| Office: | Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency for Toxic Substances |
| Term Start: | January 3, 2019 |
| Term End: | January 20, 2021 |
| President: | Donald Trump |
| Predecessor: | James Jones |
| Successor: | Michal Freedhoff |
| Birth Name: | Alexandra Rebecca Dapolito |
| Birth Date: | 25 September 1967[1] [2] |
| Education: | James Madison University (BA) Catholic University of America (JD) |
Alexandra Dapolito Dunn (born September 25, 1967) is an American environmental lawyer and law professor, specializing in chemical and pesticide regulation, water quality issues,[3] water treatment issues, urban development, rule of law,[4] environmental justice,[5] environmental conflict resolution, cooperative federalism,[6] and implementation of the Clean Water Act and the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. Dunn currently serves as the President and CEO of CropLife America, where she has been in that role since March of 2024.[7] Previously, Dunn has held executive positions at several environmental management associations, served as Regional Administrator for New England in the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.[8] In November of 2024, Dunn was elected President-Elect of the American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL) for the 2024-2025 year.
Dunn graduated from Cherry Hill East High School in New Jersey in 1985.[9] She received a B.A. in political science from James Madison University, followed by a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law, where she was elected editor-in-chief of the law review. She is a member of the bar in D.C., Maryland, and New York, and the U.S. Supreme Court. She began her career employed in private practice as an environmental associate at Winston & Strawn.[10] She was subsequently a counsel for the American Chemistry Council, general counsel for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), executive director and general counsel of the Association of Clean Water Administrators, and executive director and general counsel of the Environmental Council of the States.
Following her service at the EPA, Dunn became a partner in the law firm of Baker Botts, LLP in its Environment, Safety, and Incident Response group.[11] [12] At Baker Botts, she has helped to refine and deploy the "ACELAS" model for environmental justice and published numerous articles on contaminants of emerging concern, community engagement, and environmental enforcement.[13]
Before joining the EPA in January 2018, Dunn was the executive director and general counsel of the Environmental Council of the States.[14] She has been involved in dozens of environmental cases representing parties and intervenors and contributing amicus curiae briefs.[15]
Dunn served as chair of the American Bar Association Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, and served on the ABA Presidential Task force on Sustainable Development.[16] Dunn was the first ABA section chair from the non-profit sector. She was a board member of the Environmental Law Institute from 2014 to December 2017, and on the Executive Committee of the American College of Environmental Lawyers from October 2016 to December 2017.
Dunn served as the EPA Region 1 administrator between 2018 and 2019, and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention between 2019 and 2021.[8]
In 2024, she joined CropLife America as President & CEO. CropLife America represents U.S. developers, manufacturers, formulators, and distributors of plant science solutions for agriculture and pest management. Their mission is to ensure that growers and consumers have access to technologies that protect crops, communities, and ecosystems from pests, weeds, and diseases in an environmentally sustainable way.[17] They advocate for crop protection regulation, sustainability, biotechnology, and the use of pesticides to support universally healthy food, people, and the planet. [18]
Dunn was Dean of Environmental Law Programs and an adjunct professor of law at Pace Law School.[10] At Pace, Dunn led efforts to create the nation's first L.L.M. in Environmental Law focused on climate change. Dunn is a lecturer in law at the Columbus School of Law and Catholic University of America, and a Professorial Lecturer in Law at George Washington University Law School.[19] Previously she was an associate professor of law at American University’s Washington College of Law.[20] She has published articles in a variety of scholarly journals, law reviews, and periodicals.[21] [22] [23] [24] [3] [25] Her research publications include cutting edge work on environmental justice,[26] [27] green infrastructure,[28] and environmental conflict resolution,[29] among other subjects.