Local Elected Leadership

Iris currently supports multiple organizations in managing their talent, budget, and internal processes and policies:

Iris was appointed to the City of Ithaca’s Sustainability and Climate Justice Commission in 2023, and in this role, advises the Common Council on strategies for implementing Ithaca’s landmark Green New Deal legislation and Justice50 initiative
As Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Ithaca Children’s Garden, Iris oversaw a successful search for a new executive director, established health and retirement benefits for staff, and currently supports the organization’s employment policies and practices
Iris serves on the Cornell Faculty Senate as a representative from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations, where she has advocated for freedom of expression, labor rights for Cornell employees, and more equitable academic job categories

Working for the Public Good

Iris has dedicated her career to working in non-profits and helping elected leaders govern in ways that are just, sustainable, and equitable:

As Cornell faculty and counsel to non-profits, Iris has written and created policies for clean energy development and strong labor protections in multiple states, including Connecticut, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington and Texas
As a labor lawyer, Iris created legislation ensuring strong community benefits and workers’ rights in the emerging cannabis industry that has been adopted in states and localities across the U.S.
Iris was instrumental to establishing medical cannabis workers’ rights to organize under the National Labor Relations Act, opening the door for tens of thousands of workers to advocate for safer working conditions and patient protections