2025 Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship Recipients

Every year, the Section grants a number of fellowships to bright and motivated law students to help finance their summer jobs practicing environmental, energy, land use, and/or natural resources law at a participating government agency or public interest organization. The Section also matches the Fellows with mentors who practice in the field, and provides webinars, career panels, get-togethers and more, so the Fellows can meet other section members and attorneys. And to cap it all off, the section invites Fellows to attend the Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite^® in October, with free conference registration. You can learn more about the fellowship and its sponsors on the Section website.  

We are pleased to introduce six of our outstanding 2025 Fellows! Their profiles and photos are below. We will profile the rest of the 2025 Fellows in our August eNews. Please join us in congratulating these students on their academic and professional successes!

Madison Wong – Berkely Law

Madison is a rising second-year student at Berkeley Law. She studied environmental policy analysis and psychology at UC Davis before attending law school to study environmental law. Specifically, she has an interest in water and clean energy law and is passionate about environmental justice and enjoy working in the interdisciplinary area between science, policy, and law. This summer, Madison is working at the California Public Utilities Commission. Outside academics, she helps train service dogs with Guide Dogs for the Blind. In her free time, she enjoys rock climbing, ballroom dancing, reading, and writing.

César Nije – Berkeley Law

César is the proud son of Central American refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala. He is the second eldest of nine siblings and the first high school and college graduate in his family. César brings a unique perspective to Berkeley Law, drawing on over 10 years of experience working at public interest institutions and corporate law firms. His tenure at Public Counsel and Earthjustice shaped his focus on impactful advocacy. His roles at top corporate law firms such as Manatt, Phelps & Phillps, LLP and Goodwin Procter, LLP also gave him a solid legal foundation and strategic insight. His vision is rooted in the second principle of environmental justice: a world where everyone is treated with mutual respect and justice, free from prejudice. This summer, César is working with the East Bay Municipal Utility District.

Amina Khribeche – University of San Francisco School of Law

Amina Khribeche is pursuing her J.D. at the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she expects to graduate in 2026. She is passionate about public interest law, with a particular focus on environmental justice and conservation. Amina earned her B.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Mills College and has interned with the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin. During the 2024–2025 academic year, she served as Co-Chair of the Asian American Bar Association’s Law Student Committee, where she helped organize professional development programming for Bay Area law students. As a Clifford Thomas Lee Fellow, Amina is currently working at the California Coastal Commission, where she is excited to contribute to work at the intersection of environmental protection, land use, and public access.

Liza Williams – Georgetown University Law Center

Liza Williams is a rising 2L at Georgetown University Law Center. She grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and graduated in 2023 from the University of Tulsa with degrees in environmental policy and Spanish. Her passion for environmental issues led her to apply to law school, and she is excited to expand her knowledge and skills within environmental law. This summer, she’s interning with the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office on the Land Use practice team.

Saleshia Ellis – University of California, Davis School of Law

Saleshia Ellis is a first-generation rising 3L at the University of California, Davis School of Law, focusing on the intersection of environmental law and social justice. This summer, she is interning with the Land Use Team at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office. Saleshia holds a degree in Urban Policy and Planning from Florida State University, where she developed a strong understanding of how environmental policies impact marginalized communities. At UC Davis, she is a research fellow studying law and transportation technology. She also serves on the Moot Court Honors Board and as National Director of Pre-Law Affairs for the National Black Law Students Association (NBLSA).

Elizabeth Boman – Chapman Fowler School of Law

Elizabeth is a rising 2L at Chapman Fowler School of Law in Orange County. She completed her Bachelor’s in Environmental Law and Policy at the University of Michigan. She has experience working with the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter advocating for climate-friendly policies in the state, researching wildfire management policies and water discharge permit regulations, and spent time as a sustainability consultant in Los Angeles. She has been an avid environmentalist her whole life and is excited to be a Fellow this year! This summer, Elizabeth is working with the Center for Biological Diversity, in the Urban Wildlands Program.