. o Preparation of witnesses for deposition. o Conducting and defending depositions. o Preparation of discovery documents and responses to discovery requests. o Preparation of motions, briefs and memoranda of law on both the administrative and appellate levels. o Preparation of witnesses and evidence for trial. • Negotiated and drafted settlement documents including Consent Orders and Agreements and Consent Adjudications.• Successfully litigated compliance matter from issuance of Order through denial of allocatur by Pennsylvania Supreme Court.• Successfully litigated several Petitions to Enforce and Petitions for Contempt in the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.

Executive Certificate, Corporate Social Responsibility

Executive Certificate, Sustainability Leadership & Implementation

Jd, Law

Ba, Foreign Service/International Politics

Education record