Alumni Robert Caccese ’15

Director of Policy, Planning, and Communications, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

Location: University Park

Expertise: Energy and Environmental Law

After a decade of experience leading policy development, government affairs, legal operations, and strategic planning within state government, academia, and a national conservation organization, I offer a unique combination of legal and policy expertise, executive leadership, and collaborative problem-solving in environmental law and policy.

Tell us about your work.

As an agency attorney, I've drafted and reviewed 50+ regulations, policies, and legislation to promote fishing and boating across Pennsylvania, successfully represented and defended the agency in front of courts and administrative hearing boards, and prepared hundreds of contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding and other legal documents to meet the agency’s mission.

As a staff attorney for Penn State, I collaborated with a 15+ member cross functional team to integrate water rights data into economic models; co-authored a published book chapter in The Food-Energy-Water Nexus focused on alternative dispute resolution for multifaceted conflicts; and designed, implemented, and instructed the first online environmental law course for Penn State graduate students. Additionally, I've published nine academic papers integrating water law, policy, and science to address water scarcity challenges.

Within the past year, I advised all state fish and wildlife agencies for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies on federal water and fisheries policies, legislation, and regulation actions in addition to my duties for Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

In my current role as policy director for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, I serve in a senior leadership role advising executive management, supporting organization-wide policy development, and translating complex policy challenges into legislative solutions. I also serve as the vice chair of the Subcommittee on Water for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, a national organization representing all 50 state fish and wildlife agencies.

My goal is to continue developing an expertise in water law, with an emphasis on the eastern U.S., in order to develop practical laws and regulations that balance human consumption, conservation and economic development in an ever-changing world. Furthermore, I'd like to continue advocating for conservation and fish and wildlife management to ensure they have a "seat at the table."

How did Penn State Dickinson Law prepare you for your career?

Law school prepared me for my career in multiple ways, such as time management, attention to detail, knowledge of several environmental policies and laws, professionalism, writing skills, logical reasoning, and strategic planning.

During my time in law school, I participated in the Rural Economic Development Clinic and took courses in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil & Gas Law, Energy Law, Administrative Law, and Water Law (CALI Award in Water Law). I also completed an independent study with Professor Colburn focused on conservation efforts and the Endangered Species Act, which resulted in a headlined law review article in the 2014-15 edition of the Buffalo Environmental Law Journal: It’s Not Just The Effort That Counts: Conservation Endangerment For At-Risk Species; 22 Buffalo Environmental Law Journal 1.

Professors Lara Fowler and Jamison Colburn were instrumental in my development as an attorney, mentored me as I specialized in environmental law and related areas, and pushed me to grow through challenging projects.