Steve Cochran
Director of Strategic Communications
Environmental Defense


Since July of 1997, Steve Cochran has been at Environmental Defense, where he now directs their strategic communications efforts. His responsibilities include management of Environmental Defense’s domestic climate change campaign. He also served previously as Environmental Defense's legislative director.

Prior to joining Environmental Defense:

• Steve spent five years as a senior policy analyst in the Office of Air and Radiation at US EPA, working on a range of issues related to implementation of the Clean Air Act.
• two years as the first executive director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, a regional environmental advocacy group based in New Orleans, La., and
• seven years with Louisiana Congressman and then Governor Buddy Roemer, including roles as Legislative Director for Congressman Roemer, Field Director for his successful gubernatorial campaign, and Chief of Staff to the Governor.

Steve's formal education includes a BS from Louisiana State University, and graduate work in Liberal Arts at Harvard University.

In his individual capacity Steve has served since 1998 on the nine-member Political Committee of the League of Conservation Voters, the political arm of the environmental community.

He is the proud father of a brilliant, articulate and handsome 9 year-old son named Jackson, whose soccer exploits will soon become legend.

Steve began his career by working in the private sector in Louisiana, spending five years negotiating oil and gas leases for an independent energy exploration firm.