Erika Gerstenberger

Policy Counsel

Erika Gerstenberger is Policy Counsel at Ara Partners, based in Washington, D.C. She advises on regulatory and legislative developments to maximize opportunities for government incentives and minimize legal risk, including strategic guidance on how government actions may affect portfolio companies and how to engage policymakers to achieve positive outcomes for the firm and portfolio companies.

Before joining Ara, she served as an Attorney-Advisor in the U.S. EPA’s Office of General Counsel in the Air and Radiation Law Office, where she advised senior leadership on Clean Air Act regulatory development, drafted and defended complex rulemakings, and coordinated closely with DOJ in appellate litigation. Previously, as a Law Fellow at the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, she managed a global strategic climate litigation portfolio, developed science-based legal strategies, organized high-level climate science trainings, and engaged with international treaty bodies and policymakers. In private practice, Erika represented clients in large-scale renewable energy siting and permitting at the boutique environmental law firm Young Sommer, LLC. She also clerked at the New York State Attorney General’s Office in the Environmental Protection Bureau, where she supported enforcement and advisory work on a wide range of environmental statutes.

Erika holds a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School, a Master of Science in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University, and a dual-major Bachelor of Science in pre-law track programs from the State University of New York.

Outside of work, Erika enjoys traveling the globe, playing piano, visiting museums, and all manner of outdoor activities with her partner, daughter, and dog.