Stephanie Biggs
Senior Attorney
Collaborating with local stakeholders is an essential part of SELC’s work, and Stephanie is immersed in relationship building around water issues in Tennessee. This includes her work to protect the Duck River, which is one of the most ecologically rich rivers in the world and is located entirely within Tennessee. The Duck’s long-term health and viability depend on responsible management, and Stephanie advocates for the river’s sustainable use in multiple forums, including as part of a habitat conservation planning process.
“We are home to world-class aquatic biodiversity in the Southeast while also being one of the fastest-growing regions of the nation,” says Stephanie. “We are at a critical juncture where the decisions we make today will determine whether both our communities and our ecosystems flourish in the future.”
Stephanie also champions clean and abundant waterways through targeted litigation, as well as by leading the flow group within SELC’s Water Team, which works toward maintaining healthy water quantity and quality in the Southeast’s rivers, streams, and groundwater aquifers. Additionally, Stephanie is a registered lobbyist in Tennessee and devotes time every legislative session to advocating for robust, protective environmental laws.
The Great Smoky Mountains hold special memories for Stephanie, from family camping and hiking trips to visiting Greenbrier to see spring wildflowers. A Knoxville native, her love of the region motivates her work. “I feel both great privilege that I am from the Southeast as well as a deep responsibility to tend to and care for this area well, and SELC provides the best setting imaginable to do that work.”
- Hogan Lovells U.S., LLP
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, clerk
- J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School
- B.S., Georgetown University, cum laude