Top Environmental Leader to Take the Helm as the School Marks a Top Five U.S. News & World Report Ranking in Environmental and Public Interest Law
SOUTH ROYALTON, Vt. (Aug. 27, 2026) — The Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) Board of Trustees today announced that it has named Melissa Hoffer as the institution’s next president.
Hoffer, the first-ever climate chief in Massachusetts and a former appointee in the Environmental Protection Agency under the Biden administration who served as acting general counsel and principal deputy general counsel, will soon head north to VLGS. Her presidency will begin on December 1, 2026.
“I am honored and thrilled to join Vermont Law and Graduate School as its next president. VLGS has long been a national leader in environmental law and policy and public interest law, and the institution is uniquely positioned to lead in this time of momentous and intersecting challenges,” said Hoffer. “I cannot wait to get to work with the VLGS community and help build on its remarkable legacy of educating leaders who are ready to make a difference.”
As president, Hoffer will work to ensure VLGS continues to deliver outstanding academic programs that weave together teaching, service, scholarship and research, while helping the school build on its distinctive identity and elevate its reach and impact.
“Melissa Hoffer’s vision and expertise complement the goals and mission of VLGS,” said Board Chair Glenn Berger. “Together, we will support up-and-coming law and policy leaders, build broad support for the school’s efforts and ensure its continued success.”
VLGS — which celebrated its 50th anniversary this summer and was named a top five institution for both environmental law and public interest law by U.S. News & World Report — holds a strong reputation as a leader in environmental law and policy, restorative justice, food and agricultural law and policy, animal rights, energy law and policy, and other related areas of focus. Hoffer’s deep experience in litigation, regulatory policy and public service seamlessly fits the institution’s current and future goals.
Most recently, in her role as Massachusetts’ climate chief — a position created by Governor Maura Healey in 2023 on the first day of her administration to advise on climate matters and develop related policy — Hoffer advanced a whole-of-government approach to policymaking and implementation while leading teams across state agencies.
“From advancing clean energy and resilience to making sure our investments reach the neighborhoods that need them most, Melissa has helped our state lead the nation on climate innovation while keeping affordability and opportunity front and center,” said Governor Healey. “I am thrilled that Melissa will be taking her expertise and commitment to the next generation of leaders as the president of Vermont Law and Graduate School. I know she will continue to make an enormous difference, and I wish her every success in this exciting new chapter.”
Hoffer received a juris doctor from Northeastern University School of Law, a master’s degree in education from the University of Massachusetts and a bachelor’s degree from Hampshire College.
VLGS’s president position was previously held by Rodney Smolla, who stepped down in 2025 to focus on writing and teaching, while remaining an active faculty member. Upon Hoffer’s arrival, Beth McCormack and Dan Bromberg, who have been co-leading the institution in the interim, will maintain their roles as deans of the law and graduate schools, respectively.
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Vermont Law and Graduate School, a private, independent institution, is home to a law school that offers ABA-accredited residential and online hybrid JD programs and a graduate school that offers master’s degrees and certificates in multiple disciplines, including programs offered by the Maverick Lloyd School for the Environment, the Center for Justice Reform and other graduate-level programs emphasizing the intersection of environmental justice, social justice and public policy. Both the law and graduate schools strongly feature experiential clinical and field work learning. For more information, visit vermontlaw.edu, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.