Key Staff

Mary A. Jacobson, Executive Director

Mary Jacobson started with the Center in July of 2008 as a staff attorney and is now the current Executive Director.  She focuses her practice in the areas of environmental and land use law.  Licensed in Delaware, Mary represents clients in both state and federal court and has extensive experience before administrative agencies and boards.  Mary joined MAELC after being in private practice for several years and serving as Assistant County Attorney and First Assistant County Attorney with New Castle County, Delaware.  As a land use attorney, Mary advocated conservation based land use and development practices and green technologies.  At the County, Mary was responsible for the enforcement of ordinances relating to zoning, subdivision, construction and the environment.  She was responsible for several projects that improved and preserved the environment.  Those projects included updating and modernizing County and State codes to increase open space, preserve sensitive natural resources, and protect and enhance wetlands.  She also was involved in revising laws relating to surface water management to better protect Delaware ’s water resources.  Mary was also responsible for the development and implementation of the County’s first farmland preservation program that preserved approximately 1000 acres in its first year of implementation.  Mary graduated from Widener University School of Law with magna cum laude distinction, participated on law review as an articles editor, and served as a Wolcott Fellow for Chief Justice Veasey of the Delaware Supreme Court.  Mary also served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Alford of the Delaware Superior Court.   

Tina Ventresca, Administrative Assistant

Tina is the Center's Administrative Assitant and has worked with the Center since 2009.  She provides administrative assistance to the Executive Director, is responsible for accounting and bookkeeping, and serves as the Center's Webmaster.


Brandy R. Ryan, Legal Intern

Brandy is a current law student at Widener University School of Law and will graduate in May of 2011 with a certificate in Environmental Law. She has interned under Mary for 2 years and has conducted research for litigation including the Delaware Deepening progect and several other environmental issues.  Before attending law school Brandy spent 6 years enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and is applying for the Coast Guard Legal program.