OUR TEAM
Catherine Pruett, JD, MPA - Executive Director
Catherine Pruett co-founded Law of the Wild in 2021, after co-founding and successfully directing Sea Shepherd Legal for seven years. Throughout much of her environmental legal career, Catherine has been analyzing and helping to enhance national, regional, and international legal and policy frameworks, with a particular focus on the conservation of marine species and habitats. She has directly engaged in training legislators, judges, prosecutors, customs officials, and enforcement officers in the application of law and policy that can help combat wildlife trade. Catherine has assisted in drafting environmental and fisheries legislation and has expertise in establishing and restoring marine and terrestrial protected areas. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Geography with an emphasis in biology from the University of Hawai’i, a law degree from Willamette University College of Law, and a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. Catherine is a member of the Hawai’i and Washington State bars and has written a multitude of materials in support of nature conservation.
Brett Sommermeyer, JD, MPA - Legal Director
Brett Sommermeyer co-founded Law of the Wild in 2021, having previously co- founded and guided Sea Shepherd Legal since 2014. As an environmental attorney with over 25 years of relevant experience, Brett is extensively engaged in a range of projects that aid in the conservation of species and wild spaces. Brett developed all workstream strategies for Sea Shepherd Legal and collaborates closely with government officials and UN bodies to provide critical guidance in the development and enhancement of environmental and fisheries law and policy, working to harmonize national legislation with a wide range of international legal frameworks including CITES, CMS, CBD, RFBs, RFMOs, and the PSMA. Brett holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Duke University, a law degree from Lewis and Clark, Northwestern School of Law, with a Certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Law, and a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs. Brett has authored numerous materials pertinent to the practice of environmental law and policy and is a member of the Guam, Oregon, and Washington bars.
Nicholas Fromherz, JD - Policy Advisor
Nick Fromherz has collaborated with Law of the Wild’s founders for over a decade. In addition to serving as Policy Advisor for Law of the Wild, Nick served as the Latin American Program Director for the Global Law Alliance for Animals and the Environment at Lewis & Clark Law School. Nick previously worked as an attorney for a public-interest law firm dedicated to conserving marine wildlife around the world and served as a Visiting Assistant Professor, teaching courses within Lewis & Clark’s Environmental, Natural Resources, and Energy Law program. Since 2015, Nick has taught Administrative Law at Lewis & Clark as an Adjunct Professor.Nick’s scholarship has appeared in the Stanford Environmental Law Journal, Washington University Global Studies Law Review, Ecology Law Quarterly, West Virginia Law Review, Administrative Law Review, and Animal Law Review. In addition, he has written a number of shorter opinion pieces in outlets like Foreign Affairs and the International Policy Digest. Before transitioning to environmental work, Nick served as a litigation attorney for a law firm in California and spent three years clerking for federal judges (Judge Lawson of E.D. Mich. and Judge Terence Evans of the Seventh Circuit). Nick graduated as the valedictorian of his law-school class. Nick is a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law and combines his experience with his considerable time living and working in Latin America.
Viviana Pruett-Saratan - Intern
Kicking off her gap year, Viviana Pruett-Saratan joined Law of the Wild as an intern in 2024. In addition to helping Law of the Wild with social media and fundraising campaigns, Viviana enthusiastically launched Young Advocates for the Wild, our new platform giving young people a voice in conservation.
Tanya Graham - Fiscal Provider
Tanya Graham has served as a fiscal services professional for more than 26 years. Her success and expertise in budgetary oversight, accounting practices, grant management, and nongovernmental organizational administration has helped soundly guide a range of entities including local municipalities, soil and water conservation districts, watershed councils, and environmental nonprofits.
Theresa Torgesen, JD President, Board of Directors
Theresa is an attorney with more than 20 years of experience in law firm management, nonprofit board governance, consumer protection, and community association leadership.
Igor Oseledko Vice President, Board of Directors
Igor is an expert Systems Engineer with nonprofit board governance experience and 20+ years of background in systems analysis, application support, and process automation.
Paul Robertson, MSC Secretary, Board of Directors
Paul is an environmental scientist with 15+ years of experience in public administration, monitoring and managing natural resources, and conducting on- the-ground restoration.
Connect With Us
United States
7511 Greenwood Avenue North, #4214
Seattle, Washington 98103
+1 206 774 0046
South Africa
26 Nature’s Landing
Boesmansriviermond, Eastern Cape 6191
+27 79 891 6635