Patrick Foster

Attorney and Deputy Commissioner for Sustainable Development, NYS CEC
Lecturer in Professional Studies, Sustainability Management

Patrick Foster is an attorney and Deputy Commissioner for Sustainable Development at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). In this role, Patrick supports the DEC Office of Sustainability, Regional Affairs and Divisions of Environmental Remediation, Materials Management, and Environmental Permits. He has held multiple roles at DEC, including Acting General Counsel, Regional Director for Region 2, covering the five boroughs of New York City, Regional Attorney in Region 2, and Chief of the Natural Resource Damages Section in the Office of General Counsel. Prior to law school, he supported entrepreneurs in the architecture, design, and retail sectors throughout New York City as a small business management consultant. Patrick has taught environmental policy at St. John’s University and Administrative Law at CUNY School of Law where he currently teaches Environmental Law. He is a graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington and received his J.D. and M.A. from the City University of New York.

SUMA PS5720 Policy and Legal Context for Sustainability Management